Home / Media / News Releases

News Releases

Results:
Tag: Columbia River
Clear

  • Pacific Lamprey returns disappointing as compared to 2023, new structures offer hope

    After a prolific 2023, adult Pacific Lamprey returns are looking disappointing this year. So far, fish counters estimate only 22,021 (as of Sept. 14) lamprey have passed through Bonneville Lock and Dam’s fish ladders during daytime hours on their way upstream to spawn. Last year’s daytime fish ladder count was 63,937, which Northwestern Division touted in a news release, as it was much higher than the 10-year average.

  • Litigation stay agreement increasing Columbia River spill, begins

    After an agreement to stay the Columbia River Basin litigation for up to 10 years, federal water managers will begin spilling more water over basin dams this spring than in past years. In the agreement, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has committed to spill more water over spillways instead of through turbines during its annual “spring spill” operations at dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers as well as expanding spill in the fall and early spring.

  • Pacific lamprey returns eclipsing other years

    *Our initial news release referenced adult Pacific Lamprey returns were 170 percent higher than the 10-year-average and then referenced the 10-year-average being 41,414 which is actually closer to 154 percent. The 170 percent number came from using the 2022 Annual Fish Passage Report, which references completed counts over ten years from 2013-2022. This average is 37,425. This has been updated online and addressed in other forums. Please excuse this mistake. Adult returns are indeed 252 percent higher than the four-year-average. Also, note these counts are daytime counts and lamprey passage numbers are still probably closer to 165,314 total fish. Pacific lamprey, an ancient, eel-like fish species, are seeing returns 170 percent higher than the 10-year average (2013-2022) at Bonneville Lock and Dam this year. Lamprey numbers are also 252 percent higher than the four-year average, according to biologists responsible for reporting the number of fish counted as they migrate upstream past mainstem Columbia and Snake River dams.

  • Federal water managers announce public information sessions about post-September 2024 Columbia River Treaty operations

    How the United States uses reservoir space in Canada changes on September 16, 2024, from the high degree of structure and control of flows coming across the border from Canada experienced over the last 60 years under the Columbia River Treaty, to an operation that increases the uncertainty of those flows. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) will hold four virtual public information sessions in September and October to begin informing the public about the potential changes.

  • Drastic difference between air and water temperature could kill

    With the onset of record-breaking heat across much of the Pacific Northwest, it’s imperative that people wear life jackets while swimming, boating and fishing. While air temperatures may be high, water temperatures can be much lower and can be deadly, according to water safety statistics.

  • Water managers begin spring spill to benefit juvenile salmon

    Federal water managers will begin spilling hundreds of thousands of gallons of water over spillways instead of through turbines during annual “spring spill” operations at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers.

News Topics