21 Apr 2021

Spring Spill begins facilitating fish passage at Snake and Columbia river dams

Federal water managers have begun the annual spill of water past hydroelectric dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers to help juvenile salmon and steelhead migrate to the ocean this spring. The spill began April 3 on the lower Snake River and April 10 on the lower Columbia River. Spill for juvenile fish passage helps reduce the proportion of juvenile fish that pass dams through the turbines and helps reduce passage delay at each dam, thereby shortening their travel time through the Snake and Columbia rivers.

2 Apr 2019

Corps begins spring spill operations with new flexibility to benefit fish and hydropower

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin implementing its 2019 Fish Operations Plan at the four lower Snake River dams April 3, and at the lower Columbia River dams April 10. The 2019 plan includes spill and transport operations for the spring and summer juvenile fish passage seasons at these dams, as specified in the NOAA Fisheries 2019 Columbia River System Biological Opinion.

26 Feb 2019

Navigation locks on Columbia, Snake rivers to close March 2 for annual maintenance

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will conduct routine annual inspections, preventative maintenance and repairs at all navigation locks on the Columbia and Snake rivers March 2-17.

21 Mar 2017

Corps and others continue to monitor and manage Columbia Basin river and reservoir levels

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Northwestern Division, in coordination with its Portland, Seattle, and Walla Walla Districts as well as B.C. Hydro, Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the National Weather Service’s, Northwest River Forecast Center, and others are continuing to monitor river conditions across the Columbia River Basin.

18 Mar 2017

Corps closely monitoring Columbia Basin river and reservoir levels

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is monitoring Columbia Basin flood events encompassing the Seattle, Portland and Walla Walla districts areas of responsibility on the Columbia River. Columbia Basin Water Management Division initiated emergency flood risk management protocols this week due to a Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service for the lower Columbia River.

15 Jun 2015

Corps gears up for transition to summer fish operations

This month the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will transition to summer operations for fish. Beginning on June 16, USACE will begin summer spill for fish at Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary dams while the lower Snake River dams will transition to summer spill operations on June 21.