Pitch

The Snake and Columbia River system is an internationally important waterway. Massive amounts of grain from Washington, Idaho, Montana and the Dakotas is loaded on barges in Lewiston and pushed across both rivers to Portland, where it is then exported to Asia and other parts of the world. However, river transportation, while economical, is facing several controversies. Environmentalists hate the salmon-killing dams. Locals despise the multimillion dollar cost of dredging – the process of removing muck from the river floor so barges and tugs can pass through unimpeded. Some farmers have also recently switched to rail transportation. Despite these numerous issues, every article written on the topic has taken a broad, external approach. Where mine differs: I’m going to get on the tugs, and I’ll be talking to the real people. It’ll be a feature about life on the river and only after talking to the people it actually affects will I springboard to the external controversies.    

Sources: Shaver, Tidewater, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, environmentalist groups, local farmers, Palouse Grain Growers

Format: Magazine Feature, 2000 words