Public recommendations open for annual $300 million in power, conservation projects

The Council updates the Fish and Wildlife Program every five years based on recommendations from regional tribes, state and federal agencies, local governments, nonprofits, energy customers, regional utilities, the general public, and more. Bonneville Power Administration funds these efforts to fulfill its mitigation responsibilities under the Northwest Power Act; currently, the Program provides about $300 million annually to support over 300 projects and initiatives throughout the Basin.

“Columbia River Basin tribes share a common vision on the importance of salmon and steelhead, as well as a shared sense of urgency to better protect and care for them to ensure their survival for future generations,” said Louie Pitt, Oregon Council Member and a member of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation. “Caring about this place, its ecosystems, and the fish and wildlife that sustain us is rooted in our tribal heritages and histories. The success and progress of the Council’s program to date would not be possible without the past four decades of partnerships with the Basin’s tribes. Tribes will play a critical role in guiding us forward.”

The program includes strategies to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife. That includes dam operations that improve conditions for fish passage and survival, habitat restoration and improvement, predator and invasive species management, and artificial production (i.e. fish hatcheries). Target species include salmon, steelhead, lamprey and resident fish like sturgeon and bull trout. This program is one of the largest mitigation efforts in the world, but still faces significant challenges.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, “mitigation” means something that avoids, or compensates for, damage to an area of habitat — like developing a bit of floodplain or wetland habitat, and excavating a bit of floodplain or wetland elsewhere to make up for it.

In December, Council staff gave a presentation on progress towards the Fish and Wildlife Program’s goals and objectives over the past 44 years. They showcased the Council’s online Program Tracker, which tracks data on progress indicators from around the region, including for adult returns of salmon and steelhead to the Columbia River Basin. The 10-year rolling average from 2014-2023 stands at 2.3 million fish, similar to the average of 2.4 million between 2004-2013. It’s an improvement from the 1990s when the average dipped to 1.3 million – its lowest since the program began in 1980. The 2014-2023 rolling average does not meet the Council’s long-standing goal of having 5 million adult salmon and steelhead return to the Basin annually. Staff also reported progress on the goal of increasing the proportion of adult fish returning above Bonneville Dam compared with the 1980s. 2024 provided clear examples of both progress and challenges: the Basin saw record-setting adult returns of Okanagan Basin sockeye and Willamette River coho, yet the need remains for efforts to support, rebuild, and reintroduce, where appropriate, weaker stocks in the Basin.

“Pacific Northwest residents now have an opportunity to inform the future course of the Council’s Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program,” said Council Vice Chair Les Purce, who represents Washington. “Our website provides key dates, a link to submit recommendations, and an easy-to-use Program Tracker tool that tells the story of the Program’s 44-year history – it helps explain key initiatives, successes, progress, challenges, and lessons learned for the future. We encourage every member of the public to use this tool and then have their voices heard on where our program should go next.”

The Council’s Fish & Wildlife Program covers an area of land roughly the same size as France, which spans from the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria, Ore., to the Continental Divide in Western Montana.  It makes up a significant part of the tapestry of mitigation and recovery efforts in the Columbia River Basin.

“The Council’s program has provided consistent funding to support critical long-term monitoring and evaluation of threatened species, including salmon and steelhead,” said Lance Hebdon, Fisheries Bureau Chief, Idaho Department of Fish and Game. “Additionally, the Asset Management Strategic Plan has been instrumental in addressing deferred maintenance needs for fish screens and hatcheries. Investments in upgrading this infrastructure will ensure the longevity and integrity of these facilities, benefiting fish populations. Idaho has significantly benefited from the program’s strategic direction.”

“Located in the headwaters of the Columbia, Libby and Hungry Horse dams integrate operations for flood risk management, renewable power generation, and the ecosystem needs of local resident fishes as well as anadromous species residing in the downstream portion of the basin,” said Matt Boyer, Science Program Supervisor for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks. “Native fish mitigation projects and aquatic habitat conservation in the Kootenai and Flathead subbasins help improve conditions for fish and wildlife affected by construction and operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System.  There’s more new and exciting work to do and Montana looks forward to continued engagement through the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program amendment process.”

About the Northwest Power and Conservation Council:

Established when Congress passed the Northwest Power Act in 1980, the Council represents the four Basin states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The Northwest Power Act directs the Council towards three goals: to ensure the region has an adequate, efficient, economical, and reliable power supply; to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife impacted by the hydroelectric system in the Columbia River Basin; and to do so with broad public participation.