Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-252).

Redeeming the dammed -- What they're smoking in Alaska this summer -- Feed Willy -- Butte Creek -- Energy versus eternal delight -- How the mighty were felled -- When the levee breaks -- The fifth H -- Lies, dam lies, and statistics : the science of saving big hydro -- A river resuscitated -- The heart of the monster -- Epilogue : The river why not. Steven Hawley, journalist and self-proclaimed "river rat," argues that the best hope for the Snake River lies in dam removal, a solution that pits the power authorities and Army Corps of Engineers against a collection of Indian tribes, farmers, fishermen, and river recreationists. The river's health, as he demonstrates, is closely connected to local economies, fresh water rights, energy independence-and even the health of orca whales in Puget Sound.