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Hjdropower — Two-thirds of the electricity 

 used in the Northwest comes from hydropower 

 dams. In even the driest years, the dams supply 

 enough electricity for 12 cities the size of 

 Seattle. 



Navigation — The Columbia is second to only 

 the Mississippi River in shipping. It is the West 

 Coast's top port system in export cargo, which 

 includes 35 percent of all U.S. wheat exports. 



Fishing — Even with depressed runs, estimates 

 of the value of Columbia River salmon for com- 

 mercial and sport fishing and related industries 

 are in the hundreds of millions of dollars. 



Industry — Aluminum companies use Columbia 

 River hydropower to produce 43 percent of the 

 U.S. aluminum output. These companies account 

 for 30 percent of the Bonneville Power 

 Administration's revenues. 



Agriculture — The Columbia is the primary 

 source for irrigation water and pumping power 

 on 8 million acres of Northwest farms. This land 

 provides nearly 75 percent of the region's farm 

 revenues — or $5 billion worth. 



Recreation — The Columbia River and its 

 tributaries attract hundreds of thousands of 

 people each year. 



Sources: Columbia River Alliance, Bonneville Power Adminislration, Northwest Power Planning Council. 



1806 



"There was great joy with the natives 

 last night, in consequence of the arrival 

 of the salmon." 

 —Captain Meriwether Lewis, April 19 



10 



