Articles by Kym Buzdygon

NOAA’s 2024 ‘Stoplight’ report shows mixed signals, average forecasted adult returns for salmon and steelhead.

At its March 12 meeting, the Council heard additional briefings on the 2014/2020 Fish and Wildlife Program as the deadline nears for state and federal agencies, tribes, NGOs, the public, and more to submit recommendations.

The Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement represents a series of commitments between the federal government and regional entities.

At its January meeting, the Council voted to recommend that Bonneville fund $19M in requests for nonrecurring maintenance of fish screens in FY2025-FY2027.

Staff presented progress on the Fish and Wildlife Program, including tracking positive trends in total abundance in the Columbia River Basin and an increase in salmon and steelhead migrating past Bonneville Dam. 

BPA and IDFG reported on the success of the project, with plans for ongoing stewardship.

Representatives from BPA, the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, the Columbia Land Trust, and the Columbia River Estuary Taskforce presented on habitat restoration projects and ongoing research in the estuary.

Members of the federal negotiating team presented to the Council on the recently released agreement in principle to modernize the Columbia River Treaty.

The Council approved the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe’s Waterwheel Hatchery Program Step 1 review and a recommendation to Bonneville to fund non-recurring maintenance for fish screens in FY2025.

The Council hosted a discussion on the next phases to study and test the feasibility of reintroducing salmon in the upper Columbia, with tribal members and representatives from several federal agencies presenting.