Eleven environmental and fishing groups filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue federal agencies over the Columbia River System Operations EIS, record of decision and biological opinion Read more
The Spokane Tribe of Indians filed a 60-day notice of intent to sue the Bonneville Power Administration over alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act, challenging BPA's record of decision to implement the Preferred Alternative in the Columbia River System Operations EIS. Read more
In two months, one collaborative process focused on building healthy and harvestable salmon and steelhead runs in Idaho will conclude its work, just as a new collaborative process with a similar goal for the entire region—currently known as the Four State Agreement—prepares to ramp up. Read more
A joint letter from the governors of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana signals the start of a new collaborative effort on salmon and steelhead recovery in the Columbia Basin, which will include consideration of removing the four lower Snake River dams. Read more
Environmentalists and the hydropower industry will work together to address the impacts of climate change by promoting the renewable energy and storage benefits of hydropower and the environmental and economic benefits of healthy rivers, according to a deal brokered by Stanford University. Read more
Already in trouble, endangered Snake River sockeye will face serious migration challenges from climate change, according to a new study by NOAA's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. Read more
Adult Chinook salmon that arrive at Astoria, Ore., in early spring for the long migration up the Columbia River are twice as likely to succumb to the jaws of a California sea lion compared with those that arrive later, a new University of Washington and NOAA Fisheries study found. Read more
State and tribal fish and wildlife staff have long watched increasing numbers of Steller sea lions, which weigh as much as 2,500 pounds, gobble up salmon and steelhead at the base of Bonneville Dam, at Willamette Falls, and in other parts of the lower Columbia River. Read more
In a future vision of the Columbia River, 8 million adult salmon and steelhead will be produced, 2.85 million of them will return to spawn, and three-quarters of those will head to natural spawning grounds in rivers and streams while the rest go to hatcheries across the vast basin. Read more
In the Western U.S., snowpack is an important tool for predicting annual streamflow from April through July. But Ben Livneh, a physical hydrologist and professor at the University of Colorado, says it's time to look for new ways to predict streamflow. Read more
The State of Oregon is suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for payment of $839,923 in costs the state incurred evaluating and cleaning up Bradford Island, a site near Bonneville Dam where toxic materials were dumped for 40 years. Read more
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a 25-year strategic plan at its Oct. 23-25 meeting, setting goals to reduce its carbon footprint and improve public trust, fish and wildlife habitat, wild salmon populations, public participation and employee satisfaction. Read more
Plaintiffs in Northwest Environmental Defense Center et al. v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers et al. are asking the Corps to complete a study on fish passage alternatives at Cougar Dam under a no-power scenario by December 2021 through a remedy proposal filed Oct. 9 in U.S. District Court in Oregon. Read more
A new analysis of PIT-tag data from upper Columbia spring Chinook found the adults experienced lower survival rates from Bonneville Dam to their tributaries than scientists expected. Read more
After a long discussion, the Columbia River Technical Management Team agreed Oct. 21 to begin augmenting Columbia River flows to ensure enough water on Nov. 1 for chum to spawn below Bonneville Dam. Read more
Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon each filed briefs Sept. 28 describing why the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals should remand an appeal by the Deschutes River Alliance back to U.S. District Court in Oregon for dismissal. Read more
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission on Oct. 9 denied a request by the Ochoco Irrigation District for a fish passage waiver at Bowman Dam near Prineville. Read more
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory developed an accurate, less expensive way to estimate survival of juvenile salmon migrating downstream past hydroelectric projects. Read more
The Northwest Power andConservation Council approved findings on recommendations and responses to comments on Part I of its 2020 Addendum to the 2014 Fish and Wildlife Program on Oct. 12. "This is the formal conclusion of the amendment process, which began in 2018," the NWPCC's general couns… Read more
