Washington State Salmon Recovery Report: Most Populations Not Making Progress, Some On Path To Extinction
January 15th, 2021
A new report from Washington State’s Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office shows that most salmon populations in the state still are not making progress and some are teetering on the brink of extinction.
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Idaho’s ‘Salmon Workgroup’ Submits Policy Recommendations To Governor; No Consensus On Dam-Breaching
January 8th, 2021
The state of Idaho’s “Salmon Workgroup” last week released a final report that includes policy recommendations for Gov. Brad Little to consider that aim “to restore abundant, sustainable, and well distributed populations of salmon and steelhead in Idaho for present and future generations, while recognizing diverse interests throughout the State.”
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EPA Releases Final ‘Cold Water Refuges Plan’ Identifying Cooler Water Zones In Lower Columbia That Give Salmonids Relief From High Temps
January 8th, 2021
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s northwest regional office this week released the Columbia River Cold Water Refuges Plan, identifying zones of cooler water important to adult salmon moving upstream, particularly steelhead and fall chinook. However, EPA says fish that use refuges do not have higher survival rates to upstream waters “primarily due to fishing in the refuges.”
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Guest Column: Gorton Amendment To NW Power Act Moved Goal Posts, Created New Ones Slowing Tribal Programs To Restore Wild Salmon Runs
January 8th, 2021
Approval of the Yakama Nation Hatchery Master Plan by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council on December 6th was a long-awaited step towards restoring wild salmon runs above Bonneville Dam. . . 38 years to be exact. Why did it take so long?
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Columbia River Treaty Update: Conroy Returns As B.C. Minister Responsible For Treaty, PNW Reps. Introduce Termination Notice Resolution
December 31st, 2020
Following last month’s British Columbia general election, Premier John Horgan announced the new provincial Cabinet, naming Katrine Conroy as B.C.’s first female Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. She will also return to her role as Minister Responsible for the Columbia Basin Trust, Columbia Power Corporation and the Columbia River Treaty.
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Final Environmental Assessment For Programmatic Review Of Columbia River Basin Habitat Projects Released
December 30th, 2020
The Bonneville Power Administration has released the final “programmatic” Columbia River Basin Tributary Habitat Restoration Environmental Assessment with a finding of no significant impact.
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Permanent Fishway To Be Built To Support Fraser River Salmon Passage At Landslide Site
December 17th, 2020
On June 23, 2019, a large landslide at Big Bar blocked a remote section of British Columbia’s Fraser River, one of the great salmon rivers in the world. Enough debris fell into the river to fill 45 Olympic-sized swimming pools, blocking fish passage.
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Grande Ronde River Habitat Review Shows Progress Integrating Science, Management; Concern Efforts May Not Overcome Rate Of Degradation
December 11th, 2020
A recent review of habitat restoration projects in northeast Oregon’s Grande Ronde River basin by both managers and scientists found that broader public support, a formal adaptive management strategy and defined objectives and indicators for biological and ecological diversity would help improve the projects.
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Estuary Partnership’s ‘State Of The Estuary 2020’ Details Issues Affecting Salmon Returns
December 11th, 2020
The Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership recently released their report on the State of the lower Columbia River and Estuary. Every five years, the nonprofit reports on a set of five indicators on the health of the river. This report covers research, restoration, changes, progress and emerging issues from the years 2015 through 2020.