Will Rep. Simpson’s $33.5 Billion ‘Columbia Basin Initiative’ Have Congressional Support, Be Included In Infrastructure Bill?
April 9th, 2021
When Congress returns to the Capitol next week after a two-week recess, the question on everyone’s mind will be what is included in the more than $2 trillion infrastructure and jobs bill Democrats are crafting.
Read the Full Article
Next Steps For Columbia Basin Collaborative To Focus On Refining Process, Participation, Funding
April 9th, 2021
What are the next steps for the proposed regional forum, the Columbia Basin Collaborative, which held an organizational workshop in February? Organizers of this new collaborative effort aimed at recovering salmonid species in the Columbia River Basin this week issued a summary of the workshop results and what might come next.
Read the Full Article
Columbia River Smelt Run Smokin’ Hot: 8 Million Pounds Now Expected, Double Preseason Forecast
April 9th, 2021
An important forage fish that spawns in late summer and early spring in the lower Columbia River is returning this year in higher numbers than was originally forecasted.
Read the Full Article
NOAA Considering Whether Klamath River Spring Chinook Separate From Fall Chinook, Petitioner Seeks ESA Listing
April 2nd, 2021
NOAA Fisheries is looking into whether Southern Oregon and Northern California coastal spring/fall chinook salmon should be separated, recognizing spring and fall chinook from the Klamath River basin as two separate species.
Read the Full Article
Basin Water Supply Mostly Near Average Now But 3-Month Precipitation Forecast Indicates Decline In Next Few Months
March 18th, 2021
The water supply available to Columbia and Snake river basin rivers from spring and early summer runoff is predicted to be near to below average across the region. While lower Columbia and Snake River water supply is predicted to be below average, further upriver in Idaho and Montana water supply predictions are above average.
Read the Full Article
Where Salmon Spend The Most Time: Ocean Conditions Good For Fish Right Now, Heat Wave Expected Later This Year
March 11th, 2021
Looking at weather and climate indicators, a leading ocean scientist says conditions along the West Coast are good for fish, at least momentarily. However, climate change will cause conditions for salmon to continue to deteriorate and that will negatively impact runs of Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead runs in the future.
Read the Full Article
Labor Day Fires: Blazes’ Aftermath Has Researchers Looking At Fire As Driver Of Habitat Quality, Link To Fish From Headwaters To Downstream
March 11th, 2021
Oregon wildfires threatened multiple cities in summer 2020, destroyed more than 4,000 homes, filled the air with smoke for days and burned more than 1 million acres, the second highest one-year total in state history.
Read the Full Article
Fisheries/Hydro Managers Agree On Load Following Plan At Dworshak; If Implemented Again Parties To Be Consulted
March 5th, 2021
River operators have ceased their “day load shaping operations” at Idaho’s Dworshak Dam that, when implemented, nearly tripled flows downstream of the dam in the Clearwater River.
Read the Full Article
Parties Discuss Next Steps For Columbia Basin Collaborative; Workshop Participants Stress Urgency, Simpson Plan
February 26th, 2021
In its first public workshop the Columbia Basin Collaborative this week outlined how the new group would be organized and how it would bring parties together to rebuild the region’s threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead stocks and advance the goals of the Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force.