[4] Yakamas Sign Fish Protection Settlement With Grant County PUD

Representatives of the Yakama Nation joined Grant County PUD officials last week in signing a long-term fish protection agreement that fulfills part of the utility's relicensing requirements for its Priest Rapids Project.

The two entities have come a long way in the past few years. It wasn't too long ago that the Yakamas had partnered up with PacifiCorp to compete against Grant over the re-licensing of the project. More recently, Grant has supported the Yakama Nation in its development of a tribal utility.

According to an Aug. 14 press release, the settlement agreement is the third and final piece of the Priest Rapids Project Salmon and Steelhead Protection Program.

NOAA Fisheries completed a biological opinion in May 2004, and an agreement to improve flow protection for Hanford Reach Fall Chinook was signed that year as well.

The accord signed last week works in conjunction with the Hanford Reach protection agreement to provide greater guarantees on timing of water delivery, provides new weekend protection flows and limits flow fluctuations for juvenile fall Chinook rearing in the Hanford Reach.

"Grant PUD looks forward to working with the Yakama in implementing the terms of this agreement," said Tim Culbertson, Grant PUD general manager. "We continue to work collaboratively with fish agencies, other dam operators, tribes and other interests to design programs and make decisions that are scientifically founded."

Other parties to the agreement are the Colville tribes, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries. -B. R.

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