A new report from the Washington Governor's Salmon Recovery Office says too many salmon and steelhead runs in Washington are on the "brink of extinction," due in part to the changing climate, warming rivers and diminishing habitat from human population growth. Read more
The Washington Department of Ecology made one thing clear at its first public meeting on implementing a TMDL for temperature in the Columbia and lower Snake River—the state will not lower its standards for providing cooler water that salmon and steelhead need. Read more
Ten environmental and fishing groups have asked a federal judge to throw out the 2020 Columbia River System Operations environmental impact statement, record of decision and biological opinion, and send them back to federal agencies to do over. Read more
Ten scientists—some well known for their work in Columbia Basin salmon recovery—published an open letter to the governors of four Northwest states saying Snake River salmon and steelhead are "highly likely to become extinct" if the four lower Snake River dams are not removed. Read more
Despite population declines over the past five years, the overall status of the 13 runs of Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act has "probably not changed in most cases," a NOAA Fisheries scientist told the Northwest Power and Conservation Council Jan. 13. Read more
The operations at 13 dams in the Willamette Basin are on the verge of change. Read more
The Public Power Council claims the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated federal laws when it decided to turn off turbines at Detroit Dam during critical power generation hours this winter. Read more
The Environmental Protection Agency says that in addition to protecting and restoring 12 primary cold water refuge tributaries to the Columbia River, more cold water from the Umatilla River is needed to provide sufficient cool-water resting spots for migrating adult salmon and steelhead in t… Read more
Washington state must complete plans to control polluted runoff from septic systems, agriculture, logging and other nonpoint sources after a federal judge signed off on a legal settlement over the issue Jan. 8. Read more
Surplus summer Chinook salmon that traveled more than 500 river miles up the Columbia River to Wells Hatchery have continued migration after being trucked upstream and released in several locations above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservatio… Read more
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a new rule that allows greater lethal take of double-crested cormorants nationwide, and greater flexibility for states and tribes to manage the birds. Read more
PacifiCorp customers in Oregon and California have finished paying $200 million in surcharges that have been collected during the past nine years to help fund the restoration of the lower Klamath River and the removal of four dams. Read more
Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation filed responses Dec. 16 to the Deschutes River Alliance's request in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn a lower court ruling which found no water quality certification violations at the Pelto… Read more
In separate filings, the Upper Snake River Tribes Foundation, the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, and the Nez Perce Tribe asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to complete a supplemental EIS for relicensing Idaho Power's Hells Canyon Complex. Read more
On Jan. 13, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council reelected Richard Devlin, an Oregon member, as chairman, and Bo Downen, a Montana member, as vice chairman for 2021. Guy Norman, a Washington member, stepped down as chairman of the Council's Fish and Wildlife Committee, but remains on… Read more
