News Releases

Corps begins spring fish operations

Published April 3, 2014

Portland, Ore. — Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) began implementing its 2014 Spring Fish Operations Plan (Spring FOP) at the four lower Snake River and four lower Columbia River dams. The 2014 Spring FOP includes fish passage operations such as spill for the timely and safe migration of juvenile salmon and steelhead at dams, and transportation for juvenile fish from Lower Granite, Little Goose, and Lower Monumental dams. 

As specified in NOAA Fisheries’ 2014 Supplemental Biological Opinion (BiOp), the Spring FOP calls for spill to begin at the lower Snake River dams April 3, and lower Columbia River dams April 10. The annual plan, prepared by the Corps, is coordinated with states, Tribes, and other federal agencies in the region. 

The Corps is planning to conduct performance standard fish survival tests at McNary Dam this spring. The Corps conducted similar testing at two of the eight dams during summer 2013. “We’ve experienced many successes in recent years, and remain committed to continuing to meet the performance standards in the BiOp, as well as engaging in ongoing collaboration with the region to do what’s best for the fish,” says Rock Peters, senior fishery program manager for the Corps’ Northwestern Division. 

The most recent water supply forecast issued by the Northwest River Forecast Center for the Columbia River Basin (Apr–Aug) is 106 percent of normal, as measured at The Dalles Dam, and 114 percent of normal for the Snake River Basin (Apr–Jul), as measured at Lower Granite Dam. 

For more information on the federal salmon and steelhead recovery efforts in the region, visit www.salmonrecovery.gov


Contact
Michael Coffey
503-808-3722
michael.a.coffey@usace.army.mil
or
Serena Baker
503-808-3710
serena.baker@usace.army.mil

Release no. 20140403-001