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  • Agencies extend Columbia River environmental review, delay public meetings

    Two federal agencies are extending the public scoping period for the Columbia River System Operations Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS.) The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), or co-lead agencies, are also adjusting the timing of the public meetings to the week of April 7, 2025.

  • Columbia River environmental review begins, agencies seek input

    Two federal agencies are seeking public input on changed circumstances and new information regarding Columbia River System operations to inform preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), who are the co-lead agencies for the SEIS, issued a notice of intent in the Federal Register, today, which announced the effort and the need for public input over the next 90 days.

  • Treaty negotiation milestone and 2025 operating plan gives more certainty for Columbia River Basin flood risk management, agencies announce public info sessions

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) will update the public about 2025 flood risk management (FRM) operations related to the Columbia River Treaty (Treaty). The agencies will hold virtual information sessions on December 4 and December 5.

  • 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.

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