1. PANEL: OUTCOMES FOR DRAWDOWN ARE BETTER Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

An independent scientists'; report indicates that drawdown of the four lower Snake River dams is more likely to produce salmon recovery than transportation of juveniles past the dams. The long-awaited results of the peer review of the "weighting of evidence" process were presented to the October 1 meeting of the National Marine Fisheries Service's Implementation Team. The scientists assessed evidence related to three possible actions for recovery of Snake River chinook ... Read More...

2. SCT BEGINS CUTTING CORPS MAINSTEM PROJECTS Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

In response to deep cuts in the Army Corps of Engineers' salmon recovery budget, federal, state and tribal representatives met Wednesday to shed about $30 million in proposed fish passage projects at Columbia/Snake River mainstem dams. The System Configuration Team, a multi-agency technical team, is charged annually with recommending Columbia River Fish Mitigation program spending priorities. The Corps, as the action agency, ultimately decides which programs to carry out. The ... Read More...

3. CONGRESS DEMANDS MORE SCIENCE REVIEW Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

Another new scientific review process for Columbia Basin salmon recovery is about to be launched. Included in the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill is "report language" which calls for the Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP) to evaluate the scientific soundness of "Columbia Basin fish and wildlife projects, programs, or measures proposed in a federal agency budget to be reimbursed by the Bonneville Power Administration." The ISRP review ... Read More...

4. SCIENTISTS ENCOURAGE SURFACE BYPASS RESEARCH Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

"Do the preliminary tests in prototype indicate that the surface flow bypass technology shows sufficient promise to warrant continuing development?" Under the presumption that the system of hydroelectric dams retains its present configuration and operations, the answer is "Yes." That's the latest word from the 10-member Independent Scientific Advisory Board. The panel of scientists outlined comments and recommendations on the current technology in a report to ... Read More...

5. ISAB GIVES GAS ABATEMENT HIGH PRIORITY Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

A scientific report released Tuesday backs the Army Corps of Engineers Gas Abatement program as an important tool in reducing dissolved gas supersaturation levels in the mainstem Columbia and Snake rivers. The program should continue, with high priority, according to a report by the Independent Scientific Advisory Board. The report is the latest in series produced by the 10-member panel at the request of the Northwest Power Planning Council. The Council, in turn, was responding to ... Read More...

6. BPA FISH FUNDING: LAVISH OR LEAN? Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

A broad plan to guide the Bonneville Power Administration's fish and wildlife funding process was critiqued, alternately, as too lavish or too lean Tuesday by a panel ranging from environmentalists to industrial power customers. Panelists also debated cost recovery strategies being mulled by BPA that would help guarantee the agency's ability to fulfill financial obligations during the 2002-2006 period and beyond. The panel discussion on proposed BPA "fish funding tools" was Read More...

7. BPA, CUSTOMERS DISCUSS DIVISION OF RESOURCES Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

In what she termed a balancing of the interests of core customers, the environment and a financial responsibility to repay its debts, Judith Johansen, Bonneville Power Administration administrator, presented the agency's "Proposal for the Future" to nearly 300 representatives from public and private utilities, energy agencies, utility commissions and industrial customers. The crowd that gathered in Portland Tuesday (Sept. 29), in the first of three public hearings to ... Read More...

8. WILLAMETTE TEMP CONTROL PROJECT ADVANCES Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

Although the news from Congress regarding Army Corps of Engineer fish and wildlife project spending has been generally downcast, it did contain one tantalizing tidbit for Willamette and McKenzie river salmon watchers. The Corps' appropriation includes $1 million to further the design of the Cougar Reservoir portion of the Willamette Temperature Control project. The end product would be a 300-foot tower that would allow operators to selectively release water from various levels in the ... Read More...

9. DEMOS STEP UP VETO THREAT ON RIDERS Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

The Clinton Administration and 149 House Democrats issued strong statements this week denouncing "numerous anti-environmental riders" attached to this year's appropriations bills, including a proposal by Sen. Slade Gorton that addresses congressional authority over modifications to federal dams in the Columbia River Basin. Gorton's Columbia Basin proposal is attached to the $13.4 billion Interior Appropriations Bill, which is now part of an "omnibus spending ... Read More...

10. GOVERNORS TO DISCUSS BASIN ISSUES IN BOISE Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

The governors of the four Northwest states gather in Boise Monday to discuss a variety of Columbia/Snake River Basin issues. Phil Batt of Idaho, Marc Racicot of Montana, John Kitzhaber of Oregon and Gary Locke of Washington are scheduled to convene at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 5 at the Centre on the Grove in downtown Boise. The governors will first hear a briefing on the activities of the Transition Board and on the Bonneville Power Administration's ongoing subscription process. Dick Watson, the Read More...

11. CASAVANT JOINS COUNCIL'S ECONOMICS PANEL Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

Ken Casavant, former Washington member of the Northwest Power Planning Council, has been appointed to the Council's Independent Economic Analysis Board. Casavant, who served on the Council from 1994 to April of this year, is a professor of agricultural economics at Washington State University in Pullman. Casavant's specialty is transportation economics. He is director of the Eastern Washington Intermodal Transportation Study at WSU, which has evaluated the potential impacts of ... Read More...

12. TEAM FORMED TO STUDY HANFORD STRANDING Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

The Grant County Public Utility District and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are seeking members to serve on a "technical team" that will assist in a comprehensive investigation of juvenile fall chinook stranding in the Hanford Reach. The technical team will "work with study participants to develop options for solution of the stranding problem in 1999," says Grant PUD and WDFW in a letter in invitees. "The team will be asked to conduct necessary ... Read More...

13. IDAHO RIVERS SEEKS PROTECTION FOR 14 RIVERS Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

Idaho Rivers United today released its "Wild and Scenic Rivers in Idaho Status Report" which calls upon the Idaho congressional delegation to add 14 rivers to the Wild and Scenic designation. The recommended rivers are: Lower Salmon (Long Tom Bar to mouth) Bruneau (Blackrock Crossing to Hot Creek) Jarbidge (Murphy Hot Springs to Bruneau) Sheep Creek (Mary's Creek to Bruneau) East Fork Owyhee North Fork Clearwater Cayuse Creek Kelly Creek White Sand ... Read More...

14. SENATORS SEEK EXTENSION ON LYNX LISTING Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

Five Northwest senators are urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to extend by 90 days the comment period on the proposed listing of the Canada lynx as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Republicans Gordon Smith of Oregon, Larry Craig and Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho, and Conrad Burns of Montana and Democrat Max Baucus of Montana joined six other senators in urging the extension. The USFWS describes the Canada lynx as a "secretive forest dwelling cat of northern ... Read More...

15. CORPS SETS MEETINGS ON LOWER SNAKE STUDY Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 (PST)

The Army Corps of Engineers has scheduled a series of public meetings in next month to update the public on the status of the Lower Snake River Feasibility Study, which focuses on how dams can be changed to improved the survival of listed salmon stocks. The public meetings will be Nov. 9 at Lewiston; Nov. 12 at Tri-Cities; Nov. 16 at Portland; Nov. 19 at Boise and Nov. 23 at Spokane. The Columbia Basin Bulletin will announce meeting times and locations when they become available. The Read More...