Life in the Columbia Basin changed forever when the Columbia River Treaty was signed in 1964. Designed to prevent flooding and optimize hydropower, the Treaty required Canada to construct three storage dams on the upper Columbia River. The dams created large reservoirs that flooded over 15 communities and displaced 2,300 people. Forests and farmland were destroyed, causing devastating environmental and economic effects. As promises for fair compensation were made and broken, Basin residents were left to grapple with these effects, while looking to the future for an opportunity to make their grievances heard.