OR Judge orders more water to be released from Columbia, Snake dams

An Oregon federal judge ordered more water be released over dams starting next year on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers to improve survival chances for endangered salmon in the region.

"We just know that when we use spill to help baby fish get downriver, we get more adults back from that action. So whether or not it is a fix, remains to be seen, but what we do know about spill is it does improve the number of adult returns," says Liz Hamilton, heads the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association.

U.S. District Judge Michael Simon is the same judge who last year urged the government to consider breaching the four dams on the Lower Snake River.

Conservationists say the extra water will help young salmon migrate out to sea. Opponents of increasing water over the spillways say it could affect the amount of hydropower the dams produce.

The water release is scheduled to begin in 2018.