Snake River

The Snake River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, flowing about 1,080 miles from western Wyoming through Idaho and into southeastern Washington.

Snake River Plain: A broad volcanic plain crossing southern Idaho, shaped by successive eruptions and the passage of the North American Plate over a hotspot. The river crosses this plain, where volcanic terrain and aquifers shape its course.
Lower Snake River dams: Four federal dams on the lower Snake River in Washington: Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite. Their reservoirs make the lower river navigable for barges.
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area: A protected area encompassing Hells Canyon and adjacent lands along the Idaho–Oregon border. It preserves a largely undeveloped section of the river corridor.
Snake River salmon: Salmon populations that migrate through the Snake River system between the Pacific Ocean and spawning areas in Idaho. Dams and warm water have contributed to steep declines in several populations.
Hells Canyon: A deep gorge carved by the Snake River along the Idaho–Oregon border. This canyon is the river’s most dramatic confined reach.
Snake River Plain aquifer: A vast groundwater system in southern Idaho, stored largely in permeable volcanic rocks beneath the Snake River Plain. Irrigation and river-connected groundwater sustain farming across the basin.
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge: A protected wetland and reservoir landscape on the Snake River in southern Idaho. The refuge shows how reservoirs can also provide habitat for migratory birds.
Snake River sockeye salmon: A federally endangered sockeye salmon population that migrates from the Pacific to Idaho’s Redfish Lake. Its recovery efforts reveal the difficulty of restoring long-distance migration.
Clearwater River: A major Idaho tributary that joins the Snake River at Lewiston. Its confluence marks the river’s entry into Washington.
Idaho potato production: The large-scale cultivation of potatoes in Idaho, supported by fertile soils and irrigation. Snake River water helps irrigate the state’s major agricultural region.

Linked from 6 pages