Contact
About

Integrating energy and the environment in the Columbia River Basin

About the Council
Mission and Strategy Members and Staff Bylaws Policies Careers / RFPs
News

See what the Council is up to.

Read the Latest News
Read All News Press Resources Newsletters International Columbia River

Explore News By Topic

Fish and Wildlife Planning Salmon and Steelhead Wildlife Energy Planning Energy Efficiency Demand Response
Fish and Wildlife

The Council works to protect and enhance fish and wildlife in the Columbia River Basin. Its Fish & Wildlife Program guides project funding by the Bonneville Power Administration.

Fish and Wildlife Overview

The Fish and Wildlife Program

2020 Addendum 2014/2020 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Subbasin Plans Project Reviews and Recommendations

Independent Review Groups

  • Independent Economic Analysis Board (IEAB)
  • Independent Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB)
  • Independent Scientific Review Panel (ISRP)

Forums and Workgroups

  • Asset Management Subcommittee
  • Ocean and Plume Science and Management Forum
  • Regional Coordination
  • Science and Policy Exchange
  • Toxics Workgroup
  • Columbia Basin Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Workgroup
  • Informal Hatchery Workgroup
  • Strategy Performance Indicator Workgroup

Topics

  • Adaptive Management
  • Anadromous Fish Mitigation
  • Blocked Areas
  • High-level Indicators
  • Invasive and Non-Native Species
  • Lamprey
  • Predation: Sea lions, pike, birds
  • Protected Areas
  • Research Plan
  • Resident Fish
  • Resource Tools and Maps
  • Sockeye
  • Sturgeon
  • Hatchery Map
Energy

The Council develops a plan, updated every five years, to ensure the region’s power supply and acquire cost-effective energy efficiency.

Energy Overview

The Northwest Power Plan

The 2021 Northwest Power Plan 2021 Plan Supporting Materials Planning Process and Past Power Plans

Technical Tools and Models

  • Regional Portfolio Model
  • Generation Evaluation System Model (GENESYS)

Energy Advisory Committees

  • Regional Technical Forum
  • Conservation Resources Advisory Committee
  • Demand Forecast Advisory Committee
  • Demand Response Advisory Committee
  • Generating Resources Advisory Committee
  • Natural Gas Advisory Committee
  • Resource Adequacy Advisory Committee
  • System Analysis Advisory Committee
  • RTF Policy Advisory Committee
  • System Integration Forum
  • Resource Strategies Advisory Committee (Not Active)

Energy Topics

  • Energy Efficiency
  • Demand Response
  • Power Supply
  • Resource Adequacy
  • Energy Storage
  • Hydropower
  • Transmission

Energy Forums and Workgroups

  • Pacific NW Demand Response Project
  • Northwest Wind Integration Forum (Archive)
Meetings
See next F&W and Power Committee Meetings and Council Meeting July 06 - 07, 2022 in Webinar › See all meetings ›

Recent and Upcoming Meetings

Swipe left or right
AUG 2021
MON
23
1:00 pm—2:30 pm
Council Meeting Webinar to Discuss the Draft 2021 Power Plan and Decision to Release for Public Review and Comment
AUG 2021
TUE
31
9:00 am—2:45 pm
RTF Meeting
SEP 2021
MON
13
9:00 am—12:00 pm
Strategy Performance Indicator Workgroup
SEP 2021
TUE WED
14 - 15
Council Meeting
SEP 2021
TUE
21
10:00 am—11:00 am
Informal Hatchery Workgroup Meeting
SEP 2021
TUE WED
21 - 22
RTF Meeting
SEP 2021
MON
27
Power Plan Public Hearing Hosted by Montana
SEP 2021
WED
29
9:00 am—11:30 am
RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
OCT 2021
THU
07
Power Plan Public Hearing Hosted by Washington
OCT 2021
TUE
12
Power Plan Public Hearing Hosted by Oregon
OCT 2021
TUE WED
12 - 13
Council Meeting
OCT 2021
THU
14
Power Plan Public Hearing Hosted by Idaho
OCT 2021
TUE
19
9:30 am—3:00 pm
RTF Meeting
NOV 2021
TUE
09
9:00 am—1:00 pm
RTF Meeting
NOV 2021
TUE WED
16 - 17
Council Meeting
NOV 2021
TUE
30
1:00 pm—3:00 pm
RTF Policy Advisory Committee Meeting
DEC 2021
TUE WED
07 - 08
RTF Meeting
DEC 2021
MON
13
9:00 am—11:00 am
Strategy Performance Indicator Workgroup
DEC 2021
TUE WED
14 - 15
Council Meeting
JAN 2022
TUE WED
11 - 12
Council Meeting
JAN 2022
WED
19
1:00 pm—5:00 pm
Ocean and Plume Science and Management Forum
JAN 2022
TUE
25
9:00 am—12:00 pm
RTF New Member Orientation: January 25, 2022
JAN 2022
WED
26
9:00 am—1:00 pm
RTF Meeting
JAN 2022
FRI
28
8:30 am—11:30 am
Power Committee Meeting
FEB 2022
MON
14
9:00 am—10:30 am
Informal Hatchery Workgroup Meeting
FEB 2022
TUE WED
15 - 16
Council Meeting
FEB 2022
WED
23
9:00 am—2:30 pm
RTF Meeting
MAR 2022
WED
02
9:30 am—3:00 pm
System Integration Forum: Scope of Work on Potential Lower Snake River Dam Analysis
MAR 2022
TUE
08
1:30 pm—2:30 pm
Public Affairs Committee Meeting
MAR 2022
MON TUE
14 - 15
Council Meeting
MAR 2022
FRI
18
9:00 am—11:00 am
Fish and Wildlife Committee Meeting
MAR 2022
TUE WED
22 - 23
RTF Meeting
MAR 2022
WED
30
9:30 am—12:00 pm
RTF Policy Advisory Committee Q1 Meeting
APR 2022
TUE WED
12 - 13
Council Meeting
APR 2022
TUE WED
19 - 20
RTF Meeting
MAY 2022
TUE WED
10 - 11
F&W and Power Committee Meetings
MAY 2022
WED
18
Council Meeting
MAY 2022
TUE
24
9:00 am—2:30 pm
RTF Meeting
JUN 2022
WED
08
1:00 pm—3:30 pm
System Analysis Advisory Committee
9:30 am—11:30 am
RTF Policy Advisory Committee Q2 Meeting
JUN 2022
TUE WED
14 - 15
Council Meeting
JUN 2022
WED
22
9:00 am—2:00 pm
RTF Meeting
JUL 2022
WED THU
06 - 07
F&W and Power Committee Meetings and Council Meeting
JUL 2022
FRI
08
9:00 am—10:30 am
Resource Adequacy Adv Comm - Steering Committee
JUL 2022
TUE WED
12 - 13
Council Meeting
JUL 2022
TUE WED
19 - 20
RTF Meeting
AUG 2022
TUE
09
9:00 am—4:00 pm
RTF Meeting
AUG 2022
TUE WED
16 - 17
Council Meeting
SEP 2022
TUE WED
13 - 14
Council Meeting
SEP 2022
TUE WED
20 - 21
RTF Meeting
SEP 2022
WED
28
9:00 am—12:00 pm
RTF Policy Advisory Committee Q3 Meeting
OCT 2022
TUE WED
04 - 05
F&W and Power Committee Meetings
OCT 2022
TUE WED
11 - 12
Council Meeting
OCT 2022
TUE WED
18 - 19
RTF Meeting
NOV 2022
TUE
08
9:00 am—4:00 pm
RTF Meeting
NOV 2022
TUE WED
15 - 16
Council Meeting
NOV 2022
WED
30
9:00 am—12:00 pm
RTF Policy Advisory Committee Q4 Meeting
DEC 2022
TUE WED
06 - 07
RTF Meeting
DEC 2022
TUE WED
13 - 14
Council Meeting
View Council Meetings View All Meetings
Reports and Documents

Browse reports and documents relevant to the Council's work on fish and wildlife and energy planning, as well as administrative reports.

Browse Reports

REPORTS BY TOPIC

Power Plan Fish and Wildlife Program Subbasin Plans Financial Reports Independent Scientific Advisory Board Independent Scientific Review Panel Independent Economic Analysis Board

COLUMBIA RIVER HISTORY PROJECT

Follow-up Review: Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce’s proposal Estuary Habitat Restoration proposal (#2010-004-00)

Council Document Number: 
ISRP 2010-37
Published date: 
Nov. 12, 2010
Document state: 
Published

Share

This is a follow-up review of the Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce (CREST) Estuary Habitat Restoration proposal (#2010-004-00). The intent of this proposal is to continue CREST’s effort in developing, designing, and constructing on-the-ground habitat restoration actions to benefit threatened and endangered salmonid species in the Lower Columbia and Estuary, specifically addressing the 2008 BiOp RPA 37, Achieving Habitat Quality and Survival Improvement Targets.

The ISRP previously issued a final report (ISRP 2010-23) and a response request (ISRP 2010-9) for this proposal. The ISRP found that the proposal augmented with the response did not meet scientific review criteria. On July 26, the Bonneville Power Administration convened a teleconference between CREST and the ISRP. On August 27, 2010, the Council forwarded CREST’s follow-up material to the ISRP and requested the ISRP’s review. CREST’s submittal included a cover letter, a BPA estuary program overview, and a CREST monitoring overview. The ISRP did not begin this review until mid-October because they were fully scheduled conducting the Artificial Production and Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Category Review.

Recommendation: Does Not Meet Scientific Review Criteria

Comments

No substantial new information was provided in the follow-up response. Most of the material provided was in fact provided by BPA in various documents which give an overview of estuary work. Very little narrative was provided by CREST.

CREST is one example of an umbrella-type organization involved with estuary activities and used by BPA as facilitators to find restoration sites, prescribe restoration actions, and subcontract the work to environmental engineering firms and partners. There is often insufficient scientific content in such proposals for a science-based review.

Under this particular proposal, CREST may do some limited monitoring (at sites selected by LCREP/BPA as mentioned in the response). However, there does not seem to be any substantial application of the scientific method to their activities. Efforts by the ISRP to obtain sufficient details from them regarding methods and reporting have been unsuccessful thus far.

Specifically, the proponent provided a brief summary of their habitat restoration effectiveness monitoring work in the Columbia River estuary instead of the response that the ISRP requested in the form of (1) a revised proposal and (2) a point-by-point response to the ISRP concerns. In their brief response, the proponents made only general statements about their effectiveness monitoring methods, e.g., "Ecological benefits are quantified by monitoring biological and physical parameters. Pre-and post project fish community, fish prey utilization and availability, vegetation, water quality, sediment accretion and channel morphology monitoring…" The methods used to quantify these parameters were not adequately explained. Positive statements about the results of their habitat restoration activities were not supported by data, except for two bar charts showing relative abundance and seasonal distribution of salmonids observed at Fort Clatsop South Slough before and after restoration. The sampling design is inadequate for a statistically defensible BACI monitoring program.

The scant evidence provided is insufficient to convince the ISRP that the restoration is successful since the number of salmonids observed at the site is very low in both pre- and post- restoration years and the time scales of observations differ. The information presented is insufficient for the ISRP to scientifically evaluate whether the apparent one-year increase in relative abundance of salmonids is related to restoration activities, differences in methodologies between years, or some other factors not related to habitat restoration. The appearance of non-native, invasive pumpkinseed sunfish in the post-restoration fish community raises concern. Pumpkinseeds are widespread throughout the Columbia River Basin and can undoubtedly move into standing water areas with ease. Do the risks of increasing habitat for invasive species outweigh the benefits to salmonids for particular sites

Topics: 
Fish and wildlife
Tags: 
HabitatColumbia River EstuaryColumbia RiverEstuaryProposalISRP2010-004-00CREST

ISRP 2021-05 LibbyMFWPfollow-up1June.pdf

Download the full report

Sign up for our newsletter

  •    

Contact

  • Central Office
  • Idaho Office
  • Montana Office
  • Oregon Office
  • Washington Office
  • Council Members

Social Media:

Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Vimeo Flickr

Copyright 2022

Privacy policy Terms & Conditions Inclusion Statement