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# Columbia Basin Bulletin

Columbia Basin Bulletin articles about Northwest salmon and steelhead recovery, fish and wildlife issues

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## Posts

- [Angler Lands New State Catch-Release Record For Lake Trout At Idaho’s Payette Lake: 43.25-Inch Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/angler-lands-new-state-catch-release-record-for-lake-trout-at-idahos-payette-lake-43-25-inch-fish/) - An Idaho Falls angler miraculously reeled in a new state catch-and-release record lake trout and, even more unbelievably, was able to hoist it up into the boat.
- [NOAA Allocates $123 Million In Fishery Disaster Funds To Alaska, Oregon, California, Squaxin Island Tribe](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-allocates-123-million-in-fishery-disaster-funds-to-alaska-oregon-california-squaxin-island-tribe/) - NOAA has announced the allocation of $123.6 million in fishery resource disaster funding, appropriated by Congress in the American Relief Act, 2025.
- [Single, Dead Invasive Quagga Mussel Found On Oregon Reservoir Shoreline, Monitoring Continues](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/single-dead-invasive-quagga-mussel-found-on-oregon-reservoir-shoreline-monitoring-continues/) - A single dead adult quagga mussel was found out of water on the shoreline at central Oregon’s Prineville Reservoir last month during a routine survey for aquatic invasive species.
- [Long-Term Data Shows Puget Sound’s Southern Resident Killer Whales Spending Less Time In Inland Waters, Bigg’s Whales Increasing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/long-term-data-shows-puget-sounds-southern-resident-killer-whales-spending-less-time-in-inland-waters-biggs-whales-increasing/) - Data spanning nearly half a century shows that endangered southern resident killer whales are spending less time in inland waters, whereas their larger cousins, Bigg’s killer whales, are increasingly present in Puget Sound.
- [Substantial Downgrade Of Forecasted Columbia River Sockeye Run; Managers Tracking Progress Of ESA Snake River Sockeye Crossing Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/substantial-downgrade-of-forecasted-columbia-river-sockeye-run-managers-tracking-progress-of-esa-snake-river-sockeye-crossing-dams/) - A committee of fisheries biologists and managers charged with estimating run sizes of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River system reduced its forecast of sockeye salmon entering the river this year by a whopping 71 percent.
- [Quiet In The Hatchery! WSU Study Shows Hatchery Salmon Raised Amid Noise Less Likely To Return Than Those Raised With Noise Protection](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/quiet-in-the-hatchery-wsu-study-shows-hatchery-salmon-raised-amid-noise-less-likely-to-return-than-those-raised-with-noise-protection/) - Fish hatcheries are a critical part of the effort to restore salmon runs in the Pacific Northwest. But hatchery fish are less likely than wild ones to return from the ocean to spawn — and one reason may be hatchery noise.
- [NOAA Study Cites Recent Marine Heatwaves As Major Factor In Severe Decline Of Yukon River Chinook Salmon Runs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-study-cites-recent-marine-heatwaves-as-major-factor-in-severe-decline-of-yukon-river-chinook-salmon-runs/) - Yukon River Chinook salmon have been declining for decades. These declines have limited salmon harvest and posed hardships for local communities that depend on these fish for their food sovereignty, culture, and livelihoods.
- [Corps Finalizes Operations for Willamette Valley Dams To Aid Salmon, Steelhead; Drawdowns, Spill](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-finalizes-operations-for-willamette-valley-dams-to-aid-salmon-steelhead-drawdowns-spill/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, has finalized its plan for operating the Willamette Valley’s 13 federal dams by executing a Record of Decision.
- [Study Show Beavers Widespread In Pacific Northwest Estuaries, Tidal Wetlands, May Provide Important Habitat For Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-show-beavers-widespread-in-pacific-northwest-estuaries-tidal-wetlands-may-provide-important-habitat-for-salmon/) - Beavers are widespread in estuaries and tidal wetlands in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, demonstrating that they are not restricted to rivers and streams, Gregory Hood at the Skagit River System Cooperative reports in the open access journal PLOS One.
- [New Montana Study Uses Otoliths To Better Understand Which Streams In Swan Lake Basin Most Important For Bull Trout Recovery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-montana-study-uses-otoliths-to-better-understand-which-streams-in-swan-lake-basin-most-important-for-bull-trout-recovery/) - A new study led by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries biologist Sam Bourret is giving researchers a better understanding of where bull trout in the Swan River basin originate, and which streams are most important to the species’ future.
- [Travis Kavulla Sworn In As 17th Administrator of Bonneville Power Administration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/travis-kavulla-sworn-in-as-17th-administrator-of-bonneville-power-administration/) - Travis Kavulla has been sworn in as the new administrator and CEO of the Bonneville Power Administration by U.S. Under Secretary of Energy Kyle Haustveit, becoming the 17th administrator in BPA's 89-year history.
- [ODFW Says BPA Terminating Funding For Key Hatchery Program, Major Consequences For Commercial, Recreational Fisheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-says-bpa-terminating-funding-for-key-hatchery-program-major-consequences-for-commercial-recreational-fisheries/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has been notified that the Bonneville Power Administration is terminating its share of funding for the Select Area Fisheries Enhancement (SAFE) Program in the Lower Columbia River effective September 30, 2026
- [Science Panel Reviews Progress Of BPA-Funded ‘Aquatic Restoration Partnership’ In John Day River Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/science-panel-reviews-progress-of-bpa-funded-aquatic-restoration-partnership-in-john-day-river-basin/) - A panel of scientists recently completed their review of a wide-ranging project aimed at restoring much of the degraded habitat along the John Day River in Central Oregon.
- [This Month in 2006 | CONGRESSIONAL HEARING FOCUSES ON POWER RATES, FISH COSTS](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2006-congressional-hearing-focuses-on-power-rates-fish-costs/) - The Endangered Species Act is often "used as a tool to drive up costs for our electricity ratepayers," U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris said during a July 7 congressional oversight field hearing in Pasco, Wash.
- [This Month in 2016 | As Many As 45 Percent Of Tagged Spring Chinook In Estuary Disappear Before Reaching Bonneville Dam](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2016-as-many-as-45-percent-of-tagged-spring-chinook-in-estuary-disappear-before-reaching-bonneville-dam/) - NOAA Fisheries research indicates that after accounting for harvest, in some years as many as 45 percent of the salmon tagged in the estuary disappear before reaching Bonneville Dam, according to a presentation last week to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
- [This Month in 2021 | FRIDAY (July 2 )UPDATE: Hydro/Fisheries Managers Initiate More Changes At Lower Snake Dams To Cool Water, Aid Endangered Sockeye](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2021-friday-july-2-update-hydro-fisheries-managers-initiate-more-changes-at-lower-snake-dams-to-cool-water-aid-endangered-sockeye/) - Idaho proposed today (Friday, July 2) the first of what could be several changes at Lower Granite and Little Goose dams on the lower Snake River to maintain cooler water temperatures in a river facing extreme environmental conditions as endangered sockeye begin to move up the overheated river.
- [This Month in 2021 | Find Invasive Species In Early Stages: E-DNA Being Used To Successfully Detect Unknown Incursions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2021-find-invasive-species-in-early-stages-e-dna-being-used-to-successfully-detect-unknown-incursions/) - Biologists led by the University of Iowa discovered the presence of the invasive New Zealand mud snail by detecting their DNA in waters they were inhabiting incognito. The researchers employed a technique called environmental DNA to reveal the snails' existence, showing the method can be used to detect and control new, unknown incursions by the snail and other invasive species.
- [This Month in 2016 | Basin Water Managers Expecting Slightly Below Average Runoff From Now To September](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2016-basin-water-managers-expecting-slightly-below-average-runoff-from-now-to-september/) - Water managers in the Columbia Basin are expecting a slightly below average runoff in the months leading to September, but so far it has been gradual, mostly due to cooler temperatures.
- [This Month in 2006 | AGREEMENT CALLS FOR STUDY OF UPPER COLUMBIA CONTAMINATION](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2006-agreement-calls-for-study-of-upper-columbia-contamination/) - Under an agreement signed last week, the financial burden for evaluating contamination levels in the upper Columbia River, and resulting risks to human health, will shift from U.S. taxpayers to the Canadian zinc producer that long used the river as a waste repository.
- [This Month in 2021 | High Temps Force Salmon Managers To Begin Sockeye Trap And Haul Next Week At Lower Granite Dam](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2021-high-temps-force-salmon-managers-to-begin-sockeye-trap-and-haul-next-week-at-lower-granite-dam/) - Idaho will begin a trap and haul operation at Lower Granite Dam July 6 to rescue endangered Snake River sockeye salmon, an operation they first did during the heat-caused sockeye die off in 2015.
- [This Month in 2016 | After Nearly 100 Years, Salmon Fishing Returns To Upper Malheur River For Burns Paiute Tribe](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2016-after-nearly-100-years-salmon-fishing-returns-to-upper-malheur-river-for-burns-paiute-tribe/) - Salmon fishing in Oregon’s southern Grant County had been a thing of the past for nearly 100 years – until a joint effort by the Burns Paiute Tribe and the state of Oregon brought salmon to Malheur Ford outside of Seneca.
- [This Month in 2006 | . BPA RELEASES PROPOSAL ON SELLING LOW-COST POWER AFTER 2011](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2006-bpa-releases-proposal-on-selling-low-cost-power-after-2011/) - The Bonneville Power Administration released a proposal this week aimed at defining its electrical power supply role in the Pacific Northwest after 2011, when its current power sales contracts expire.
- [El Nino Joins West Coast Marine Heatwave: NOAA Describes 7 Ways Prolonged High Temperatures Impact Fisheries, Marine Life](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/el-nino-joins-west-coast-marine-heatwave-noaa-describes-7-ways-prolonged-high-temperatures-impact-fisheries-marine-life/) - A large marine heatwave has bathed parts of the West Coast in very warm ocean waters over the past year, breaking temperature records in the Pacific. NOAA has also announced that El Niño has developed in the tropical Pacific and is predicted to intensify to a moderate or strong level this fall.
- [NW Power/Conservation Council Approves New Columbia Basin Fish/Wildlife Program, States Split On Summer Spill For Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nw-power-conservation-council-approves-new-columbia-basin-fish-wildlife-program-states-split-on-summer-spill-for-salmon/) - After a year and a half of deliberations and extensive public input, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council approved this week its 2026 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The Program will inform hydroelectric operations and be included in the Council’s 2026 Power Plan. A Power Plan draft will be completed for public review
- [Mainstem Columbia River Water Supply Forecast (Dalles Dam) Now At 88 Percent Of Normal, But Dire Conditions Showing For Many Tributaries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/mainstem-columbia-river-water-supply-forecast-dalles-dam-now-at-88-percent-of-normal-but-dire-conditions-showing-for-many-tributaries/) - Most water supply forecasts in June are lower to some degree across the Columbia and Snake river basins, although May rains tempered their decline, especially in Montana where the forecasted water supply at Libby Dam actually rose from May to June. Still, areas of Oregon, Washington and Idaho continue to experience drought conditions. While the
- [With Drought, Summer Heat Anglers In Idaho Can Expect To Lose Some Fishing Opportunities](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-drought-summer-heat-anglers-in-idaho-can-expect-to-lose-some-fishing-opportunities/) - With severe drought in Idaho and summer heat on the way, it’s likely anglers will lose some fishing opportunities. “Drought affects many aspects of Idaho life, including fisheries, and we’re concerned,” Idaho Fish and Game Fisheries Bureau Chief Lance Hebdon said. “We will be watching them carefully, but there may be little we can do
- [Oregon’s Record-Breaking Low Snowpack, Drought, Bring Impacts To Cold-Water Fish, Angling Regulations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregons-record-breaking-low-snowpack-drought-bring-impacts-to-cold-water-fish-angling-regulations/) - Oregon's snowpack is at a record-breaking low this year and most of the state is in moderate to extreme drought as of June 2026. That will present challenges for cold-water fish, like trout and salmon. Warm and low water makes them more vulnerable to disease and may prevent migratory fish, like salmon and steelhead from reaching spawning grounds.
- [Though Columbia River Treaty On Pause, Additional Flow At McNary Dam With Canadian Water Comes With Supplemental Agreement](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-columbia-river-treaty-on-pause-additional-flow-at-mcnary-dam-with-canadian-water-comes-with-supplemental-agreement/) - Federal dam operating agencies began an operation last week that provides a small burst of water from the upper Columbia River. Although the flow augmentation of a maximum of 8,000 cubic feet per day of additional flow at McNary Dam is not directly a remnant of the now-paused U.S.-Canada Columbia River Treaty, it is provided
- [Salmon Super Highway: Oregon Coast Coho Showing Improved Numbers With Restoration Of Fish Passage On Coastal Rivers, Streams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/salmon-super-highway-oregon-coast-coho-showing-improved-numbers-with-restoration-of-fish-passage-on-coastal-rivers-streams/) - NOAA Fisheries supports one of the most ambitious salmon restoration projects on Oregon’s coast: the Salmon SuperHwy. This partnership of more than a dozen organizations works across the Tillamook, Nestucca, and Sand Lake watersheds. It works to restore fish passage at dozens of stream barriers, such as failing road culverts and tide gates. When complete, salmon and steelhead will be able to access 180 miles of habitat that had been blocked for decades. The benefits of the Salmon SuperHwy project and other coastal restoration work are not just theoretical. Threatened Oregon Coast coho salmon have experienced a dramatic rebound in recent years, says NOAA Fisheries.
- [Research Project In Japan Develops World’s First Land-Based, Closed-Recirculation Aquaculture System For Chum Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/research-project-in-japan-develops-worlds-first-land-based-closed-recirculation-aquaculture-system-for-chum-salmon/) - Japan’s Okayama University of Science and Murakami City in Niigata Prefecture, have launched a joint research project to cultivate chum salmon in a land-based aquaculture system using The Third Water at the university’s Next-Generation Aquaculture Center. The juvenile salmon delivered from Murakami earlier this year have grown to an average weight of 23 grams and an average length of 13 centimeters and are now thriving in a 35-ton tank. Murakami has been known as one of Japan’s leading salmon-producing regions along the Sea of Japan coast since the Heian period (794–1185). In recent years, however, climate change has altered the distribution of marine species, resulting in increased predation on released salmon juveniles by species such as yellowtail and Spanish mackerel that have expanded northward into the region. Consequently, the number of salmon returning to local rivers has declined dramatically.
- [Federal Data Shows West Coast Whale Entanglements Still High In 2025; 33 Whales, 9 So Far In 2026](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-data-shows-west-coast-whale-entanglements-still-high-in-2025-33-whales-9-so-far-in-2026/) - Federal data shows that 33 whales were reported entangled in fishing gear off the U.S. West Coast in 2025. That’s just one fewer than the 34 entangled in 2024, which was the highest number since 2018. At least nine whales have already been seen entangled in 2026, including two humpbacks entangled near Monterey, Calif., in
- [This Month in 2006 | $32 MILLION PROJECT TO REDUCE DISSOLVED GAS AT CHIEF JOE DAM](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2006-32-million-project-to-reduce-dissolved-gas-at-chief-joe-dam/) - A $32 million project is under way at the Mid-Columbia's Chief Joseph Dam aimed at reducing total dissolved gas that can harm aquatic organisms, including protected salmon and steelhead, in the river below.
- [This Month in 2016 | As Spring Chinook Fishing Ends, Harvest Managers Set Summer Chinook Season](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2016-as-spring-chinook-fishing-ends-harvest-managers-set-summer-chinook-season/) - The spring chinook salmon fishing on the Columbia River ended Wednesday evening and was followed immediately by a summer chinook and summer steelhead season for Treaty Indian gillnetters, Treaty platform and hook and line fishers, commercial gillnetters and recreational anglers: in short, everyone is fishing.
- [This Month in 2021 | WSU Study Shows Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Reservoirs Higher Than Previously Thought](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-month-in-2021-wsu-study-shows-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-reservoirs-higher-than-previously-thought/) - A new study shows per-area greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s water reservoirs are around 29% higher than suggested by previous studies, but that practical measures could be taken to help reduce that impact.
- [WSU Study Shows Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Reservoirs Higher Than Previously Thought](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-study-shows-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-reservoirs-higher-than-previously-thought/) - A new study shows per-area greenhouse gas emissions from the world’s water reservoirs are around 29% higher than suggested by previous studies, but that practical measures could be taken to help reduce that impact.
- [WDFW Completes Western Butterfly Conservation Plan Aimed At Boosting Startling Low Population Numbers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-completes-western-butterfly-conservation-plan-aimed-at-boosting-startling-low-population-numbers/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recently completed a five-year update to the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan, a 50-year plan to guide coordinated, ecosystem-based conservation strategies that support a viable western monarch butterfly population.
- [USFWS Approves Oregon’s Wildlife Action Plan, Stronger Focus On Climate Change, Invasive Species; Eligible For Federal Funding](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-approves-oregons-wildlife-action-plan-stronger-focus-on-climate-change-invasive-species-eligible-for-federal-funding/) - The Oregon's State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP) has been officially approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This milestone marks the final step in adopting the 2026 SWAP.
- [Genetic Exchange: Female Grizzly Captured In Montana, Translocated To Wyoming Emerges From Den With Two Cubs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/genetic-exchange-female-grizzly-captured-in-montana-translocated-to-wyoming-emerges-from-den-with-two-cubs/) - Within just two years, the female grizzly that was released in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) emerged from her den this spring with two cubs in tow – a welcoming sight that represents successful population genetic enhancement and state collaboration. This event marks a milestone for grizzly bear management in America, establishing certain genetic interchange between the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) in Montana and the GYE.
- [Alaska Salmon Harvest In 2026 Expected To Be Lower Than Last Year, Far Less Pink](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-salmon-harvest-in-2026-expected-to-be-lower-than-last-year-far-less-pink/) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game released the annual statewide salmon run forecast and commercial harvest projection report: Run Forecasts and Harvest Projections for 2026 Alaska Salmon Fisheries and Review of the 2025 Season.
- [Annual Columbia River Pikeminnow Reward Fishery Opens May 1, Top Angler Last Year Pocketed $159,310](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/annual-columbia-river-pikeminnow-reward-fishery-opens-may-1-top-angler-last-year-pocketed-159310/) - The 2026 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery will open May 1, offering anglers the chance to earn cash while helping protect vulnerable salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake rivers. The fishery will be open daily through Sept. 30 at most locations.
- [NW Lawmakers Introduce Legislation To Create Task Force To Address Impacts Of Toxic Tire Chemical (6PPD-Quinone) Killing Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nw-lawmakers-introduce-legislation-to-create-task-force-to-address-impacts-of-toxic-tire-chemical-6ppd-quinone-killing-salmon/) - U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Co-Chair of the Puget Sound Recovery Caucus, has introduced her “6PPD Task Force Act.” The bill creates a task force to bridge together federal, state, tribal, and industry voices to coordinate further 6PPD-quinone research.
- [Groups Sue USFWS In Effort To Secure ESA-Listing For Pygmy Rabbit; World’s Smallest Rabbit Resides In Oregon, Idaho, Montana](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groups-sue-usfws-in-effort-to-secure-esa-listing-for-pygmy-rabbit-worlds-smallest-rabbit-resides-in-oregon-idaho-montana/) - Western Watersheds Project and WildEarth Guardians have sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help secure Endangered Species Act protections for the pygmy rabbit – the world’s smallest rabbit species. The rabbits are found in parts of Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Montana, Colorado, California, and Oregon.
- [WDFW Seeks Public Comment On Recommendation To Keep Streaked Horned Lark On State ESA List](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-seeks-public-comment-on-recommendation-to-keep-streaked-horned-lark-on-state-esa-list/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking public input on a draft periodic status review for the streaked horned lark that includes a recommendation to keep larks classified as a state endangered species. The public comment period is open through Aug. 11.
- [Study Shows How PNW Forest Restoration (Thinning, Controlled Burns) Can Reduce Conflict With Spotted Owl Conservation](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-how-pnw-forest-restoration-thinning-controlled-burns-can-reduce-conflict-with-spotted-owl-conservation/) - Restoring dry forests in the Pacific Northwest, shaped by frequent low-intensity fire and widely spaced trees, often means thinning dense stands that accumulated after decades of fire suppression. This can make forests healthier and more resilient to wildfire, but it can raise concerns about protecting wildlife that depend on dense tree cover, including the northern spotted owl.
- [With Summer And World Cup Crowds Approaching, WDFW Reminding Boaters About New Rules (2025) To Protect Southern Resident Killer Whales](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-summer-and-world-cup-crowds-approaching-wdfw-reminding-boaters-about-new-rules-2025-to-protect-southern-resident-killer-whales/) - With summer around the corner and the World Cup arriving in Seattle in June, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is reminding boaters to follow the law and protect endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) by staying 1,000 yards away.
- [Feds Reduce Court-Ordered Spill At John Day Dam In Effort To Address Salmon Passage Problems; State, Tribal Salmon Managers Disagree With Operation](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/feds-reduce-court-ordered-spill-at-john-day-dam-in-effort-to-address-salmon-passage-problems-state-tribal-salmon-managers-disagree-with-operation/) - The federal government unilaterally reduced spill at the John Day Dam this week, the second time in the last two weeks state and tribal salmon managers of the interagency Technical Management Team have been left out of an important river operations decision.
- [With NOAA Funding, Cowlitz Indian Tribe Removes Dam In Washougal River Basin, Restoring Fish Passage, Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-noaa-funding-cowlitz-indian-tribe-removes-dam-in-washougal-river-basin-restoring-fish-passage-habitat/) - NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Habitat Conservation awarded the Tribe $3.3 million to remove the 55-foot-tall, 425-foot-long Kwoneesum Dam on Wildboy Creek. The dam, which was removed in 2024, blocked upstream salmon and steelhead migration on the creek for almost 60 years. 
- [Lower Snake Walleye Study Shows How Invasive Predator Fish Benefit From Other Invasive Species (Siberian Prawn, Shad) For Food](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lower-snake-walleye-study-shows-how-invasive-predator-fish-benefit-from-other-invasive-species-siberian-prawn-shad-for-food/) - The WDFW scientists teamed up with Dr. Jonathan Armstrong from the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University over the course of a year to analyze the monthly stomach contents of walleye in the Lower Snake River.
- [With A Poor Spring Chinook Return Coming To An End, Enough Allocated Catch Still Available For More Recreational Fishing Days](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-a-poor-spring-chinook-return-coming-to-an-end-enough-allocated-catch-still-available-for-more-recreational-fishing-days/) - With the run of spring Chinook declining and with anglers faced with the prospect of no summer Chinook fishing, Oregon and Washington fisheries managers added 11 more days of recreational angling on the mainstem Columbia River.
- [Columbia River Harvest Managers Announce Summer, Fall Recreational Fishing Times, Regs, Limitations For Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-harvest-managers-announce-summer-fall-recreational-fishing-times-regs-limitations-for-salmon-steelhead/) - Oregon and Washington fishery managers have finalized preseason planning for 2026 Columbia River summer and fall recreational salmon and steelhead fisheries.
- [Deadly Collapse Of Chemical Tank At Longview, WA Shows No Impact On Columbia River Water Quality And Fish, Says WDOE](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/deadly-collapse-of-chemical-tank-at-longview-wa-shows-no-impact-on-columbia-river-water-quality-and-fish-says-wdoe/) - A deadly May 26 industrial incident at a packaging mill in Longview, WA killed eleven workers and injured countless others.
- [Removing Barriers To Fish Passage: UW Examines Process That Prioritizes Projects, Explores Whether Money Well Spent](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/removing-barriers-to-fish-passage-uw-examines-process-that-prioritizes-projects-explores-whether-money-well-spent/) - Efforts to restore fish passage are cropping up across the country, but these projects come with hefty price tags.
- [OSU Study Shows Many AI Users Unaware Of Ecological Footprint, One-Fifth Of World’s Energy Consumption By 2030](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-shows-many-ai-users-unaware-of-ecological-footprint-one-fifth-of-worlds-energy-consumption-by-2030/) - Artificial intelligence systems that ask users to pause to consider AI’s energy consumption and environmental impacts are likely to reduce unnecessary AI use, new research by Oregon State University suggests.
- [Corps Finalizes Plan To Keep Lower Columbia River Deep-Draft Navigation Channel Dredged For 20 Years At 43-Feet Deep, 600-feet Wide](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-finalizes-plan-to-keep-lower-columbia-river-deep-draft-navigation-channel-dredged-for-20-years-at-43-feet-deep-600-feet-wide/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, has finalized a 20-year plan to maintain the lower Columbia River’s deep-draft navigation channel.
- [USFWS Seeks Public Comment On Draft Recovery Plan For Pacific Marten, Isolated Populations In N. California/Oregon Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-seeks-public-comment-on-draft-recovery-plan-for-pacific-marten-isolated-populations-in-n-california-oregon-coast/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a draft recovery plan and recovery implementation strategy to guide conservation efforts for the coastal distinct population segment (DPS) of the Pacific marten, a federally threatened mammal.
- [2026 Proving Deadly For West Coast Whales: Group’s Analysis Shows 51 Whales Already Died, Many From Poor Nutrition, Ship Strikes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2026-proving-deadly-for-west-coast-whales-groups-analysis-shows-51-whales-already-died-many-from-poor-nutrition-ship-strikes/) - At least 51 whales have died along the West Coast already this year, according to an analysis of public data and media reports by the Center for Biological Diversity.
- [Chemical Cocktail: Juvenile Chinook Salmon In Lower Fraser River Feeding, Growing In Slurry Of Contaminants, Key Prey For Killer Whales](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/chemical-cocktail-juvenile-chinook-salmon-in-lower-fraser-river-feeding-growing-in-slurry-of-contaminants-key-prey-for-killer-whales/) - Juvenile Chinook salmon in Canada’s Lower Fraser River estuary are feeding and growing in a slurry of contaminants from pharmaceuticals, personal care products to industrial chemicals, according to a new Simon Fraser University study. Researchers found more than 200 contaminants in water and fish tissue samples collected from five sites in the Lower Fraser River
- [Feds Reduce Spill For Juvenile Salmon At Lower Monumental Dam Hoping To Get Stalled Adult Spring Chinook Moving Into Fish Ladders](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/feds-reduce-spill-for-juvenile-salmon-at-lower-monumental-dam-hoping-to-get-stalled-adult-spring-chinook-moving-into-fish-ladders/) - Federal agencies reduced daytime spill at the lower Snake River’s Lower Monumental Dam Tuesday, May 26, hoping to encourage adult spring Chinook salmon stalled in the Ice Harbor reservoir downstream to begin moving upstream through Lower Monumental’s fish ladder.
- [With Two Downgrades Columbia/Snake River 2026 Spring Chinook Return Marginal, Fishing Likely Done For The Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-two-downgrades-columbia-snake-river-2026-spring-chinook-return-marginal-fishing-likely-done-for-the-year/) - In two of the past three weeks fisheries biologists have downgraded the forecasted run-size of upriver spring Chinook salmon in the Columbia River by 24 percent to 111,900 fish.
- [Snow Drought: Warm Winter Results In Water Supply Forecasts For Summer Dropping In Much Of Columbia River Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/snow-drought-warm-winter-results-in-water-supply-forecasts-for-summer-dropping-in-much-of-columbia-river-basin/) - Although precipitation this water year that began in October has been near normal throughout most of the Columbia River basin, temperatures have been considerably higher and snowpack has been lower, except in Canada, according to NOAA’s monthly water supply briefing this week. Snowpack in many areas of central and eastern Oregon are already depleted. According
- [Pacific Fishing Effort Mapping Project: A Geographic Grid Covering Waters Off West Coast Consolidates Location, Decades Of Catch Data, Fisheries Revenue ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pacific-fishing-effort-mapping-project-a-geographic-grid-covering-waters-off-west-coast-consolidates-location-decades-of-catch-data-fisheries-revenue-2/) - A new system combines decades of fisheries data and statistics to visualize West Coast fisheries and how they have changed over time. The Pacific Fishing Effort Mapping Project was led by researchers at NOAA, state wildlife departments, and the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. It consolidates location and catch data from fishing vessels with landings and economic figures into revealing maps and charts of major West Coast fisheries. It then shows how they may be affected by other ocean uses. For instance, the new system turns data on the catch value of groundfish into a landscape of colors depicting the West Coast, where the highest value catch areas stand out boldly.
- [Klamath River: USGS Researchers Publish First Documentation Of How Rain-On-Wildfire Events Rob Streams Of Oxygen, Kill Aquatic Life ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/klamath-river-usgs-researchers-publish-first-documentation-of-how-rain-on-wildfire-events-rob-streams-of-oxygen-kill-aquatic-life/) - Runoff from a high-intensity storm during the 2022 McKinney Fire depleted oxygen in the Klamath River to levels lethal to fish, killing aquatic life along nearly 60 miles of one of California's most culturally significant waterways, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study
- [WSU Study Finds High Prevalence Of Hantavirus In Rodent Populations In Parts Of Northwest](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-study-finds-high-prevalence-of-hantavirus-in-rodent-populations-in-parts-of-northwest/) - The Sin Nombre virus — a hantavirus that can cause a deadly respiratory disease in humans — may be more widespread among rodent populations in parts of the Pacific Northwest than previously recognized.
- [OSU Study Shows After Klamath Dam Removals Agriculture, Conservation Interests Share Priorities That May Help Future Restoration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-shows-after-klamath-dam-removals-agriculture-conservation-interests-share-priorities-that-may-help-future-restoration/) - A new study of the largest dam removal project in United States history on the Klamath River in Oregon and California offers new insight into a long-running water conflict by finding that farmers and conservation groups share priorities that may help guide decision-making on future river restoration projects. Researchers from Oregon State University found that
- [BPA Says Second Quarter Financials Project Net Revenues Falling Short Of End-Of -Year Target, Agency Stresses Continued Uncertainty](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-says-second-quarter-financials-project-net-revenues-falling-short-of-end-of-year-target-agency-stresses-continued-uncertainty/) - Similar trends from first quarter financial performance results continued for the Bonneville Power Administration into the second quarter for fiscal year 2026. While agency net revenues continue to fall short and the agency debt-to-asset ratio is higher than expected, BPA is on track to meet most of its end-of-year targets. The Q2 projection for end-of-year
- [Montana Research Shows How Atmospheric Rivers Can Recharge Mountainous Groundwater Levels In Arid West](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-research-shows-how-atmospheric-rivers-can-recharge-mountainous-groundwater-levels-in-arid-west/) - The steady release of groundwater from the fractured rock that composes most mountainous regions sustains ecosystems and human activity during periods of drought. These groundwater systems are critically important for communities in mountainous areas such as Missoula, according to new research from the University of Montana. The new science was conducted by Matthew Swarr, a
- [Washington Ecology Seeks Public Comment On Cleanup Of Old Smelter Site Now Slated For Pumped Storage Project Near John Day Dam](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-ecology-seeks-public-comment-on-cleanup-of-old-smelter-site-now-slated-for-pumped-storage-project-near-john-day-dam/) - The Washington Department of Ecology is seeking public input on plans to clean up contamination from the former Columbia Gorge Aluminum smelter near the John Day Dam.
- [Council Nears Completion Of New Columbia Basin Fish/Wildlife Program With August Spill At Dams A Bone Of Contention](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-nears-completion-of-new-columbia-basin-fish-wildlife-program-with-august-spill-at-dams-a-bone-of-contention/) - At its May meeting this week the Northwest Power and Conservation Council hashed out the few remaining issues in its draft Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. However, the Council members continue to be divided over whether the Program should include August spill for salmon, an issue that one member worried could “unravel” the
- [NOAA Determines ESA-Listing For Gulf Of Alaska Chinook Not Warranted; Large ‘Overall’ Population Sizes, Low Risk Of Extinction](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-determines-esa-listing-for-gulf-of-alaska-chinook-not-warranted-large-overall-population-sizes-low-risk-of-extinction/) - In response to a petition filed in 2024 by the Wild Fish Conservancy, NOAA Fisheries announced this week that it had completed its status review and 12-month finding for Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon, determining that listing of three evolutionary significant units of the salmon under the federal Endangered Species Act is not warranted. The
- [Columbia River Spring Chinook Return Downgraded But More Fishing Days Allowed Under ESA-Impact Rates](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-spring-chinook-return-downgraded-but-more-fishing-days-allowed-under-esa-impact-rates/) - After a mid-season run-size update this week, the two-state Columbia River Compact approved two weekends of additional angling for spring Chinook salmon on the mainstem Columbia River, including angling over the Memorial Day holiday weekend both upstream and downstream of Bonneville Dam. The U.S. v Oregon Technical Advisory Committee for the first time during this
- [With Angler Help, Researchers Discover What Salmon Are Eating Year-Round In Salish Sea, Show Differing Diets Based On Region](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-angler-help-researchers-discover-what-salmon-are-eating-year-round-in-salish-sea-show-differing-diets-based-on-region/) - A new study by University of Victoria and Pacific Salmon Foundation scientists has uncovered what adult Chinook salmon in the Salish Sea are eating—and revealed diet can differ according to region. The study, led by UVic PhD student Wesley Greentree and published recently in Fisheries Oceanography, analyzed the contents of salmon stomachs to assess salmon diet. Greentree found that year-round, herring are the most important food for adult Chinook salmon throughout the Salish Sea. Anchovy were often found in stomachs collected near Howe Sound and sand lance were important in Victoria and Sidney.
- [Dam Removals, Habitat Restoration, Past Fishing Closures Lead To First Salmon Fishing In Klamath River Basin In Three Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dam-removals-habitat-restoration-past-fishing-closures-lead-to-first-salmon-fishing-in-klamath-river-basin-in-three-years/) - Following three consecutive years of closure, salmon fishing will return to the Klamath River Basin and Sacramento River for the upcoming summer and fall seasons. More good news comes for inland anglers with a full season on the Feather, American and Mokelumne rivers after a shortened season in 2025.
- [California Study: Salmon Becoming ‘River Ghosts’ As Extreme Weather, Less Wetlands Lead To Substantial Juvenile Mortality During Migration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-study-salmon-becoming-river-ghosts-as-extreme-weather-less-wetlands-lead-to-substantial-juvenile-mortality-during-migration/) - Salmon are becoming river ‘ghosts’ as brutal droughts and violent floods cause unprecedented losses on their treacherous journey to the Pacific Ocean, scientists say. A major study 10.1111/gcb.70854 led by the University of Essex, NOAA Fisheries, University of California, Davis, and Cramer Fish Sciences found that young Californian Chinook salmon face a deadly double threat from extreme weather and the destruction of historical wetland habitats they rely on.
- [Canada Expands Mass-Marking Of Hatchery Chinook Salmon In Southern British Columbia, Going From 40 Percent To 97 Percent](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/canada-expands-mass-marking-of-hatchery-chinook-salmon-in-southern-british-columbia-going-from-40-percent-to-97-percent/) - Joanne Thompson, Canada’s Minister of Fisheries, has announced a next step in strengthening the long-term conservation and rebuilding of wild Pacific salmon with the expansion of mass marking of all DFO (Fisheries and Ocean Canada) hatchery-origin Chinook salmon in southern British Columbia.
- [Pacific Fishing Effort Mapping Project: A Geographic Grid Covering Waters Off West Coast Consolidates Location, Decades Of Catch Data, Fisheries Revenue ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pacific-fishing-effort-mapping-project-a-geographic-grid-covering-waters-off-west-coast-consolidates-location-decades-of-catch-data-fisheries-revenue/) - Above: Geographic distribution of the revenue for trawl-caught groundfish in 2024 and 2016–2024 along a portion of the U.S. West Coast. This sample image from the Pacific Fishing Effort Mapping tool illustrates how data is visualized. Credit: NOAA Fisheries A new system combines decades of fisheries data and statistics to visualize West Coast fisheries and
- [WSU Study Shows How AI Dramatically Speeds Up Tracking Wildlife With Remote Cameras, Data Analysis Time Drops From Months To Days](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-study-shows-how-ai-dramatically-speeds-up-tracking-wildlife-with-remote-cameras-data-analysis-time-drops-from-months-to-days/) - Above photo: SpeciesNet's AI prediction can be seen on an image of a lynx. Credit: Mammal Spatial Ecology and Conservation Lab Artificial intelligence can dramatically speed up the painstaking work of tracking wildlife with remote cameras, cutting analysis time from months or even a year to just days while producing nearly the same scientific conclusions
- [Multiple Restoration Projects In Snake River Basin Connect Salmon, Steelhead To Needed Cold-Water Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/multiple-restoration-projects-in-snake-river-basin-connect-salmon-steelhead-to-needed-cold-water-habitat/) - Above Photo: New replacement culvert at Big Cedar Creek. Credit: Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission To help Snake River basin salmon and steelhead successfully migrate to and from the ocean, NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Habitat Conservation is funding multiple salmon habitat restoration projects in the Snake River basin. In addition, the Idaho Office of
- [NOAA Fisheries Announces Up To $99 Million For Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-fisheries-announces-up-to-99-million-for-pacific-coastal-salmon-recovery-fund-projects/) - NOAA Fisheries has announced up to $99 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund for conservation and recovery projects that support Pacific salmon. The funding, says a press release, “supports Administration priorities by improving habitat and other actions to increase the production of salmon and steelhead that contribute to U.S. fisheries. Stronger
- [Oregon Lawmakers Seek Reversal Of Administration Actions On Programs Serving Tribal Communities, Cite Trust, Treaty Obligations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-lawmakers-seek-reversal-of-administration-actions-on-programs-serving-tribal-communities-cite-trust-treaty-obligations/) - Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden—along with Oregon U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Maxine Dexter, and Janelle Bynum -- joined over 100 Members of Congress to demand that the Trump Administration stop and reverse its “dangerous efforts to fire employees and defund programs” that serve Tribes and Tribal members.
- [WDFW Research Shows Fatal White-Nose Syndrome In Bats Continues To Spread, 11 New Counties In 2024](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-research-shows-fatal-white-nose-syndrome-in-bats-continues-to-spread-11-new-counties-in-2024/) - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and research partners documented white-nose syndrome and the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome in eleven new counties in 2024.
- [Conservation Groups Settle Lawsuit With WDFW Over Lower Columbia River Hatcheries, Litigation Continues With NOAA, ODFW](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/conservation-groups-settle-lawsuit-with-wdfw-over-lower-columbia-river-hatcheries-litigation-continues-with-noaa-odfw/) - A lawsuit contending that lower Columbia River hatcheries downstream of Bonneville Dam are a threat to wild salmon and steelhead listed under the federal Endangered Species Act was settled in part last week.
- [WDFW Opens Hatchery Steelhead Fishing In Areas Of Upper Columbia For First Time In 9 Years, 2024 Returns Exceed Wild Fish Escapement Goals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-opens-hatchery-steelhead-fishing-in-areas-of-upper-columbia-for-first-time-in-9-years-2024-returns-exceed-wild-fish-escapement-goals/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that steelhead fishing will open in select areas of the Upper Columbia this month. This marks the first time in nine years that anglers can enjoy fishing for hatchery steelhead in these waters.
- [States Set 2025 Columbia River Sturgeon Retention Seasons; Expect High Effort, Short Seasons](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/states-set-2025-columbia-river-sturgeon-retention-seasons-expect-high-effort-short-seasons/) - Oregon and Washington fishery managers set dates and harvest guidelines for recreational white sturgeon retention in pools backed up behind Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day dams.
- [Study Finds 56 Percent Of Caspian Tern Colony On Washington State Island Killed By Avian Flu, Some Had Relocated From Columbia River Estuary](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-finds-56-percent-of-caspian-tern-colony-on-washington-state-island-killed-by-avian-flu-some-had-relocated-from-columbia-river-estuary/) - An epidemiological study found that 56% of a large breeding colony of Caspian terns died from a 2023 outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at Rat Island in Washington state.
- [Return Of Columbia River Smelt ( ESA-Listed 15 Years Ago)This Year Expected To Be Close To 10-Year Average; Limited, Tentative Fishery Announced](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/return-of-columbia-river-smelt-esa-listed-15-years-agothis-year-expected-to-be-close-to-10-year-average-limited-tentative-fishery-announced/) - Expecting a slightly smaller run of eulachon (smelt) into the mainstem Columbia River this year than last year – about 8.6 million pounds – the two-state Columbia River Compact adopted a limited three-day-a-week commercial gillnet test fishery. The decision allows gillnetters using small mesh nets to fish for the threatened species in Zones 1 to 3 (roughly from the Astoria Megler Bridge to Puget Island).
- [Washington Intercepts Tugboat At Watercraft Inspection Station Carrying 21 Gallons Of Invasive Mussels, Largest Volume From One Boat In 7 Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-intercepts-tugboat-at-watercraft-inspection-station-carrying-21-gallons-of-invasive-mussels-largest-volume-from-one-boat-in-7-years/) - Two tugboats infested with quagga and zebra mussels were intercepted last month at the Spokane watercraft inspection station.
- [Egg-To-Fry Survival Of Chinook Salmon Studied In Several Columbia Basin Rivers, Provides Predictive Models For Researchers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/egg-to-fry-survival-of-chinook-salmon-studied-in-several-columbia-basin-rivers-provides-predictive-models-for-researchers/) - A recent study brings to light the dangers of a little-known life stage in which spring Chinook salmon in the Columbia River basin generally incur high mortality – incubation in the gravel.
- [For First Time WDFW Using ‘Management Strategy Evaluation’ To Assess Harvest Strategies For Lower Columbia River Tributary Fisheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/for-first-time-wdfw-using-management-strategy-evaluation-to-assess-harvest-strategies-for-lower-columbia-river-tributary-fisheries/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will hold a virtual public meeting on April 1, from 6–8 p.m., to discuss potential harvest management strategies for Lower Columbia River tributary fisheries.
- [2025 Columbia/Snake River Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Opens, Last Year’s Top Angler Earned $164,260](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2025-columbia-snake-river-pikeminnow-sport-reward-fishery-opens-last-years-top-angler-earned-164260/) - The 2025 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery opened May 1, offering anglers the chance to earn cash while helping protect vulnerable salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake rivers. The fishery will be open daily through Sept. 30 at most locations.
- [New WDFW Study Shows Links Between Changing Ocean Conditions, Declining Survival Of Coastal Winter Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-wdfw-study-shows-links-between-changing-ocean-conditions-declining-survival-of-coastal-winter-steelhead/) - New Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife research sheds light on the link between a changing climate and ocean and ecosystem conditions; and winter steelhead survival on the Washington coast.
- [Will Marbled Murrelet Go Extinct In Washington? WDFW Seeks Comment On Draft Status Review](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/will-marbled-murrelet-go-extinct-in-washington-wdfw-seeks-comment-on-draft-status-review/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking public input on a draft periodic status review for the marbled murrelet, which includes a recommendation to keep the bird on the state endangered species list.
- [European Green Crab 2025 Field Season Update: WDFW, Tribes, Co-Managers Set 30,000 Traps This Year, Remove 300,000 Crabs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/european-green-crab-2025-field-season-update-wdfw-tribes-co-managers-set-30000-traps-this-year-remove-300000-crabs/) - European green crabs were first discovered in Washington state in 1998 in Willapa Bay, where they remained in small numbers for over a decade. The green crabs were first documented in Washington’s inland waters in the San Juan Islands in 2016.
- [Massive Run Of Pink Salmon Filling Washington Rivers, Can Have Negative Impact On Other Fish, Killer Whales](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/massive-run-of-pink-salmon-filling-washington-rivers-can-have-negative-impact-on-other-fish-killer-whales/) - Washington is predicting a huge run of pink salmon into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound this year and is encouraging anglers to take advantage of the run while they are there. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is forecasting a run of pinks of nearly 7.8 million, up 70 percent over the 10-year average.
- [Work Begins To Improve Passage Conditions For Migrating Salmon, Steelhead In Yakima River Delta](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/work-begins-to-improve-passage-conditions-for-migrating-salmon-steelhead-in-yakima-river-delta/) - Many years ago, people built a dead end where two rivers met — and blocked an ancient pathway for migrating salmon and steelhead.
- [Marine Conditions Not Working For ESA-Listed Columbia River Smelt, Yet Another Year Of Low Return](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/marine-conditions-not-working-for-esa-listed-columbia-river-smelt-yet-another-year-of-low-return/) - The decline, the report says, is due to marine conditions that have been mixed and trending downwards since 2023, including adverse upwelling patterns and copepod community structure.
- [Corps Completes Scoping of Proposed Underwater Transmission Line In Columbia River, Draft EIS Next](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-completes-scoping-of-proposed-underwater-transmission-line-in-columbia-river-draft-eis-next/) - The public has had its say in the scoping round for the Cascade Renewable Transmission project, a more than 100-mile transmission line proposal that, if approved, would include 80 miles of line buried beneath the Columbia River from The Dalles to Portland. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is currently writing the project’s draft
- [New PNW Wildfire Risk Assessment Tool Considers Social Vulnerability A Factor, Could Assist Fair Distribution Of Risk Reduction Resources](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-pnw-wildfire-risk-assessment-tool-considers-social-vulnerability-a-factor-could-assist-fair-distribution-of-risk-reduction-resources/) - Above photo: Fire-damaged Detroit, Oregon, following the 2020 Labor Day blazes. A new wildfire risk assessment tool that takes social vulnerability into account indicates more than 400 communities in the Pacific Northwest are at greater risk than previously thought. However, researchers at Oregon State University and The Nature Conservancy say their assessment tool could inform
- [WSU Researchers’ Model Identifies Vulnerable Transmission Towers In Extreme Wind Events, Determines Retrofits To Prevent Outages](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-researchers-model-identifies-vulnerable-transmission-towers-in-extreme-wind-events-determines-retrofits-to-prevent-outages/) - A model developed by Washington State University researchers can predict how transmission towers might fail and collapse in extreme wind events. The work, reported in the journal, Engineering Structures, could someday help power companies identify the most vulnerable transmission towers in extreme wind events and determine which should have retrofits to reduce the power outage
- [Much More Snow Needed: A Warm Winter Has Led To Many Columbia Basin Watersheds Showing Startling Low Snowpacks](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/much-more-snow-needed-a-warm-winter-has-led-to-many-columbia-basin-watersheds-showing-startling-low-snowpacks/) - Mainstem Columbia River basin water supply forecasts remained mostly steady or rose just slightly over the last month, with the March forecast at The Dalles Dam at 95 percent of the 30-year average, up 2 percentage points from February.
- [California Current Report: Upwelling Held Warm Waters Offshore In 2025, Juvenile Salmon Flourished In Productive Conditions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-current-report-upwelling-held-warm-waters-offshore-in-2025-juvenile-salmon-flourished-in-productive-conditions/) - A massive marine heatwave warmed the eastern Pacific Ocean through much of 2025, but the wind-driven upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water that drives the rich marine productivity of the West Coast kept the ecosystem healthy.
- [USGS Releases New AI Tool Forecasting Droughts, Helps Communities Prepare For Water Shortages](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usgs-releases-new-ai-tool-forecasting-droughts-helps-communities-prepare-for-water-shortages/) - The U.S. Geological Survey released a new machine learning tool that forecasts droughts up to 90 days ahead nationwide. The tool may provide communities extra time to prepare for water shortages that could impact agriculture, municipal supplies, recreation and ecosystems.
- [Wolf Reports: Both Oregon, Washington Count Increases In Wolves, Packs, Breeding Pairs In 2025](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wolf-reports-both-oregon-washington-count-increases-in-wolves-packs-breeding-pairs-in-2025/) - Following a decline at the end of 2024, the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Annual Report shows that the minimum year-end wolf count increased by more than 17% at the end of 2025. In Oregon, the minimum known count of wolves in Oregon at the end of 2025 was 230 wolves, compared to 204
- [Ninth Circuit Sets Schedule For Briefings In Federal Appeal Of Lower Court’s Ruling On Hydro Operations For Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ninth-circuit-sets-schedule-for-briefings-in-federal-appeal-of-lower-courts-ruling-on-hydro-operations-for-salmon-steelhead/) - For the litigation over river operations for Columbia/Snake River salmon and steelhead, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has set a briefing schedule for the federal government’s appeal of rulings by a lower court in Portland. But the Court has yet to say whether it will stay the lower court’s rulings as the legal wrangling
- [Climate Warming Driving Starving Gray Whales Into San Francisco Bay Where They Are Hit, Killed By Vessels](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/climate-warming-driving-starving-gray-whales-into-san-francisco-bay-where-they-are-hit-killed-by-vessels/) - Above photo: TMMC-1-91, also known as 'Ladybug', swimming in central San Francisco Bay - pictured with the skyline of the city. This individual later died. Photographer: Josephine Slaathaug © The Marine Mammal Center. Gray whales migrate from Arctic waters full of food to the lagoons of Baja Mexico — but as the climate crisis gathers
- [Federal Agencies Seek Appeal At Ninth Circuit Of Preliminary Injunction Directing Columbia/Snake River Operations For ESA-Listed Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-agencies-seek-appeal-at-ninth-circuit-of-preliminary-injunction-directing-columbia-snake-river-operations-for-esa-listed-salmon/) - A month after a U.S. District Court in Portland issued a partially favorable ruling to plaintiffs on a preliminary injunction directing Columbia and Snake river dam operations designed to aid salmon and steelhead, federal agency defendants challenged the decision at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The defendants notified the District Court of the challenge Friday, March 27.
- [Northwest Power/Conservation Council To Craft, Push For Legislation To Improve Columbia River Sea Lion Salmon Predation Management](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-power-conservation-council-to-craft-push-for-legislation-to-improve-columbia-river-sea-lion-salmon-predation-management/) - The number of sea lions in the Bonneville Dam tailrace has dropped in recent years, perhaps due to a persistent lethal removal program by states and tribes, but the percentage of the run of Columbia River salmon and steelhead that is devoured by sea lions has largely remained about the same.
- [Group Launches Lawsuit Against BLM/USFWS To Protect ESA-Listed Seabirds From Oregon Logging Project](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/group-launches-lawsuit-against-blm-usfws-to-protect-esa-listed-seabirds-from-oregon-logging-project/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has sent a notice to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of its intent to sue the agencies for approving a logging project in western Oregon that it says will destroy and fragment the mature and old-growth forests needed by marbled murrelets.
- [New UW Study Finds Parasitic Tapeworm In One-Third Of Coyotes Surveyed In Washington, Can Be Passed To Domestic Dogs, Humans](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-uw-study-finds-parasitic-tapeworm-in-one-third-of-coyotes-surveyed-in-washington-can-be-passed-to-domestic-dogs-humans/) - New evidence suggests that a disease-causing tapeworm that has been spreading across the United States and Canada has arrived in the Pacific Northwest. The tapeworm, called Echinococcus multilocularis, lives as a parasite in coyotes, foxes and other canid species and can cause severe disease if passed to domestic dogs or humans.
- [Scientists Link New California Population Of Invasive, Destructive South American Rodent (Nutria) To A Re-Introduction From Central Oregon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scientists-link-new-california-population-of-invasive-destructive-south-american-rodent-nutria-to-a-re-introduction-from-central-oregon/) - Scientists with the Wildlife Genetics Research Unit at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have completed a genomic study of nutria, an invasive South American rodent, linking their 2017 discovery in Merced County to a population in central Oregon. This was the first genomic study of the semi-aquatic pest species that is harmful to wetland habitats and agriculture and has challenged control efforts of land and wildlife managers worldwide for decades.
- [Over 100 Habitat Restoration Projects For Salmon Yielding Big Results On Central California Coast, Record 30,000 Endangered Coho Return](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/over-100-habitat-restoration-projects-for-salmon-yielding-big-results-on-central-california-coast-record-30000-endangered-coho-return/) - During the 2024–2025 spawning season, endangered Central California Coast coho salmon migrated to Mendocino Coast rivers in numbers few scientists thought they would see in their careers. Monitoring teams estimated that more than 30,000 adult coho returned, double the previous season’s record-breaking return of 15,000 coho. These numbers represent a significant leap from the past decade, where as few as 3,000 fish returned annually.
- [UBC Research: Summers Expanding 50 Percent Faster Than Thought, Quicker Transitions Between Seasons](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ubc-research-summers-expanding-50-percent-faster-than-thought-quicker-transitions-between-seasons/) - Summer weather is arriving earlier, lasting longer and packing more heat than it used to—and it’s happening faster than scientists had previously measured.
- [Wildfires, Winter Rainstorms In PNW Accelerating Winter Snowmelt, Less Mountain Snow Available As Water Storage During Summer](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wildfires-winter-rainstorms-in-pnw-accelerating-winter-snowmelt-less-mountain-snow-available-as-water-storage-during-summer/) - The Pacific Northwest has seen below-normal snow this season — and new research from Portland State University suggests that the region's snowmelt-dependent water resources could face growing challenges in the years ahead as forest fires and winter rainstorms become more frequent.
- [Though Good In North Part Of Columbia Basin, Snowpack Has Disappeared In Some Areas To The South; Summer Streamflows In Jeopardy](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-good-in-north-part-of-columbia-basin-snowpack-has-disappeared-in-some-areas-to-the-south-summer-streamflows-in-jeopardy/) - A huge snowpack in Canada provides a stark contrast to the nearly empty snowfields in southern Idaho where snowpack is at record lows this year and in eastern Oregon, with much of that area in drought or developing drought, according to an April National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report.
- ['Judicial Overreach Must Stop': Agencies Ask Appeals Court To Throw Out Injunction Guiding Spill For Salmon At Columbia/Snake Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/judicial-overreach-must-stop-agencies-ask-appeals-court-to-throw-out-injunction-guiding-spill-for-salmon-at-columbia-snake-dams/) - Federal defendants in a long-running case in U.S. District Court challenging NOAA Fisheries’ biological opinion governing operations to prevent harm to salmon and steelhead at Columbia River federal hydroelectric system of dams raised the case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in late March.
- [PFMC Finalizes 2026 Recreational, Commercial Ocean Salmon Fishing Seasons For California, Oregon, Washington](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pfmc-finalizes-2026-recreational-commercial-ocean-salmon-fishing-seasons-for-california-oregon-washington/) - Above Photo by: Gavin Ullom Significant improvements in key California salmon populations -- specifically Sacramento River fall-run Chinook and Klamath River fall-run Chinook -- will allow for more ocean salmon fishing opportunities this year. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says that commercial ocean salmon fishing is back after being closed three straight years and that recreational ocean salmon anglers will have
- [Invasive, Destructive Golden Mussels Found On Boat Entering Oregon, Prompting Washington To Undertake Emergency Rule](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/invasive-destructive-golden-mussels-found-on-boat-entering-oregon-prompting-washington-to-undertake-emergency-rule/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has undertaken emergency rule making to classify golden mussels as a Prohibited Level 1 invasive species statewide in response to the imminent threat of introduction and spread to Washington’s waters. As a Prohibited Level 1 species, live golden mussels may not be possessed or retained, introduced on or
- [Yakima River Basin Salmon Recovery: Removing Earthen Berm In River Delta Improves Access To Hundreds Of Miles Of Spawning Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/yakima-river-basin-salmon-recovery-removing-earthen-berm-in-river-delta-improves-access-to-hundreds-of-miles-of-spawning-habitat/) - Above: Map of the Yakima River Basin with the Bateman Island Causeway project location marked with a red star. Credit: Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board Every summer, salmon and steelhead returning to the Yakima River swim hundreds of miles from the Pacific Ocean toward their spawning grounds in central Washington. But as they
- [Lower Columbia River Spring Chinook Fishing Update: One More Fishing Day Added As Managers Balance Catch Rates With Protecting Upriver ESA Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lower-columbia-river-spring-chinook-fishing-update-one-more-fishing-day-added-as-managers-balance-catch-rates-with-protecting-upriver-esa-fish/) - Oregon and Washington added one more day of recreational spring Chinook salmon angling on the Columbia River at a virtual two-state Columbia River Compact hearing this week. The one-day opening is Saturday, April 18, from Buoy 10 near Astoria to Bonneville Dam. Although several Columbia River recreational advisors, some of whom are sportfishing guides, pleaded
- [Ocean Conditions Off Washington Coastline Key Influence In Columbia River Salmon, Steelhead Mortality; More Ocean Research Funding Needed](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ocean-conditions-off-washington-coastline-key-influence-in-columbia-river-salmon-steelhead-mortality-more-ocean-research-funding-needed/) - Above table shows the years ranked low to high (numbers) based on whether ocean conditions are favorable or unfavorable for juvenile salmon survival. It’s an impossible task to manage salmon and steelhead ocean mortalities along the entire west coast of the United States, so fishery managers should concentrate more on influencing the environment along Washington’s
- [Corps Taking Interim Measures At Willamette Valley Dam Due To Risks Associated With Major Earthquake From Cascadia Subduction Zone](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-taking-interim-measures-at-willamette-valley-dam-due-to-risks-associated-with-major-earthquake-from-cascadia-subduction-zone/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, will host two virtual public information sessions on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, to discuss proactive safety measures being implemented at Hills Creek Dam in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
- [Melt Seasons And Net Loss Of Ice: Study Shows How Alaska’s Glaciers Melt Additional Three Weeks With Every 1.8 Degree F Increase](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/melt-seasons-and-net-loss-of-ice-study-shows-how-alaskas-glaciers-melt-additional-three-weeks-with-every-1-8-degree-f-increase/) - Alaska’s glaciers respond to climate change by melting for three additional weeks with every 1 degree Celsius increase in the average summer temperature, data from satellite-mounted radars show.
- [White-Nose Syndrome Found In Bats For First Time In Oregon, Idaho; Have Critical Ecological, Economic Role In Controlling Insect Populations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/white-nose-syndrome-found-in-bats-for-first-time-in-oregon-idaho-have-critical-ecological-economic-role-in-controlling-insect-populations/) - White-nose syndrome in bats has been detected for the first time in Oregon in Columbia and Benton counties. Also this month, the first cases of the disease in Idaho bats were detected.
- [Oregon Finds First Boat In 2026 With Invasive Quagga Mussels, Transported From Lake Havasu](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-finds-first-boat-in-2026-with-invasive-quagga-mussels-transported-from-lake-havasu/) - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff at the Ashland Boat Inspection Station found quagga mussels on a motorboat that was being transported from Lake Havasu, Arizona into Oregon on March 21.
- [Q&A: NOAA Researcher Discusses Why Future Of Imperiled, Isolated Southern Resident Killer Whales May Depend On Interactions With Other Populations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/qa-noaa-researcher-discusses-why-future-of-imperiled-isolated-southern-resident-killer-whales-may-depend-on-interactions-with-other-populations/) - Endangered Southern Resident killer whales are known for the tight-knit family structure that isolates them from other killer whale populations. In 2005, NOAA Fisheries listed the whales as a Distinct Population Segment under the Endangered Species Act due to their unique genetic legacy and endangered status. The 74 whales remain at risk from insufficient prey, environmental contaminants, disturbance and inbreeding.
- [2025 Sea Lion Predation At Bonneville Dam: 3.6 Percent Of Spring Chinook, 5.5 Percent Of Steelhead, Sturgeon Consumption ‘Demands Attention’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2025-sea-lion-predation-at-bonneville-dam-3-6-percent-of-spring-chinook-5-5-percent-of-steelhead-sturgeon-consumption-demands-attention/) - Of the fish that had passed Bonneville Dam last spring, California and Steller sea lions consumed 3.6 percent of the spring Chinook salmon and 5.5 percent of the steelhead. Some 98 individual sea lions were responsible for this predation, according to a recently-released annual report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- [Warming Climate In PNW Making Avalanche Forecasting Difficult, Cooler Inland Areas Seeing More Rain-On-Snow Crust Layers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/warming-climate-in-pnw-making-avalanche-forecasting-difficult-cooler-inland-areas-seeing-more-rain-on-snow-crust-layers/) - This winter was one of the warmest on record across the West; as a result, many snowy, alpine areas have seen bouts of winter rainfall where there would ordinarily only be snow. These unusual weather patterns have contributed to an abysmal ski season, but they can also set the stage for dangerous avalanches.
- [Tire Pollution Under Scrutiny: New Canadian Study Shows How Artificial Turf Using Crumb Rubber Can Kill Salmon For Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tire-pollution-under-scrutiny-new-canadian-study-shows-how-artificial-turf-using-crumb-rubber-can-kill-salmon-for-years/) - A new study from the University of British Columbia has found that artificial turf fields across Metro Vancouver leach 6PPD-quinone, a chemical known to kill coho salmon, into municipal stormwater systems—and the contamination persists long after the fields are installed.
- [Alaska Study Details How Rising Temperatures Lead To Hungrier Invasive Northern Pike In Salmon Streams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-study-details-how-rising-temperatures-lead-to-hungrier-invasive-northern-pike-in-salmon-streams/) - Rising temperatures in a Southcentral Alaska river have led to a hungrier population of invasive northern pike, a trend that could imperil native salmon and other fish species.
- [Corps Opens Public Comment On Proposed Renewable Diesel Refinery In Columbia River Estuary; Could Produce 1.4 Billion Gallons Per Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-opens-public-comment-on-proposed-renewable-diesel-refinery-in-columbia-river-estuary-could-produce-1-4-billion-gallons-per-year/) - A renewable fuels refinery that would be capable of producing 50,000 barrels of renewable diesel per day and 1.4 billion gallons per year has been proposed on more than 100 acres of wetlands in the Columbia River estuary near Clatskanie, OR, and also near a critical corridor for migrating salmon and steelhead, according to a draft Environmental Impact Statement released in late February by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- [Lawsuit Launched Against USFWS Over ESA Protection For Western Ridged Mussel, Lives In Columbia/Snake River Basin Streams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-launched-against-usfws-over-esa-protection-for-western-ridged-mussel-lives-in-columbia-snake-river-basin-streams/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service it intends to sue the agency for failing to make a timely decision on whether the western ridged mussel should be protected under the Endangered Species Act. The imperiled mussels are disappearing from streams and rivers across the three West Coast states and Idaho and Nevada.
- [Habitat Compression: West Coast Cool Corridor For Marine Life Attracts Both Humpback Whales, Fisheries To Same Productive Waters](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/habitat-compression-west-coast-cool-corridor-for-marine-life-attracts-both-humpback-whales-fisheries-to-same-productive-waters/) - NOAA Fisheries scientists have found telltale changes in cool, highly productive water upwelling along the West Coast -- changes that can provide “an early warning system” signaling greater risk of humpback whales getting entangled in fishing gear.
- [Lake Pend Oreille Angler Science Program Produces Data Helping IDFG Track Health Of Trophy Rainbow Trout Fishery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lake-pend-oreille-angler-science-program-produces-data-helping-idfg-track-health-of-trophy-rainbow-trout-fishery/) - Anglers on north Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille continue to play an important role in helping Idaho Fish and Game monitor the lake’s trophy rainbow trout fishery. Through the Lake Pend Oreille Angler Science Program, anglers voluntarily record details about their fishing trips and the trout they catch.
- [Columbia Riverkeeper Issues Report On Power/Water Use For Developing Data Centers Along Columbia River, Calls For Moratorium](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-riverkeeper-issues-report-on-power-water-use-for-developing-data-centers-along-columbia-river-calls-for-moratorium/) - The enormous power and water use forecasted at the over 100 data centers at various stages of development in 12 counties along the Columbia River will strain Oregon and Washington state mandates to achieve their aggressive renewable energy goals as well as put a strain on local water resources and threaten fish and wildlife, according to a recent report by Columbia Riverkeeper.
- [Scavenger Study: Researchers Find Ravens In Yellowstone Don’t Follow Wolves But Instead Remember Common Kill Sites](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scavenger-study-researchers-find-ravens-in-yellowstone-dont-follow-wolves-but-instead-remember-common-kill-sites/) - Common ravens are often spotted soaring above wolves in Yellowstone National Park. Researchers assumed that the scavengers were following the wolves to get their scraps, but new research reveals a twist: Ravens don’t follow wolves, they remember common hunting grounds and regularly check back for fresh meat.
- [California’s Wildlife Conservation Board Approves $59.6 Million For Salmon Recovery, Biodiversity Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/californias-wildlife-conservation-board-approves-59-6-million-for-salmon-recovery-biodiversity-projects/) - California’s Wildlife Conservation Board approved $59,642,096 in grants for 27 projects across 18 counties to protect biodiversity, restore important wildlife habitats and improve public access to nature.
- [Bureau Of Rec Launches Prize Challenge For Identifying Innovative Solution To Prevent Spread Of Aquatic Invasive Species](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bureau-of-rec-launches-prize-challenge-for-identifying-innovative-solution-to-prevent-spread-of-aquatic-invasive-species/) - The Bureau of Reclamation has launched a new three-phase prize challenge to identify innovative solutions that prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species through watercraft ballast compartments.
- [Uncharted Conditions: NOAA Scientists Track Another Large Marine Heatwave Off West Coast, Study Impacts To Fisheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/uncharted-conditions-noaa-scientists-track-another-large-marine-heatwave-off-west-coast-study-impacts-to-fisheries/) - A massive marine heatwave has dominated waters off the West Coast since last summer. This marks only the third time on record that such a large section of the coastal ocean has remained so warm for so long—particularly into winter months—without it being an El Niño, NOAA scientists report.
- [People Try To Protect Species When It’s Too Late:’ Oregon Researchers Develop AI Tool To Identify Threats To Fish Before They Become Endangered](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/people-try-to-protect-species-when-its-too-late-oregon-researchers-develop-ai-tool-to-identify-threats-to-fish-before-they-become-endangered/) - Researchers spent five years developing an AI-based model to protect freshwater fish worldwide from extinction, with a particular focus on identifying threats to fish before they become endangered.
- [A $1 Million Federal Fish Passage Investment Could Lead To Opening Of 100 Miles Of Habitat For Salmon, Steelhead In NE Oregon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/a-1-million-federal-fish-passage-investment-could-lead-to-opening-of-100-miles-of-habitat-for-salmon-steelhead-in-ne-oregon/) - A $1 million federal investment will jump-start critical engineering and design work on fish passage and alternative solutions at Oregon’s McKay Creek Reservoir Dam, laying the technical groundwork to eventually reconnect more than 100 miles of historic salmon and steelhead habitat.
- [With A Coming Warmer Climate, Less Mountain Snow, UW Researchers Study How Forest Thinning Supports Both Snowpack, Fire Resilience](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-a-coming-warmer-climate-less-mountain-snow-uw-researchers-study-how-forest-thinning-supports-both-snowpack-fire-resilience/) - As climate change nudges weather in the eastern Cascades in extreme and volatile directions, forest managers in the region have a lot to juggle.
- [PFMC Releases Options For 2026 West Coast Salmon Fisheries; Chinook, Coho Forecasts Stable Or Slightly Higher Than Last Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pfmc-releases-options-for-2026-west-coast-salmon-fisheries-chinook-coho-forecasts-stable-or-slightly-higher-than-last-year/) - The Pacific Fishery Management Council has adopted three options for 2026 ocean salmon fisheries off Washington, Oregon, and California, which are available for public review.
- [’Dire Situation These Species Are Facing:’ Court Oks Partial Approval Of Injunction For Columbia/Snake River Dam/Salmon Protection Operations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dire-situation-these-species-are-facing-court-oks-partial-approval-of-injunction-for-columbia-snake-river-dam-salmon-protection-operations/) - Beginning this spring, more water will be spilled at eight federal dams on the two rivers during spring, summer and fall/winter to aid the safe passage of juvenile salmon and steelhead, sending more of the fish over the dam rather than through turbines.
- [NOAA Says Washington Coast Chinook Salmon Population Shows ‘High Overall Abundance,’ Denies Request For ESA Listing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-says-washington-coast-chinook-salmon-population-shows-high-overall-abundance-denies-request-for-esa-listing/) - A petition to list Washington coast Chinook salmon under the federal Endangered Species Act has been denied by NOAA Fisheries.
- [New Research Shows Killer Whales In Alaska Have Diverse Diet Beyond Chinook Salmon, Includes Halibut, Flounder, Sablefish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-research-shows-killer-whales-in-alaska-have-diverse-diet-beyond-chinook-salmon-includes-halibut-flounder-sablefish/) - Fish-eating killer whales in southern Alaska have a diverse, seasonally changing diet featuring salmon and groundfish, according to a recently published study in the journal Ecosphere.
- [Harvest Managers Set Recreational Spring Chinook Fishing Days On Columbia River, Run Forecast Slightly Less Than 2025 Return](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/harvest-managers-set-recreational-spring-chinook-fishing-days-on-columbia-river-run-forecast-slightly-less-than-2025-return/) - State fisheries managers have set the initial opening for recreational spring Chinook salmon angling on the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 near Astoria, OR to the Oregon and Washington state line near Pasco, WA.
- [Corps Says Dredging Projects At Columbia River Ports To Accommodate Large, Ocean-Going Ships Will Have No Adverse Impacts On Fish, Wildlife](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-says-dredging-projects-at-columbia-river-ports-to-accommodate-large-ocean-going-ships-will-have-no-adverse-impacts-on-fish-wildlife/) - A federal project that will expand and improve navigation in areas of the Columbia River near Longview and Kalama took a step toward completion when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers concluded in its environmental review of the project that it would cause no significant impacts to fish and wildlife.
- [Corps’ ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork’ Initiative Aimed At Cutting Red Tape, Says Won’t Change Public Processes, NEPA, ESA](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-building-infrastructure-not-paperwork-initiative-aimed-at-cutting-red-tape-says-wont-change-public-processes-nepa-esa/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, is vowing to become more efficient when approving and building infrastructure projects.
- [Though Petition Denied, ODFW Working With NOAA On Conservation Plan To Reduce Whale Entanglements In Crab Fishery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-petition-denied-odfw-working-with-noaa-on-conservation-plan-to-reduce-whale-entanglements-in-crab-fishery/) - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 6-1 to deny a petition that requested crab fishery rules be modified to further reduce the risk of whale entanglement.
- [Arctic Warming: Research Confirms Poisoning From Harmful Algal Blooms Killing Northern Fur Seals In Pribilof Islands](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/arctic-warming-research-confirms-poisoning-from-harmful-algal-blooms-killing-northern-fur-seals-in-pribilof-islands/) - In August 2025, two biologists from NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Region Protected Resources Division traveled to St. George Island to conduct routine maintenance on NOAA facilities. Upon their arrival, they began receiving reports from residents about a high number of northern fur seals found dead in unexpected locations on the island.
- [BPA First Quarter Financials Show Mixed Results As Revenues Fall Short, Agency Closely Monitoring Such Variables As Snowpack](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-first-quarter-financials-show-mixed-results-as-revenues-fall-short-agency-closely-monitoring-such-variables-as-snowpack/) - The Bonneville Power Administration’s first quarter financial forecast shows mixed results for the agency’s expected end-of-year performance.
- [Northwest Power/Conservation Council Releases For Comment Draft Amendments To Columbia River Basin Fish/Wildlife Program](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-power-conservation-council-releases-for-comment-draft-amendments-to-columbia-river-basin-fish-wildlife-program/) - Slightly more spill, restrictions on flow fluctuations at federal Columbia and Snake River dams, more habitat projects, along with more predator management of sea lions, sea birds and fish are among changes the Northwest Power and Conservation Council is proposing as amendments to its Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.
- [Over 30 Briefs Filed In Federal Court Opposing Request For More Spill For Fish, Lower Reservoirs At Columbia/Snake River Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/over-30-briefs-filed-in-federal-court-opposing-request-for-more-spill-for-fish-lower-reservoirs-at-columbia-snake-river-dams/) - A proposed preliminary injunction calling for changes to Snake and Columbia river federal dam operations aimed at protecting endangered salmon and steelhead would lower the amount of electricity that could be generated by the dams, costing the region more for electricity, while also resulting in higher releases of carbon dioxide when making up for those losses, according to briefs submitted this week in U.S. District Court.
- [Naturally Reproduced Juvenile Coho Found In California’s Russian River Upper Basin First Time In 34 Years, Taken To Captive Breeding Program](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/naturally-reproduced-juvenile-coho-found-in-californias-russian-river-upper-basin-first-time-in-34-years-taken-to-captive-breeding-program/) - This summer, several juvenile coho salmon were spotted in the Russian River’s upper basin — a first in more than 30 years.
- [Klamath Indigenous Land Trust Purchases 10,000 Acres Along Klamath River For Ecological Restoration Post Dam Removal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/klamath-indigenous-land-trust-purchases-10000-acres-along-klamath-river-for-ecological-restoration-post-dam-removal/) - As salmon return to the headwaters of the Klamath River for the first time in over a century, the newly formed Klamath Indigenous Land Trust (KILT) and PacifiCorp announced the landmark purchase of 10,000 acres in and around the former reservoir reach of the river.
- [Annual Survival Study For Columbia Basin Salmon/Steelhead Notes Struggle To Reach Regional Smolt-To-Adult Return Goals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/annual-survival-study-for-columbia-basin-salmon-steelhead-notes-struggle-to-reach-regional-smolt-to-adult-return-goals/) - An annual report by fisheries managers confirmed for the sixth year running that under climate change and poor river flows, smolt-to-adult return rates of Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead will not meet regional goals.
- [Judge Sets Oral Arguments Over Preliminary Injunction Request That Would Alter Columbia/Snake Dam Operations For Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/judge-sets-oral-arguments-over-preliminary-injunction-request-that-would-alter-columbia-snake-dam-operations-for-salmon-steelhead/) - U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon on Dec. 19, 2025, released his order that sets the date for oral arguments in the case for the afternoon of Feb. 6 in Portland.
- [Study Shows After 2020 Megafires In Oregon Cascades, Fish, Amphibians Doing Well](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-after-2020-megafires-in-oregon-cascades-fish-amphibians-doing-well/) - In the aftermath of historically severe wildfires in 2020, a study of Cascade Range watersheds found that stream vertebrates are doing surprising well, highlighted by flourishing fish populations.
- [WSU Study Looks At Impacts Of Artificial Beaver Dams, Make Waterways More Resilient To Climate Change](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-study-looks-at-impacts-of-artificial-beaver-dams-make-waterways-more-resilient-to-climate-change/) - The use of artificial beaver dams to replicate the ecological benefits created by the industrious rodents shows promise for offsetting damage to fish habitat, water quality, and biodiversity arising from climate change.
- [Rainstorm Runoff: Corps Making Adjustments At John Day Dam To Reduce Columbia River Water Levels At Portland, Vancouver](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/rainstorm-runoff-corps-making-adjustments-at-john-day-dam-to-reduce-columbia-river-water-levels-at-portland-vancouver/) - Federal water managers at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say they will adjust water levels behind John Day Dam (Lake Umatilla), in north-central Oregon, this week to prepare for another round of heavy precipitation in the Columbia River Basin. This will be the third atmospheric river storm event within the last two weeks.
- [Over 130 Northwest Utilities Sign Long-Term Wholesale Power Contracts With Bonneville Power Administration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/over-130-northwest-utilities-sign-long-term-wholesale-power-contracts-with-bonneville-power-administration/) - The Bonneville Power Administration has executed new long-term wholesale electric power contracts with more than 130 Northwest public utility customers this fall.
- [2025 Ocean Data Shows Mixed Bag Of Conditions For West Coast Juvenile Salmon, Suggesting Moderate Adult Survival In Coming Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2025-ocean-data-shows-mixed-bag-of-conditions-for-west-coast-juvenile-salmon-suggesting-moderate-adult-survival-in-coming-years/) - Juvenile salmon encountered a mixed bag of ocean conditions off the West Coast in 2025, based on an annual analysis by NOAA Fisheries and Oregon State University researchers.
- [Recent Rains Boost 2026 Water Supply Forecast (April-Sept) For Columbia Basin But Overall Snowpack Far Below Normal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/recent-rains-boost-2026-water-supply-forecast-april-sept-for-columbia-basin-but-overall-snowpack-far-below-normal/) - Warmer than normal temperatures since the beginning of the water year has left snowpack far below normal.
- [Conservation Group Files Lawsuit Demanding USFWS Develop National Gray Wolf Recovery Plan](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/conservation-group-files-lawsuit-demanding-usfws-develop-national-gray-wolf-recovery-plan/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s refusal to develop a national gray wolf recovery plan under the Endangered Species Act.
- [Judge Asks Parties In Columbia River Salmon Case To Produce Revised Proposed Preliminary Injunction Feb. 20, Color-Code Agreements](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/judge-asks-parties-in-columbia-river-salmon-case-to-produce-revised-proposed-preliminary-injunction-feb-20-color-code-agreements/) - A federal judge signaled that he could accept at least some operational changes at lower Columbia and Snake river dams proposed by the state of Oregon and conservation groups in October.
- [WSU Research Reveals New Information About Elk Hoof Disease Spreading Across Northwest; Multiple Bacterial Species](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-research-reveals-new-information-about-elk-hoof-disease-spreading-across-northwest-multiple-bacterial-species/) - A debilitating hoof disease affecting elk herds across the Pacific Northwest appears to be driven not by a single pathogen but by multiple bacterial species working together, according to a study led by researchers in Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
- [Federal Funding For Columbia River Basin Salmon Recovery In 2026 Budget Fared Better Than First Feared](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-funding-for-columbia-river-basin-salmon-recovery-in-2026-budget-fared-better-than-first-feared/) - Columbia River salmon recovery programs fared better in the 2026 federal budget than tribes, advocates, bureaucrats and biologists feared.
- [Columbia River Salmon, Steelhead By The Numbers: 2026 Forecasts, 2025 Harvest Totals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-salmon-steelhead-by-the-numbers-2026-forecasts-2025-harvest-totals/) - Forecasts for the 2026 runs of spring and summer Chinook salmon and winter steelhead into the Columbia River are coming in lower than last year’s actual returns for each of the stocks, according to a joint state and tribe stock status report.
- [BPA Administrator Hairston Retires From Federal Service, Named As New General Manager Of Eugene Utility](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-administrator-hairston-retires-from-federal-service-named-as-new-general-manager-of-eugene-utility/) - John Hairston, who has served as administrator and chief executive officer of the Bonneville Power Administration since January 2021, is announcing his retirement from federal service. He’s headed to the Eugene Electric and Water Board as its new general manager.
- [OSU Study: Pacific Northwest’s Old-Growth Forests Now At Most Risk Of Stand-Replacing Wildfires, Had Historically Burned At Lower Severity](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-pacific-northwests-old-growth-forests-now-at-most-risk-of-stand-replacing-wildfires-had-historically-burned-at-lower-severity/) - A new analysis shows that the Pacific Northwest’s mature and old-growth forests are most at risk of severe wildfire in areas that historically burned frequently at lower severity.
- [CDFW Announces First Capture, GPS Collar Of Extremely Rare Sierra Nevada Red Fox In Southern Sierra Nevada, Fewer Than 50 Animals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/cdfw-announces-first-capture-gps-collar-of-extremely-rare-sierra-nevada-red-fox-in-southern-sierra-nevada-fewer-than-50-animals/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has reached a significant goal in conservation science by gaining the ability to study more closely the behavioral patterns of the Sierra Nevada red fox in the southern Sierra Nevada.
- [Simon Fraser Study Says Canada Failing Pacific Salmon Conservation As Industrial Threats Mount](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/simon-fraser-study-says-canada-failing-pacific-salmon-conservation-as-industrial-threats-mount/) - Canada is failing in a decades-old pledge to monitor the health of Pacific salmon, according to new research from Simon Fraser University.
- [FERC Issues License For Proposed Pump Storage Project Near John Day Dam, Tribes, Conservation Groups Vow Continued Opposition](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ferc-issues-license-for-proposed-pump-storage-project-near-john-day-dam-tribes-conservation-groups-vow-continued-opposition/) - A proposed clean energy pump storage generating project near the John Day Dam on the Columbia River cleared another hurdle last week when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the project a 40-year operating license, despite opposition by the Yakama Nation and environmental groups.
- [Angler Catches New State Record Rainbow Trout At Idaho’s Dworshak Reservoir](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/angler-catches-new-state-record-rainbow-trout-at-idahos-dworshak-reservoir/) - On Jan. 13, while many of Idaho’s anglers were breaking out the tape measure to check ice thicknesses and temperature gauges, one angler at Dworshak Reservoir had his tape measure out for a different reason.
- [FERC Releases For Public Comment Draft Supplemental EIS For Hells Canyon Dams, Key Step In Dam Re-Licensing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ferc-releases-for-public-comment-draft-supplemental-eis-for-hells-canyon-dams-key-step-in-dam-re-licensing/) - The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an agency that regulates dams and power plants across the U.S., is seeking comments from the public on a draft supplemental environmental impact statement for Idaho Power’s Hells Canyon complex of dams on the Snake River.
- [How Do Two Apex Predators Compete? Yellowstone Study Details Interactions Between Wolves, Cougars](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/how-do-two-apex-predators-compete-yellowstone-study-details-interactions-between-wolves-cougars/) - A new study shows that interactions between wolves and cougars in Yellowstone National Park are driven by wolves stealing prey killed by cougars and that shifts in cougar diets to smaller prey help them avoid wolf encounters.
- [A Tale Of Two Snowpacks: Lower Columbia Record Lows, Upper Columbia Above Normal, Overall Worst Snowpack In Decades](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/a-tale-of-two-snowpacks-lower-columbia-record-lows-upper-columbia-above-normal-overall-worst-snowpack-in-decades/) - A warm and mostly dry January has depleted most of the lower level snowpack around the Columbia River basin, with record low or near record low snowpack in the Oregon and southern Washington Cascade Mountains, a condition that could contribute to lower stream flows that will be needed for salmon and steelhead migrations this spring and summer.
- [Group’s Study Says Montana’s Arctic Grayling Failing To Recover Under Voluntary Conservation Agreement](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groups-study-says-montanas-arctic-grayling-failing-to-recover-under-voluntary-conservation-agreement/) - The Center for Biological Diversity released an analysis that it says shows that a two-decade, state-led voluntary conservation agreement has not produced a measurable increase in the abundance of critically imperiled Arctic grayling in Montana’s Big Hole River.
- [Reward Offered For Information On Illegally Introduced Pike Into Kalispell Fishing Pond, Can Quickly Wipeout Fish Populations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/reward-offered-for-information-on-illegally-introduced-pike-into-kalispell-fishing-pond-can-quickly-wipeout-fish-populations/) - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is investigating the illegal introduction of a northern pike into Pine Grove Pond, a popular family fishing site in Kalispell.
- [WDFW’s Moose Monitoring Project In Northeast Washington Enters Third Year, Goal Is 80 Collared Cows On The Landscape](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfws-moose-monitoring-project-in-northeast-washington-enters-third-year-goal-is-80-collared-cows-on-the-landscape/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s multi-year moose monitoring project is now entering its third winter. Warmer winters, changing habitat, increased parasites, and predation impacts raise questions about the status and trajectory of Washington’s moose population.
- [Ice Fishing At Idaho’s Henrys Lake Nets State Record For Yellowstone Cutthroat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ice-fishing-at-idahos-henrys-lake-nets-state-record-for-yellowstone-cutthroat/) - Most anglers that wind up atop the Idaho state record fish leaderboards do so out of pure luck. But Robert Gregory’s story goes a little different.
- [Columbia River Sturgeon Reproduction Woes: Report Documents Declining Numbers Of Legal-Sized Fish (Harvest), Juveniles All-Time Low](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-sturgeon-reproduction-woes-report-documents-declining-numbers-of-legal-sized-fish-harvest-juveniles-all-time-low/) - For the fourth year in a row, recreational retention of white sturgeon in the Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam and in the Willamette River will remain closed, although catch and release angling is likely this year.
- [Study: Human-Induced Climate Change Causing Shift Of North Pacific Storm Track Northward, Leaving A Cooler, Drier Northwest](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-human-induced-climate-change-causing-shift-of-north-pacific-storm-track-northward-leaving-a-cooler-drier-northwest/) - Climate change is skewing the North Pacific storm track northwards quicker than current weather predictions have estimated, moving winds and rains closer to the arctic and leaving cooler and drier conditions in the Northwest, according to a recent study published in the journal Nature.
- [Four Million Miles Of River In U.S., Only 19 Percent Of River Length Protected With Environmental Safeguards](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/four-million-miles-of-river-in-u-s-only-19-percent-of-river-length-protected-with-environmental-safeguards/) - The United States includes more than 4 million miles of rivers, with laws and regulations to protect access to drinking water and essential habitat for fish and wildlife.
- [Montana Uncovered 38 Mussel-Fouled Watercraft In 2025, More Than 20,000 High-Risk Boats, Adding New Inspection Stations This Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-uncovered-38-mussel-fouled-watercraft-in-2025-more-than-20000-high-risk-boats-adding-new-inspection-stations-this-year/) - During 2025, Montana Fish,Wildlife and Parks staff inspected more than 120,000 watercraft.
- [Plaintiffs In Columbia Basin Salmon BiOp Case Counter Federal Defendants Motion To Dismiss, Argue Northwest Power Act Does Not Apply](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/plaintiffs-in-columbia-basin-salmon-biop-case-counter-federal-defendants-motion-to-dismiss-argue-northwest-power-act-does-not-apply/) - In a strongly-worded rebuttal to a December motion to dismiss by federal defendants in U.S. District Court, plaintiffs challenging the operation and maintenance of the Columbia/Snake river hydroelectric system of dams questioned why, after 24 years and eight complaints since 2001, that the federal government is now moving to dismiss the case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
- [Washington Ecology Department Announces $40 Million Available In Grants For Streamflow Restoration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-ecology-department-announces-40-million-available-in-grants-for-streamflow-restoration/) - Washington Ecology Department Announces $40 Million Available In Grants For Streamflow Restoration
- [High Seas Treaty Goes Into Effect After Being Ratified By 60 Nations, U.S. Signed In 2023 But Has Not Ratified](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/high-seas-treaty-goes-into-effect-after-being-ratified-by-60-nations-u-s-signed-in-2023-but-has-not-ratified/) - Oregon State University research into marine protected areas plays a crucial role in the historic “High Seas Treaty” that went into effect Jan. 17.
- [NOAA Denies ESA-Listing For Declining Olympic Peninsula Wild Steelhead, Says Will Continue Monitoring With States, Tribesa](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-opens-environmental-review-of-proposed-transmission-line-in-columbia-river-bed-from-the-dalles-to-portland/) - NOAA Fisheries concluded this month that Olympic Peninsula wild steelhead is not in danger of extinction, nor will the distinct population segment of the steelhead likely become so in the foreseeable future.
- [Corps Opens Environmental Review Of Proposed Transmission Line In Columbia River Bed From The Dalles To Portland](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-opens-environmental-review-of-proposed-transmission-line-in-columbia-river-bed-from-the-dalles-to-portland-2/) - An environmental review of a nearly 80-mile high voltage transmission line that would be buried in the bed of the Columbia River from The Dalles to Portland was set in motion earlier this month with a public comment period that ends Feb. 4.
- [Corps Awards Contract To Cleanup Former Pistol Range, Contaminated Soil At Bonneville Dam’s Bradford Island, A Superfund Site](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-awards-contract-to-cleanup-former-pistol-range-contaminated-soil-at-bonneville-dams-bradford-island-a-superfund-site/) - The Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is taking action to clean up contaminated areas at Bradford Island, part of Bonneville Dam, including a former pistol range and landfill.
- [No Two-Rod License This Year For Willamette River Salmon Fishing, Spring Chinook Forecast Doesn’t Meet Minimum Return Threshold](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/no-two-rod-license-this-year-for-willamette-river-salmon-fishing-spring-chinook-forecast-doesnt-meet-minimum-return-threshold/) - The two-rod validation will not be available for the Willamette River in 2026 as the forecast for hatchery-origin adult fish does not meet the minimum return threshold.
- [Center For Biological Diversity FOI Data Shows USFWS Loses 18 Percent Of Staff Under Trump Administration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/center-for-biological-diversity-foi-data-shows-usfws-loses-18-percent-of-staff-under-trump-administration/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lost 18% of its staff under the Trump administration, dropping from 9,957 to 8,179, nationwide between 2024 and the end of May. The reduction in biologists and other staffers was discovered in data obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the Center for Biological Diversity.
- [Groups File Petition With Oregon FW Commission To Adopt Measures To Reduce Whale Entanglements In Commercial Crab Fishing Gear](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groups-file-petition-with-oregon-fw-commission-to-adopt-measures-to-reduce-whale-entanglements-in-commercial-crab-fishing-gear/) - After four humpback whales were entangled this year in Oregon commercial Dungeness crab fishing gear, conservation groups have formally petitioned the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission to adopt measures to reduce risk to the endangered animals.
- [NOAA Study: Most PNW/California ESA-Listed Salmonid Stocks Show Increased Abundance Over 25 Years But Far From Recovery, De-Listing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-study-most-pnw-california-esa-listed-salmonid-stocks-show-increased-abundance-over-25-years-but-far-from-recovery-de-listing/) - Most Pacific Coast salmon and steelhead stocks listed under the federal Endangered Species Act have increased in abundance over a 25-year span, but most still remain far under their recovery goals, according to a recent study by NOAA Fisheries scientists.
- [NOAA Rejects ESA-Listing For Oregon Coast, Northern California Chinook Salmon; ‘High Overall Abundance, Well-Distributed Spawning Populations’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-rejects-esa-listing-for-oregon-coast-northern-california-chinook-salmon-high-overall-abundance-well-distributed-spawning-populations/) - A 2022 petition to list Oregon Coast and Northern California Coastal Chinook salmon as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act was denied by NOAA Fisheries this week.
- [Study Shows Killer Whales, Dolphins Cooperatively Hunting For Chinook Salmon In British Columbia Waters](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-killer-whales-dolphins-cooperatively-hunting-for-chinook-salmon-in-british-columbia-waters/) - Killer whales or orca have been observed hunting with Pacific white-sided dolphins in the waters off British Columbia, Canada and sharing fish scraps with them after making a kill, according to research published in Scientific Reports. The authors suggest that the findings represent the first documented recording of cooperative hunting between orca and dolphins.
- [Oregon Appeals Court Overturns State Rule Allowing Trap/Haul Of Fish At Artificial Barriers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-appeals-court-overturns-state-rule-allowing-trap-haul-of-fish-at-artificial-barriers/) - A 2022 rule by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission that allows trap, haul and trucking of fish over barriers, in addition to the already allowed volitional passage for fish, was overturned by the Oregon Court of Appeals.
- [Views At Congressional Hearing On Columbia River Sea Lion Predation On Salmon Lean Toward More Lethal Removals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/views-at-congressional-hearing-on-columbia-river-sea-lion-predation-on-salmon-lean-toward-more-lethal-removals/) - Speakers at a congressional hearing to consider the issue of predatory sea lions in the lower Columbia River weighed heavily towards recommending that more of the animals should be lethally removed from the river to protect salmon and steelhead.
- [Research Uses 40 Years Of Data From NASA, Landsat Satellites To Track Water Temperatures At Columbia/Snake River Dams Impacting Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/research-uses-40-years-of-data-from-nasa-landsat-satellites-to-track-water-temperatures-at-columbia-snake-river-dams-impacting-salmon/) - New research uses more than 40 years of data from NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey’s Landsat satellites to help dam operators improve the health of salmon fisheries.
- [As Dispute Over Fish Accord Funds Lingers, BPA Says It Hopes To Continue Talks On Long-Term Funding For Fish/Wildlife Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/as-dispute-over-fish-accord-funds-lingers-bpa-says-it-hopes-to-continue-talks-on-long-term-funding-for-fish-wildlife-projects/) - In a continuing disagreement between the Yakama Nation and the Bonneville Power Administration over the expiration of the Columbia Basin Fish Accords and carryover funds, the power agency says it had hoped to continue talks that would extend some form of the Accords long-term.
- [IDFG Launches New Study Aimed At Improving Understanding Of Largemouth Bass Movements Among Chain Lakes Connected To Coeur d’Alene Lake](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idfg-launches-new-study-aimed-at-improving-understanding-of-largemouth-bass-movements-among-chain-lakes-connected-to-coeur-dalene-lake/) - Idaho Fish and Game has launched a new study to better understand largemouth bass populations in the eight Chain Lakes connected to Coeur d’Alene Lake. The project was developed through ongoing conversations and collaboration with local bass anglers and bass fishing groups.
- [California Board Approves $87 Million In Grants For Wildlife Projects, Advances Salmon Strategy For Hotter Future](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-board-approves-87-million-in-grants-for-wildlife-projects-advances-salmon-strategy-for-hotter-future/) - California’s Wildlife Conservation Board has approved $87,125,538 in grants for 16 projects across 14 counties to protect critical wildlife habitat, restore rivers and streams, and conserve culturally and ecologically significant lands.
- [Yakama Nation Requests BPA Release $50 Million In Unspent Fish Accords Funds, Supports Hatchery, Habitat Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/yakama-nation-requests-bpa-release-50-million-in-unspent-fish-accords-funds-supports-hatchery-habitat-projects/) - The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation publicly took a step this week towards recovering $50 million in Columbia Basin Fish Accord funds from the Bonneville Power Administration after the federal power marketing agency had allowed the Accords to expire at the end of September.
- [Independent Science Board Issues Report On Climate ‘Resilient’ Strategies For Columbia Basin Fish/Wildlife](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/independent-science-board-issues-report-on-climate-resilient-strategies-for-columbia-basin-fish-wildlife/) - In its update to a 2007 climate report, a team of scientists noted that the rate and magnitude of changes in temperature and hydrology in the Columbia River basin has amplified over the past two decades and those changes will impact salmon and steelhead.
- [Endangered Snake River Sockeye 2025 Return Near Average, 1,106 Fish (Hatchery And Wild) Make It To Lower Granite Dam](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/endangered-snake-river-sockeye-2025-return-near-average-1106-fish-hatchery-and-wild-make-it-to-lower-granite-dam/) - The run of endangered Snake River sockeye salmon this year was near the 10-year average, as counted at Lower Granite Dam, but far below last year’s seventh largest run of the endangered fish.
- [Environmental DNA: Washington Takes On First-Of-Its-Kind Effort To Use E-DNA To Conduct Aquatic Species Census For Every River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/environmental-dna-washington-takes-on-first-of-its-kind-effort-to-use-e-dna-to-conduct-aquatic-species-census-for-every-river/) - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife scientists are using environmental DNA (eDNA) to take an unprecedented look at what lives in the state’s rivers, with the goal of conducting a census of every major river and drainage in Washington over the next seven years.
- [Environmental DNA: UW Researcher Pulls Salmon E-DNA Out Of The Air To Estimate Number Of Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/environmental-dna-uw-researcher-pulls-salmon-e-dna-out-of-the-air-to-estimate-number-of-fish/) - During the annual salmon run last fall, University of Washington researchers pulled salmon DNA out of thin air and used it to estimate the number of fish that passed through the adjacent river. Aden Yincheong Ip, a UW research scientist of marine and environmental affairs, began formulating the driving hypothesis for the study while hiking on the Olympic Peninsula.
- [Groups Restore Fish Passage For ESA-Listed Bull Trout With Emergency Flume To Reconnect Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groups-restore-fish-passage-for-esa-listed-bull-trout-with-emergency-flume-to-reconnect-habitat/) - July through September are the dryest and hottest parts of the year, with 2025 being the third consecutive year of drought in the Yakima River Basin.
- [Invasive, Destructive Chinese Mitten Crab Found In Willamette River, Biologists Work To Determine How Widespread](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/invasive-destructive-chinese-mitten-crab-found-in-willamette-river-biologists-work-to-determine-how-widespread/) - A Chinese mitten crab, a prohibited species in Oregon, was found in the Willamette River near Portland’s Sellwood Bridge and reported to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Nov. 17.
- [Trump Administration Proposes Four Revisions To Endangered Species Act It Says Will Restore ESA’s ‘Original Intent’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-administration-proposes-four-revisions-to-endangered-species-act-it-says-will-restore-esas-original-intent/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced four proposed rules that it says “will restore Endangered Species Act regulations to their proven 2019 and 2020 framework.” If approved, the new rules would prohibit critical habitat designation for species threatened by climate change and allow economic impacts to be considered in species protections.
- [Norwegian Researchers Use ‘Neural Network” Of Salmon Scales To Distinguish Wild From Escaped Farmed Salmon (300,000 Fish A Year)](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/norwegian-researchers-use-neural-network-of-salmon-scales-to-distinguish-wild-from-escaped-farmed-salmon-300000-fish-a-year/) - A new paper in Biology Methods and Protocols, published by Oxford University Press, finds that researchers can now distinguish wild from farmed salmon using “deep learning,” potentially greatly improving strategies for environmental protection.
- [ODFW Getting Reports Of Avian Flu Bird Deaths, Most Cases Occurring In Willamette Valley Among Geese, Raptors](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-getting-reports-of-avian-flu-bird-deaths-most-cases-occurring-in-willamette-valley-among-geese-raptors/) - People across Oregon are being urged to avoid contact with sick or dead birds as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continues to impact wild and domestic bird populations across the state. There is currently no effective treatment for wild and domestic birds, and the virus can spread rapidly among bird populations and potentially to other wildlife.
- [CDFW Says One Year After Klamath River Dam Removals ‘Salmon Are Everywhere,’ Reoccupying Historic Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/cdfw-says-one-year-after-klamath-river-dam-removals-salmon-are-everywhere-reoccupying-historic-habitat/) - A little more than a year after the removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River, California Department of Fish and Wildlife scientists are seeing salmon reoccupying just about every corner of their historic habitat.
- [BPA’s Columbia Basin Fish Accords (Salmon Recovery Projects) With States, Tribes Expire; Future Agreements, Use Of Carryover Funds Uncertain](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpas-columbia-basin-fish-accords-salmon-recovery-projects-with-states-tribes-expire-future-agreements-use-of-carryover-funds-uncertain/) - The Bonneville Power Administration allowed the long-running Columbia Basin Fish Accords with tribes and states to expire Sept. 30, 2025 and it’s unclear if future agreements that would benefit salmon and steelhead recovery in the basin will materialize. Although BPA says it is open to discuss future Accords agreements with tribes, so far that has been more aspirational than substantive, at least according to one tribe.
- [Company Proposes Underwater Power Line In Columbia River From The Dalles To Portland, Would Bring Eastside Power Closer To Population Centers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/company-proposes-underwater-power-line-in-columbia-river-from-the-dalles-to-portland-would-bring-eastside-power-closer-to-population-centers/) - Details of the proposal for a 100-mile high tension power line that would be laid beneath the Columbia River, rather than travel over land, was aired last week by developers of the project in three public meetings.
- [New Study Details Stellar Sea Lion Consumption Of Young Chinook Salmon Off Washington Coast ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-study-details-stellar-sea-lion-consumption-of-young-chinook-salmon-off-washington-coast/) - Steller and California sea lions are known to take a big chunk of early migrating adult salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River, but a recent study has also found that Steller sea lions are eating more than 2 million young Chinook salmon along Washington’s northwest coastline.
- [Corps Issues Draft Supplemental EIS For Willamette River Basin Dams, Discusses Drawdowns, Hydropower Cessation](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-issues-draft-supplemental-eis-for-willamette-river-basin-dams-discusses-drawdowns-hydropower-cessation/) - A draft evaluation of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Willamette River basin dams that includes analyses of a deeper drawdown at Detroit Dam and a cessation of hydropower is up for public review. However, in the draft the Corps’ preferred alternative maintains hydropower at the dams.
- [Contract Awarded To Remove Causeway At Mouth Of Yakima River; Harms Salmon Migration, Increases Predation, Algal Blooms](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/contract-awarded-to-remove-causeway-at-mouth-of-yakima-river-harms-salmon-migration-increases-predation-algal-blooms/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District, in partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Yakama Nation, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group has awarded a $1.2 million construction contract to PIPKIN INC. for the Bateman Island Causeway removal project.
- [Harvest Managers Delay Popular New Year’s Day Sturgeon Fishing Opening In Bonneville, Dalles Dam Pools To Extend Fishing Days](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/harvest-managers-delay-popular-new-years-day-sturgeon-fishing-opening-in-bonneville-dalles-dam-pools-to-extend-fishing-days/) - The New Year’s Day opening of the popular recreational white sturgeon fishery in the Columbia River’s Bonneville and The Dalles Dam pools was nixed by Oregon and Washington at a joint state hearing last week. However, the sturgeon fishery in the John Day pool will open as normal for anglers, Jan. 1. The change in regulations begins in 2026.
- [Plaintiffs In Salmon BiOp Case Seek To Dismiss Two-Year Old Idaho Request That Judge Rule Out Dam Breaching As Remedy](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/plaintiffs-in-salmon-biop-case-seek-to-dismiss-two-year-old-idaho-request-that-judge-rule-out-dam-breaching-as-remedy/) - The most recent filings in U.S. District Court in Portland by plaintiffs in the latest challenge to the biological opinion of the federal Columbia/Snake river hydropower system’s impacts on salmon and steelhead does not have to do with impacts by the federal dams, but instead it is a plea to dismiss a nearly two-year old counterclaim by the state of Idaho.
- [Scientists Review Fish Passage Center’s Latest Comparative Salmon Survival Study, Highlight Data On Steelhead Overshoot, Fallback, Straying](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scientists-review-fish-passage-centers-latest-comparative-salmon-survival-study-highlight-data-on-steelhead-overshoot-fallback-straying/) - A team of scientists completed its sixteenth consecutive annual review of the Fish Passage Center’s draft Comparative Survival Study of salmon and steelhead that migrate past federal dams in the Columbia and Snake rivers.
- [New OSU Study On Floating Solar Panels In Reservoirs Shows Environmental Impacts Vary By Location](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-osu-study-on-floating-solar-panels-in-reservoirs-shows-environmental-impacts-vary-by-location/) - Floating solar panels are emerging as a promising clean energy solution with environmental benefits, but a new study finds those effects vary significantly depending on where the systems are deployed.
- [Even With Below-Average Water Year Bonneville Power Hits Financial Targets In FY 2025](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/even-with-below-average-water-year-bonneville-power-hits-financial-targets-in-fy-2025/) - The Bonneville Power Administration shared its end-of-year financial performance results for fiscal year 2025 at its Nov. 13 Quarterly Business Review, saying it had hit all financial targets.
- [Tool Use By Wolves? Study (With Video) Shows Wolves In British Columbia Pulling Crab Traps Out Of Ocean](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tool-use-by-wolves-study-with-video-shows-wolves-in-british-columbia-pulling-crab-traps-out-of-ocean/) - Wild wolves living in Haíɫzaqv (Heiltsuk) Territory on BC’s central coast have learned to pull crab traps out of the ocean—behavior that represents the first documented case of potential tool use in the species, according to a new study.
- [WDFW Study Shows Juvenile Chinook Salmon Face Cocktail Of Chemicals In Urban Waters, Dozens Of Contaminants Found In Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-study-shows-juvenile-chinook-salmon-face-cocktail-of-chemicals-in-urban-waters-dozens-of-contaminants-found-in-fish/) - A new study led by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Toxics Biological Observation System unit explores an unseen threat to the Pacific Northwest’s Chinook salmon -- chemical contamination.
- [Washington Working Group Produces Report Assessing Impacts Of Avian Predation On Salmon, Steelhead, Identifies Knowledge Gaps](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-working-group-produces-report-assessing-impacts-of-avian-predation-on-salmon-steelhead-identifies-knowledge-gaps/) - How and where water bird predation impacts juvenile salmon and steelhead must be considered on a case- by-case basis before taking action against the birds, according to a new report being considered at this week’s Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting.
- [Photoperiodism In Fish: Researchers First To Discover Salmon Use Pituitary Glands To ‘See’ When It’s Time To Migrate](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/photoperiodism-in-fish-researchers-first-to-discover-salmon-use-pituitary-glands-to-see-when-its-time-to-migrate/) - One of the enduring ichthyological mysteries is how migratory fish know when it is time to move from their winter to summer habitats. The ability to tell when the seasons are changing is crucial for a wide range of major life events, including feeding and spawning, as well as migration.
- [Research Documents Rapid Melt At Mount Rainier; Ice-Capped Peaks In U.S. Will Be Rare In Coming Years ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/research-documents-rapid-melt-at-mount-rainier-ice-capped-peaks-in-u-s-will-be-rare-in-coming-years/) - For a century there have been just five places in the continental United States with year-round frozen peaks — all in Washington state. But newly published research documents that these ice-capped summits are changing — melting — faster than many thought possible.
- [British Columbia Researchers Confirm Two Distinct Subpopulations Of West Coast Transient Killer Whales: Inner Coast And Outer Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/british-columbia-researchers-confirm-two-distinct-subpopulations-of-west-coast-transient-killer-whales-inner-coast-and-outer-coast/) - New research has confirmed that West Coast transient killer whales who live between British Columbia and California are two distinct subpopulations: inner and outer coast transients.
- [Preliminary 2025 Alaska Commercial Salmon Harvest Pegged At 194.8 Million Salmon, 88 Percent Increase Over Last Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/preliminary-2025-alaska-commercial-salmon-harvest-pegged-at-194-8-million-salmon-88-percent-increase-over-last-year/) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has published preliminary harvest and value figures for the 2025 Alaska Commercial Salmon Fishery.
- [Study: British Columbia Pacific Salmon Face Escalating Threats Without Coordinated Conservation Policy, Enforceable Thresholds](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-british-columbia-pacific-salmon-face-escalating-threats-without-coordinated-conservation-policy-enforceable-thresholds/) - New research from Simon Fraser University Biological Sciences researchers finds that Pacific salmon are facing escalating threats due to a lack of coordinated conservation policy and oversight.
- [Washington Forest Practices Rule Would Increase Logging Buffers On Smaller, High Elevation Streams, Goal Is Minimal Stream Warming](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-forest-practices-rule-would-increase-logging-buffers-on-smaller-high-elevation-streams-goal-is-minimal-stream-warming/) - A forest practices rule targeting small, non-fish bearing perennial streams in western Washington was approved by the state’s Forest Practices Board Nov. 12. The rule includes wider logging buffers and provides options to reduce warming in the streams that are generally found in higher elevations where the streams originate, but which feed larger streams that host trout, salmon and steelhead.
- [Agrivoltaics: WSU Report Looks At Ways To Develop Solar Power That Coexists With Farms, Orchards, Ranches](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/agrivoltaics-wsu-report-looks-at-ways-to-develop-solar-power-that-coexists-with-farms-orchards-ranches/) - What if solar power production could be developed in ways that coexist with existing farms, orchards and ranches? A new state-funded report, co-authored by Washington State University researchers, evaluates the feasibility of such an approach, known as “agrivoltaics.” Researchers found that it could work across tens of thousands of acres of Washington farmland — producing power, offering shade to protect certain crops and livestock, and keeping agricultural land in operation.
- [Study Details Damage To Forests Caused By 2021 Heat Dome; Reduced Photosynthesis, More Pests, Disease](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-details-damage-to-forests-caused-by-2021-heat-dome-reduced-photosynthesis-more-pests-disease/) - A satellite imagery analysis shows that the 2021 “heat dome” scorched almost 5% of the forested area in western Oregon and western Washington, turning foliage in canopies from a healthy green to red or orange, sometimes within a matter of hours.
- [UW Study Investigates How Reducing Air Pollution (Aerosols) Lets More Light Into Atmosphere, Spurs Surface Warming](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/uw-study-investigates-how-reducing-air-pollution-aerosols-lets-more-light-into-atmosphere-spurs-surface-warming/) - Earth is reflecting less sunlight, and absorbing more heat, than it did several decades ago. Global warming is advancing faster than climate models predicted, with observed temperatures exceeding projections in 2023 and 2024. These trends have scientists scrambling to understand why the atmosphere is letting more light in.
- [Trump Administration Sued Over Lack Of ESA Action On Olympic Peninsula Marmots, Only 2,000 To 4,000 Remain](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-administration-sued-over-lack-of-esa-action-on-olympic-peninsula-marmots-only-2000-to-4000-remain/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Trump administration for what it says is a failure to decide whether to protect Olympic marmots, a rare species that lives only on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state. The marmots are threatened by climate change and predation by coyotes.
- [Hells Canyon White Sturgeon In Decline: Higher Spill, Lower Flows, Invasive Predators, Changes To Food Supply](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/hells-canyon-white-sturgeon-in-decline-higher-spill-lower-flows-invasive-predators-changes-to-food-supply/) - The population of white sturgeon from Hells Canyon Dam to Lower Granite Dam is in decline, with fewer juvenile sturgeon found in both the 101 miles of free-flowing river and 36 miles of reservoir water. That decline began when the lower Snake River dams were completed, according to information provided by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game at last week’s Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting.
- [Budget Cuts Lead To Shut Down Of Washington’s Skamania Fish Hatchery, Fewer Steelhead For Columbia River Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/budget-cuts-lead-to-shut-down-of-washingtons-skamania-fish-hatchery-fewer-steelhead-for-columbia-river-basin/) - The Skamania fish hatchery on the Washougal River in Washington is shutting down due to budget cuts at the state’s fishery agency that have also resulted in layoffs and cuts in monitoring and fisheries management.
- [More Briefings Filed In Support Of Injunction Calling For Operational Changes At Columbia/Snake Dams To Protect Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/more-briefings-filed-in-support-of-injunction-calling-for-operational-changes-at-columbia-snake-dams-to-protect-salmon-steelhead/) - The state of Washington and Columbia River tribes are lining up in U.S. District Court to support a request for a preliminary injunction filed Oct. 14 by Earthjustice seeking emergency operational changes at federal Columbia and Snake river dams aimed at protecting endangered salmon and steelhead from harms caused by dam operations.
- [From 99 Sockeye In 1980s To 91,000 Today: Recovery Efforts Lead To Record Number Of Sockeye Returning To Washington’s Baker Lake This Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/from-99-sockeye-in-1980s-to-91000-today-recovery-efforts-lead-to-record-number-of-sockeye-returning-to-washingtons-baker-lake-this-year/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, and Puget Sound Energy announced that this year a record number of sockeye salmon returned to northwest Washington’s Skagit Bay and the Skagit River on their annual spawning migration.
- [2024 Hottest Year In 125,000 Years: Window Is Closing On Ability To Limit Future Warming Of Climate](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2024-hottest-year-in-125000-years-window-is-closing-on-ability-to-limit-future-warming-of-climate/) - 2024 was the hottest year on record and likely the hottest in at least 125,000 years, according to an annual report issued by an international coalition led by Oregon State University scientists.
- [Alaska Study Finds Oldest Salmonid In Fossil Record, 73 Million Years Ago When Arctic Was Warmer](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-study-finds-oldest-salmonid-in-fossil-record-73-million-years-ago-when-arctic-was-warmer/) - The Arctic landscape during the Cretaceous Period may have been dominated by the dinosaurs, but the rivers and streams held something more familiar.
- [‘Unprecedented Level Of Livestock Attacks:’ In California Agencies Kill Four Wolves, ‘Far Outside Comparable Experience In West’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/unprecedented-level-of-livestock-attacks-in-california-agencies-kill-four-wolves-far-outside-comparable-experience-in-west/) - Following an “unprecedented” level of livestock attacks across the Sierra Valley, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, has lethally removed four gray wolves from the Beyem Seyo pack. This action follows months of intensive non-lethal management efforts to reduce livestock loss and, the agency says, “is grounded in the best available science and understanding of wolf biology.”
- [Federal Court Sends Montana Logging Project Back To Federal Agencies To Ensure Protections For Grizzly Bears](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-court-sends-montana-logging-project-back-to-federal-agencies-to-ensure-protections-for-grizzly-bears/) - A federal court ruled this week that the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service broke multiple environmental laws in approving the Knotty Pine logging project in the Kootenai National Forest. The proposed project is deep in the Cabinet-Yaak grizzly bear recovery zone of northwest Montana.
- [California Salmon Reintroduction Continues A Second Year With Eggs Hydraulically Injected Into Gravel Substrate](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-salmon-reintroduction-continues-a-second-year-with-eggs-hydraulically-injected-into-gravel-substrate/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and its partners have initiated a second year of spring-run Chinook salmon reintroduction efforts into historic habitat in the North Yuba River.
- [Idaho Enters Third Year Using Copper Treatment To Eradicate Invasive Quagga Mussels In Snake River, Impact Area Reduced By 51 Percent](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-enters-third-year-using-copper-treatment-to-eradicate-invasive-quagga-mussels-in-snake-river-impact-area-reduced-by-51-percent/) - For the third consecutive year, Idaho poisoned a section of the Snake River near Twin Falls to rid the river of dangerously invasive quagga mussels first found in 2023.
- [Salmon Hit More Milestones After Klamath River Dam Removals; Spreading Into Upper Klamath Lake, Throughout Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/salmon-hit-more-milestones-after-klamath-river-dam-removals-spreading-into-upper-klamath-lake-throughout-basin/) - Salmon are making further progress in their return to the upper Klamath Basin, with fisheries biologists from ODFW and The Klamath Tribes celebrating a series of firsts as salmon reach areas where they have been absent for over a century.
- [Columbia River Managers Adopt Phased-In Start For Chum Salmon Flows To Save Lake Roosevelt Water](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-managers-adopt-phased-in-start-for-chum-salmon-flows-to-save-lake-roosevelt-water/) - Although no chum salmon have showed up yet at spawning grounds downstream of Bonneville Dam, fishery managers and dam operators agreed this week to a phased-in beginning for chum flows as a way to save Lake Roosevelt water for spring flow augmentation and to protect resident fish in the lake.
- [WDFW To Hold Virtual Town Halls To Discuss Coastal Steelhead, Survival Dropping Below Escapement Goals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-to-hold-virtual-town-halls-to-discuss-coastal-steelhead-survival-dropping-below-escapement-goals/) - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fishery managers will hold two virtual town halls on coastal steelhead to review 2024-25 returns, present 2025-26 run forecasts, and summarize proposed fishing regulations.
- [Tribes Targeting Nice Coho Run Above Bonneville Dam, Begin Fall Research Fishery In John Day Pool](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tribes-targeting-nice-coho-run-above-bonneville-dam-begin-fall-research-fishery-in-john-day-pool/) - In addition to continuing tribal commercial gillnetting upstream of Bonneville Dam that is currently targeting the fourth largest run of coho salmon in the last 10 years, tribes also received approval this week from the two-state Columbia River Compact for a little-known fishery that commercially removes from the John Day Dam pool non-native fish that prey on salmon and steelhead.
- [Judge Denies Feds’ Request To Put Salmon BiOp Case On Hold Due To Shutdown, Plaintiffs Seek Changes To Dam Operations To Aid Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/judge-denies-feds-request-to-put-salmon-biop-case-on-hold-due-to-shutdown-plaintiffs-seek-changes-to-dam-operations-to-aid-fish/) - In a wild two weeks in the U.S. District Court in Portland, federal government attorneys asked the court on Oct. 2 to put a hold on renewed litigation that challenges federal environmental impact statements and biological opinions regarding the impact of operations of Columbia and Snake river federal dams on imperiled salmon and steelhead. The hold in litigation, they said, is due to the government shutdown.
- [OSU Study: Cascadia, San Andreas Faults May Be Seismically Linked, Posing Twin Threat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-cascadia-san-andreas-faults-may-be-seismically-linked-posing-twin-threat/) - Two fault systems on North America’s West Coast – the Cascadia subduction zone and the San Andreas fault – may be synchronized, with earthquakes on one fault potentially triggering seismic events on the other, a new study found.
- [Building New Islands For Fish/Wildlife: BPA Funds Third Phase Of Project Improving Habitat In Lake Pend Oreille](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/building-new-islands-for-fish-wildlife-bpa-funds-third-phase-of-project-improving-habitat-in-lake-pend-oreille/) - A large habitat restoration effort is set to begin this fall on northern Idaho’s Pack River delta, continuing work to improve fish and wildlife habitat in Lake Pend Oreille. Construction on the third phase of the project will begin late this month or early next month, just east of the area locals refer to as Mud Lake.
- [Petitioned Filed To Protect Two Pacific Northwest Fish Under Endangered Species Act](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/petitioned-filed-to-protect-two-pacific-northwest-fish-under-endangered-species-act/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect two declining freshwater fish species in Oregon and California under the Endangered Species Act. Petitions were submitted for the Umpqua chub in southwestern Oregon and the northern roach in northeastern California and southern Oregon.
- [Community Celebration Set For Return Of Fall Chinook To Shasta River After Klamath River Dam Removals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/community-celebration-set-for-return-of-fall-chinook-to-shasta-river-after-klamath-river-dam-removals/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and California Trout, joined by several community and conservation partners, invite the public to join in celebrating the fall return of Chinook salmon to the Shasta River in the Klamath Basin.
- [BPA Notes Three Years Below Average Runoff, Less-Than-Predicted Revenue In Making Its Annual Treasury Payment Of $1.2 Billion](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-notes-three-years-below-average-runoff-less-than-predicted-revenue-in-making-its-annual-treasury-payment-of-1-2-billion/) - On Sept. 30, the Bonneville Power Administration made its annual payment to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the 42nd consecutive year on time and in full, bringing cumulative payments to approximately $36.6 billion since 1984. The total payment for fiscal year 2025 was $1.2 billion.
- [Human-Wildlife Coexistence: How Bear Spray Was Developed At University Of Montana 40 Years Ago](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/human-wildlife-coexistence-how-bear-spray-was-developed-at-university-of-montana-40-years-ago/) - Before bear spray, encounters between people and bears often ended in bullets. That changed when graduate student Carrie Hunt developed the life-saving deterrent at the University of Montana in the 1980s.
- [Scientists Review Long-Time Steelhead Hatchery Program Aimed At ‘Compensating’ For Fish Mortality Due To Lower Snake Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scientists-review-long-time-steelhead-hatchery-program-aimed-at-compensating-for-fish-mortality-due-to-lower-snake-dams/) - A hatchery program designed to compensate for the loss of nearly half the historical abundance of steelhead returning to the Snake River caused by the installation and operation of dams in the 1960s is “highly effective,” according to a recently released review by a panel of scientists. The scientists added that the program practices good science, uses sound actions and is adaptable to the changing conditions in the river.
- [Corps Preparing For Fall/Winter Reservoir Drawdowns In Willamette River Basin To Aid ESA-Listed Salmon, Steelhead, Required By BiOp](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-preparing-for-fall-winter-reservoir-drawdowns-in-willamette-river-basin-to-aid-esa-listed-salmon-steelhead-required-by-biop/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is alerting Willamette Valley residents that it will begin drawing down reservoirs backed up behind some of its 13 dams in the river system, an action designed to aid the downstream migration of salmon and steelhead through the dams, but also one that has increased downstream turbidity that impacts city drinking water.
- [Video Camera Captures First Image Of Salmon Passing Keno Dam On Upper Klamath River Since Four Dams Downstream Removed Last Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/video-camera-captures-first-image-of-salmon-passing-keno-dam-on-upper-klamath-river-since-four-dams-downstream-removed-last-year/) - A video camera captured a Chinook salmon ascending the fish ladder at Keno Dam on the upper Klamath River last week (Sept. 24), the first picture of a salmon ascending the upper bays of the ladder since four hydroelectric dams were removed on the Klamath River last year.
- [NOAA Scientists Develop New Method To Measure Toxic Tire Chemical In Marine Life, 6PPD-Quinone Can Kill Coho In Hours](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-scientists-develop-new-method-to-measure-toxic-tire-chemical-in-marine-life-6ppd-quinone-can-kill-coho-in-hours/) - Scientists at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center helped pioneer the study of an automobile tire toxin found to kill coho salmon when it runs off highways in stormwater and into streams. Now they have found a way to measure the toxin, 6PPD-quinone, directly in marine life, including fish, shellfish and marine mammals.
- [Amazing Angling: Recreational Fishing Brings Over $1 Billion To Montana’s Economy In 2024](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/amazing-angling-recreational-fishing-brings-over-1-billion-to-montanas-economy-in-2024/) - Angling in the Big Sky state has a sizable economic impact. A recent study from the University of Montana, Bureau of Business and Economic Research and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks shows that in 2024 more than 450,000 resident and nonresident anglers spent a combined $1.27 billion on fishing trips in Montana.
- [Federal Judge Orders USFWS To Reconsider Determination Streaked Horned Lark Not Threatened, Endangered; Less Than 2,000 Birds](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-judge-orders-usfws-to-reconsider-determination-streaked-horned-lark-not-threatened-endangered-less-than-2000-birds/) - In response to a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity and Bird Alliance of Oregon, a federal judge found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2022 determination that the streaked horned lark is threatened and not endangered is unlawful. The court ordered the Service to reconsider within one year whether the lark warrants endangered species protections.
- [Washington Agency Announces Upcoming Grant Cycle For $40 Million For Streamflow Restoration Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-agency-announces-upcoming-grant-cycle-for-40-million-for-streamflow-restoration-projects/) - For the fifth time, the Washington Department of Ecology is getting ready to offer competitive grants for streamflow restoration projects. The upcoming grant cycle includes up to $40 million in available funding for projects that aim to improve streamflows throughout the state.
- [Pikeminnow Reward Fishery On Columbia River Extended, One Angler Already Nets $130,000, 13,000 Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pikeminnow-reward-fishery-on-columbia-river-extended-one-angler-already-nets-130000-13000-fish/) - The 2025 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward Fishery season has been extended through Oct. 12 at select registration stations. The reward program, funded by Bonneville Power Administration, pays anglers to catch predatory northern pikeminnow, a native fish that consumes millions of juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake rivers each year.
- [Coho Salmon Struggling In Low Water On Oregon Creek Closed To Angling After Reports Of Illegal Snagging](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/coho-salmon-struggling-in-low-water-on-oregon-creek-closed-to-angling-after-reports-of-illegal-snagging/) - Angling has been closed on the lowest reach of Eagle Creek in Oregon’s Clackamas basin from Sept. 27 through Oct. 31 to give coho salmon a safe resting area amid ongoing low water flows. The closure is from SE Dowty Road downstream to the Clackamas River confluence.
- [Columbia River Fall Chinook Return Downgraded A Bit, Warm Water Slowing Passage To Lower Snake River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-fall-chinook-return-downgraded-a-bit-warm-water-slowing-passage-to-lower-snake-river/) - The Columbia River adult fall chinook return is decent this year for the most part, based on passage numbers at Bonneville Dam, but warm water temperatures are making it hard on the fish moving toward the lower Snake River and Upper Columbia.
- [NOAA Fisheries Extends Sea Lion Lethal Removal Authorization To Reduce Predation On Columbia River Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-fisheries-extends-sea-lion-lethal-removal-authorization-to-reduce-predation-on-columbia-river-salmon-steelhead/) - Authorization that allows states and tribes to lethally remove hundreds of sea lions from the Columbia and Willamette rivers as a way to reduce predation on salmon and steelhead has been extended for five more years by NOAA Fisheries.
- [Judge Sets Schedule For Continuing Litigation Over Columbia River Basin Salmon Recovery; Motions, Briefs Oct. 8 To Jan. 22, 2026](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/judge-sets-schedule-for-continuing-litigation-over-columbia-river-basin-salmon-recovery-motions-briefs-oct-8-to-jan-22-2026/) - After lifting the stay Sept. 11 on long-running litigation that challenges federal environmental impact statements and biological opinions regarding the impact of operations of Columbia and Snake river federal dams on imperiled salmon and steelhead, a federal judge last week set a court schedule that continues the legal battles.
- [Pilot Trap-And-Haul Project Carries Okanagan River Sockeye Past Thermal Barriers, Ensures Broodstock For Hatchery Operations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pilot-trap-and-haul-project-carries-okanagan-river-sockeye-past-thermal-barriers-ensures-broodstock-for-hatchery-operations/) - Adult sockeye salmon migrating to Canada’s Okanagan River Basin will have a better chance to survive and spawn during drought years following a successful, “trap-and-haul” pilot project carried out July 16, 2025 by Grant PUD, Chelan PUD and Canada’s Okanagan Nation Alliance with ample support from agencies on both sides of the border.
- [First Detections West Of Continental Divide Of Fungus Causing White-Nose Syndrome In Bats; At Montana’s Libby Dam, Oregon’s North Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/first-detections-west-of-continental-divide-of-fungus-causing-white-nose-syndrome-in-bats-at-montanas-libby-dam-oregons-north-coast/) - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has confirmed the presence of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome on two bats captured at Libby Dam in Lincoln County.
- [Two Decades Of Partnerships (Non-Profits, Utilities, Agencies)  Help Restore Oregon’s McKenzie River With Connected Flood Plains, Natural Flows](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/two-decades-of-partnerships-non-profits-utilities-agencies-help-restore-oregons-mckenzie-river-with-connected-flood-plains-natural-flows/) - Projects in Oregon’s McKenzie River, a tributary of the Willamette River, are restoring the river from its recent channelized state to a healthy river with connected flood plains and natural flows, a river that is much more conducive to salmon and steelhead rearing, according to a recent presentation at a Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting.
- [Border-Crossing Basin: States, Umatilla Tribes Collaborating In Funding, Work To Restore, Manage Rivers, Streams In Walla Walla Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/border-crossing-basin-states-umatilla-tribes-collaborating-in-funding-work-to-restore-manage-rivers-streams-in-walla-walla-basin/) - The Walla Walla basin is a complex watershed that crosses the border between Oregon and Washington. Its rivers and streams connect the two states, but the watershed is chronically short on water and struggles to meet the needs of local communities. Watershed restoration and water management projects are increasingly important to the basin and those efforts will soon receive new support from both Washington and Oregon.
- [Saving Native Yellowstone Cutthroat By Killing Non-Native Rainbows: Idaho To Use Rotenone In Teton River Canyon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/saving-native-yellowstone-cutthroat-by-killing-non-native-rainbows-idaho-to-use-rotenone-in-teton-river-canyon/) - Idaho Fish and Game is launching a conservation project this fall to protect native Yellowstone cutthroat trout in the Teton River Canyon. On Oct. 8, biologists will conduct a rotenone treatment on the lower 5.5 miles of Badger Creek to reduce non-native rainbow trout that pose a threat to the genetic integrity of native cutthroat.
- [Plaintiffs Return To Federal Court To Continue Legal Battle Over Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery, Judge Lifts Stay](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/plaintiffs-return-to-federal-court-to-continue-legal-battle-over-columbia-basin-salmon-recovery-judge-lifts-stay/) - Plaintiffs in long-running court battles that since 2001 have challenged environmental impact statements and biological opinions regarding the impact of operations of Columbia and Snake river federal dams on imperiled salmon and steelhead are heading back to court, according to a filing by the groups this week in U.S. District Court in Oregon.
- [Tribe Files Lawsuit Challenging Forest Service’s Approval Of Massive Gold Mine In Salmon River Basin: ‘Scale Of Disturbance Will Be Staggering’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tribe-files-lawsuit-challenging-forest-services-approval-of-massive-gold-mine-in-salmon-river-basin-scale-of-disturbance-will-be-staggering/) - The Nez Perce Tribe filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court this week challenging the U.S. Forest Service’s approval of a large open-pit gold mine in the headwaters of Idaho’s South Fork Salmon River. The undammed Salmon River basin is a critical source of Idaho’s salmon, steelhead and bull trout.
- [Sharp Salmon Decline In Yukon: New Study Says Situation Could Get Worse As Climate Change Warms Arctic Rivers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/sharp-salmon-decline-in-yukon-new-study-says-situation-could-get-worse-as-climate-change-warms-arctic-rivers/) - For millennia, Indigenous people living in Alaska and Canada’s Yukon territory have relied on Chinook salmon. The large, fatty fish provide essential nutrients for Arctic living and have influenced traditions and languages across generations.
- [Washington DOE Report Rebukes Federal Draft Climate Report, Issues Own Analysis Detailing Worsening Impacts](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-doe-report-rebukes-federal-draft-climate-report-issues-own-analysis-detailing-worsening-impacts/) - The Washington Department of Ecology issued an official rebuke of a draft report by the U.S. Department of Energy being used to justify the Trump Administration’s rollback of federal climate regulations. At the same time, Ecology also released a new analysis that details worsening local impacts now and in the future due to rising global emissions.
- [OSU Study Says Targeted Snow Monitoring At Hotspots Better For Water Supply Forecasting Than Basin-Wide Mapping](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-says-targeted-snow-monitoring-at-hotspots-better-for-water-supply-forecasting-than-basin-wide-mapping/) - Measuring mountain snowpack at strategically selected hotspots consistently outperforms broader basin-wide mapping in predicting water supply in the western United States, a new study found.
- [$22 Million USDA Award To Fund Acquisition Of 11,438 Acres In NE Oregon For New Protective Wildlife Area; Co-Managed By State, Tribes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/22-million-usda-award-to-fund-acquisition-of-11438-acres-in-ne-oregon-for-new-protective-wildlife-area-co-managed-by-state-tribes/) - Oregon may soon have a new wildlife area in Union County called the Qapqápa Wildlife Area (pronounced cop-COP-a). The property would be owned by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and co-managed with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, continuing a decades-long partnership.
- [$15 Million Awarded To Build A New Fish Ladder At Mill Creek Dam In Walla Walla, Will Aid Salmonids Returning To Spawn](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/15-million-awarded-to-build-a-new-fish-ladder-at-mill-creek-dam-in-walla-walla-will-aid-salmonids-returning-to-spawn/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District has awarded a $15 million construction contract to Syblon-Reid Co. to build a new fish ladder at the Mill Creek Diversion Dam in Walla Walla.
- [Due To Funding Shortfall ODFW Forced To Close Salmon River Hatchery, Production Shifted To Other Hatcheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/due-to-funding-shortfall-odfw-forced-to-close-salmon-river-hatchery-production-shifted-to-other-hatcheries/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s recent legislatively adopted budget did not include funding to continue the operation of Salmon River Hatchery near Lincoln City, one of more than 30 hatcheries that ODFW maintains in the state.
- [Scientists Say Wider Scope Needed When Studying, Restoring Columbia River Estuary, New Performance Measures Needed To Guide Salmon Recovery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scientists-say-wider-scope-needed-when-studying-restoring-columbia-river-estuary-new-performance-measures-needed-to-guide-salmon-recovery/) - A team of scientists has proposed additional guiding principles and performance measures -- based on the full lifecycles of salmon and steelhead -- that they believe will help with Columbia River estuary restoration.
- [Corps Completes 6-Year, $171 Million Rehabilitation Of South Jetty At Mouth Of Columbia River, Stabilizes Navigation Channel](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-completes-6-year-171-million-rehabilitation-of-south-jetty-at-mouth-of-columbia-river-stabilizes-navigation-channel/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, has completed major rehabilitation to the South Jetty at the mouth of the Columbia River, marking the end of a decade-plus effort to restore the three jetties that protect one of the nation’s busiest trade corridors. Work on the $171.3 million South Jetty wrapped up in August 2025 after six construction seasons.
- [Trump Administration Proposing Changing Sage Grouse Protection Plans ‘To Better Align With State Policies’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-administration-proposing-changing-sage-grouse-protection-plans-to-better-align-with-state-policies/) - The Trump administration released draft plans that could strip away protections for the greater sage grouse on about 50 million acres of public lands across the West. The Obama- and Biden-era greater sage grouse proposals were intended to prevent the extinction of the iconic dancing bird.
- [On California River Scientists Discover Micro-Scale Nutrient Factory Keeping Rivers Healthy, Providing Food For Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/on-california-river-scientists-discover-micro-scale-nutrient-factory-keeping-rivers-healthy-providing-food-for-salmon/) - Northern Arizona University and University of California Berkeley scientists working along the region’s California’s Eel River have discovered a micro-scale nutrient factory that keeps rivers healthy and allows salmon to thrive.
- [Corps Issues License For Project Improving Fish Passage In Yakima River Delta; Creating Cool Water Refuge Site](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-issues-license-for-project-improving-fish-passage-in-yakima-river-delta-creating-cool-water-refuge-site/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, has issued a five-year construction license to the Benton Conservation District for the Amon Creek Habitat Restoration Project, a $1.2 million initiative aimed at improving fish habitat and migration conditions at the Yakima Delta Habitat Management Unit near McNary Lock and Dam.
- [UBC Research Shows Climate Change Makes Rollercoaster Harvests New Normal, Creating Unstable Food Production](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ubc-research-shows-climate-change-makes-rollercoaster-harvests-new-normal-creating-unstable-food-production/) - From corn chips to tofu, climate change is messing with the menu.
- [USFWS Recommends Columbian White-Tailed Deer Be Removed From Federal Endangered Species List](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-recommends-columbian-white-tailed-deer-be-removed-from-federal-endangered-species-list/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed a five-year status review of the Columbian white-tailed deer and found that it has met the criteria outlined in its recovery plan. As a result, the Service is recommending the deer be removed from the federal Endangered Species List.
- [Study Details Extensive Impacts Of Chemical Treatment Used To Eliminate Destructive Quagga Mussels In Snake River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-details-extensive-impacts-of-chemical-treatment-used-to-eliminate-destructive-quagga-mussels-in-snake-river/) - A copper-based chemical treatment to rid a portion of the Snake River of invasive quagga mussels – the first to be found in any Columbia Basin stream – destroyed up to 90 percent of water-based macroinvertebrates (bugs), nearly all gastropods (snails and slugs) and most white sturgeon residing near the area where the poison was applied, according to a recent study.
- [Council Draft Report To Congress Notes ‘Significant Challenges To Salmon, Steelhead Still Reman,’ Declining Stocks, Climate Change](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-draft-report-to-congress-notes-significant-challenges-to-salmon-steelhead-still-reman-declining-stocks-climate-change/) - In a draft report, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council says since the Northwest Power Act in 1980 its energy efficiency programs have saved some 8,000 average megawatts, enough to power seven cities the size of Seattle, while saving energy consumers some $5 billion in lower utility bills.
- [Puget Sound Project Shows Importance Of Stable Funding For Monitoring Salmon Survival, Climate Change Influence](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/puget-sound-project-shows-importance-of-stable-funding-for-monitoring-salmon-survival-climate-change-influence/) - With what may have been the last round of federal funding support, a research team gathered offshore monitoring data throughout Puget Sound once more this summer.
- [USFWS Says ESA Protection For Northern California-Southern Oregon Fisher Not Warranted, Live In Old-Growth Forests](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-says-esa-protection-for-northern-california-southern-oregon-fisher-not-warranted-live-in-old-growth-forests/) - Following a “thorough review of the best available scientific and commercial information,” the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it has determined that listing the Northern California-Southern Oregon distinct population segment of fisher under the Endangered Species Act is not warranted.
- [Trump Administration Moves To Rescind Forest Service Roadless Rule, Could Open 45 Million Acres To Roads, Logging, Development](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-administration-moves-to-rescind-forest-service-roadless-rule-could-open-45-million-acres-to-roads-logging-development/) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins this week announced the U.S. Department of Agriculture has taken the next step in the rulemaking process for rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule by opening a public comment period.
- [‘Bears One Of The Hardest Species To Survey’: Idaho Pilot Project Testing Trail Cameras To Estimate Black Bear Numbers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bears-one-of-the-hardest-species-to-survey-idaho-pilot-project-testing-trail-cameras-to-estimate-black-bear-numbers/) - This summer, Idaho Fish and Game biologists are testing whether trail cameras can help estimate the number of black bears in one of the state’s most popular bear hunting areas, Unit 32A.
- [Reacting To Federal Court Ruling, Idaho Stresses Wolves To Remain Under State Control For Now, Montana Finalizes Wolf Hunting, Trapping Regs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/reacting-to-federal-court-ruling-idaho-stresses-wolves-to-remain-under-state-control-for-now-montana-finalizes-wolf-hunting-trapping-regs/) - Idaho’s wolves will remain under state authority despite a judge’s recent decision that calls for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to reconsider a previous determination that relisting wolves in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming under the Endangered Species Act was not warranted.
- [UW Researchers Use Artificial Intelligence Model To Simulate 1000 Years Of Current Climate, Interannual Variability In 12 Hours](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/uw-researchers-use-artificial-intelligence-model-to-simulate-1000-years-of-current-climate-interannual-variability-in-12-hours/) - So-called “100-year weather events” now seem almost commonplace as floods, storms and fires continue to set new standards for largest, strongest and most destructive. But to categorize weather as a true 100-year event, there must be just a 1% chance of it occurring in any given year. The trouble is that researchers don’t always know whether the weather aligns with the current climate or defies the odds.
- [WSU Entomologist Launches Massive Pacific Northwest Pollen Atlas, Maps Pollen Nutrition Across North America; Volunteers Needed](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-entomologist-launches-massive-pacific-northwest-pollen-atlas-maps-pollen-nutrition-across-north-america-volunteers-needed/) - Pollinators like honey bees require healthy food to survive and thrive. To learn more about the pollen they gather and the nutrients within it, Washington State University is leading a new endeavor dubbed the Pacific Northwest Pollen Atlas.
- [Federal Judge Says Animal/Plant Health Inspection Service Must Consider Preventative Measures Before Spraying Insecticides On Rangelands](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-judge-says-animal-plant-health-inspection-service-must-consider-preventative-measures-before-spraying-insecticides-on-rangelands/) - A federal judge in Oregon last week confirmed the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s legal duty to consider preventative measures — rather than a “spray first, ask questions later” approach — in its program allowing insecticide spraying to kill native grasshoppers and crickets on millions of acres in 17 western states.
- [Oregon State Gets National Community Engagement Award For Efforts To Reduce Whale Entanglement](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-state-gets-national-community-engagement-award-for-efforts-to-reduce-whale-entanglement/) - A collaborative research and outreach effort led by Oregon State University to protect whales and sustain Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery has been recognized as one of four regional winners of the 2025 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award.
- [Coho Urban Runoff Mortality Syndrome: WSU Research Team Discovers How Tire Chemical 6PPD Kills Coho, Step To Finding Alternative](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/coho-urban-runoff-mortality-syndrome-wsu-research-team-discovers-how-tire-chemical-6ppd-kills-coho-step-to-finding-alternative/) - For years, scientists at Washington State University’s Puyallup Research & Extension Center have been working to untangle a mystery: Why do coho salmon in Puget Sound creeks seem to suffocate after rainstorms — rising to the surface, gaping, and swimming in circles before dying?
- [Cormorants, Terns, Pelicans, Gulls: Council Gets The Latest Numbers On Managing Avian Salmonid Predation Across Columbia/Snake Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/cormorants-terns-pelicans-gulls-council-gets-the-latest-numbers-on-managing-avian-salmonid-predation-across-columbia-snake-basin/) - Predation by sea birds on salmon and steelhead smolts in some years is responsible for as much as 50 percent of all smolt mortalities during the outmigration to the sea from the Columbia and Snake river basins, according to a presentation this week at a meeting of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
- [Collaborative Success: State, Tribes, College Build Hatchery Program Leading To Record Chinook Salmon Return To Creek](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/collaborative-success-state-tribes-college-build-hatchery-program-leading-to-record-chinook-salmon-return-to-creek/) - More than 7,000 Chinook salmon are expected to return to Whatcom Creek in downtown Bellingham, Washington this season thanks to an ongoing collaboration between Bellingham Technical College, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, and the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe.
- [Pallid Sturgeon Recovery No Easy Task For Montana Fish Biologists, Less Than 100 Wild ‘Heritage’ Fish Remain](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pallid-sturgeon-recovery-no-easy-task-for-montana-fish-biologists-less-than-100-wild-heritage-fish-remain/) - For many reasons, 2023 was the “Holy Grail Year” for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ pallid sturgeon recovery efforts in the Yellowstone River drainage. That’s fisheries manager Mike Backes’ term for it. Fisheries crews were able to validate the spawning of two wild heritage females with a wild heritage male and an unknown male in the Tongue River after capturing larvae that matched the parental genetics from three of the fish.
- [Utility Group Tells Council Regional Utilities Feeling Uncertainty Over Coming Surge Of Demand, Pressure To Add Generating Resources](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/utility-group-tells-council-regional-utilities-feeling-uncertainty-over-coming-surge-of-demand-pressure-to-add-generating-resources/) - At July’s Northwest Power and Council meeting in Portland, staff from the Pacific Northwest Utilities Conference Committee discussed a new 10-year outlook they’ve produced showing regional utilities’ forecasted electricity demand and planned resources.
- [BPA’s Third Quarter Financial Outlook Shows New Revenue Forecasts For Power, Transmission Above Targets](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpas-third-quarter-financial-outlook-shows-new-revenue-forecasts-for-power-transmission-above-targets/) - The Bonneville Power Administration says its third quarter financial report indicates the agency’s fiscal position remains positive. Despite seeing some decline in positive net revenues and end-of-year days cash on hand since the second quarter forecast, the agency “continues to see encouraging key performance indicators for its finances.”
- [Moving The Needle On Long-Term Species Recovery: WDFW Awards Wildlife Diversity Grants](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/moving-the-needle-on-long-term-species-recovery-wdfw-awards-wildlife-diversity-grants/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the next round of Wildlife Diversity Grant recipients, awarding approximately $1 million in funding for the next two years. This investment supports eight collaborative projects focused on some of Washington’s most at-risk wildlife species.
- [First Sockeye Returns To Sawtooth Basin, Since 2015 Average Annual Return To Basin 221 Fish; 164 Trucked This Year From Lower Granite To Hatchery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/first-sockeye-returns-to-sawtooth-basin-since-2015-average-annual-return-to-basin-221-fish-164-trucked-this-year-from-lower-granite-to-hatchery/) - Idaho’s first endangered sockeye salmon arrived at a Sawtooth Basin fish trap July 23, according to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
- [Above Grand Coulee: Tribes Reintroducing Salmon Since 2017, Last Month First Report Of A Juvenile Chinook In Kettle River Near B.C.](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/above-grand-coulee-tribes-reintroducing-salmon-since-2017-last-month-first-report-of-a-juvenile-chinook-in-kettle-river-near-b-c/) - The Colville Tribes and the Tribes’ project partners, the Spokane Tribe and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, have been reintroducing Chinook salmon to the waters upstream of Grand Coulee Dam since 2017. On July 8th, a juvenile Chinook salmon was caught and photographed in the Kettle River, just downstream from Cascade Falls in British Columbia. It’s the first report of a Chinook in the Kettle River since the reintroduction began.
- [Once Grim 2025 Forecasted Steelhead Return To Columbia River Gets A Boost; Based On Dam Passage Biologists Nearly Triple Expected Run Size](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/once-grim-2025-forecasted-steelhead-return-to-columbia-river-gets-a-boost-based-on-dam-passage-biologists-nearly-triple-expected-run-size/) - A bleak preseason forecast for summer steelhead turned positive this week when a team of fisheries biologists recorded more steelhead passing Bonneville Dam than had been expected this year and nearly tripled the forecasted return.
- [After Withdrawal Of Biden Administration’s Basin Salmon MOU, Plaintiffs Tell Federal Court They Are Considering Next Steps](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/after-withdrawal-of-biden-administrations-basin-salmon-mou-plaintiffs-tell-federal-court-they-are-considering-next-steps/) - Plaintiffs in litigation that challenged the U.S. government over a biological opinion and environmental impact statement for the operations of Columbia and Snake river dams and their impacts on salmon and steelhead have returned to court.
- [Dam Drawdowns For Fish: Willamette Valley Cities Declare Clean Water Emergency Over Coming Reservoir Drop](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dam-drawdowns-for-fish-willamette-valley-cities-declare-clean-water-emergency-over-coming-reservoir-drop/) - Anticipating extra turbidity and an interruption of the clean drinking water it withdraws from the North Santiam River, the City of Salem declared a state of emergency at its City Council meeting last week. The expected turbidity is due to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ deep drawdown next year of its reservoir backed up behind Detroit Dam to aid juvenile salmon and steelhead passage, particularly for salmon and steelhead listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Joint State Report On 2024 Columbia River Fall Fisheries Shows Harvest, Angler Effort Among Best In Past 45 Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/joint-state-report-on-2024-columbia-river-fall-fisheries-shows-harvest-angler-effort-among-best-in-past-45-years/) - Harvest and effort by recreational anglers during fall fisheries in the Columbia River last year are among the best in the past 45 years, according to a joint state staff report by states and tribes.
- [Big Breakthrough: Team Of Scientists Have Finally Found The Cause Of Ecologically Devastating Sea Star Wasting Disease](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/big-breakthrough-team-of-scientists-have-finally-found-the-cause-of-ecologically-devastating-sea-star-wasting-disease/) - Sunflower sea stars are the largest sea stars in the world -- they have up to 24 arms and grow to the size of a bicycle tire. Starting in 2013, these creatures and other sea star species along the west coast of North America died in epidemic proportions.
- [Heat Dome: New Study Looks At Causes, Consequences Of PNW Heat Wave In 2021, Blistering Hot Days To Be More Common](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/heat-dome-new-study-looks-at-causes-consequences-of-pnw-heat-wave-in-2021-blistering-hot-days-to-be-more-common/) - The deadly, record-breaking heat wave that hit the Pacific Northwest in June 2021 continues to be the subject of intense interest among scientists, policy makers and the public. A new study from some of the region's top climate scientists synthesized more than 70 publications addressing the causes and consequences of the extreme heat wave and the potential for similar high-heat events to happen in the future.
- [Research Details How Record Warm Ocean Temperatures Fueled Long-Lasting 2023 Heatwave In U.S.](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/research-details-how-record-warm-ocean-temperatures-fueled-long-lasting-2023-heatwave-in-u-s/) - Extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States. In a new study published in Nature Communications, scientists found a link between the long-lasting 2023 heatwave over the southwest US and Mexico and the record warm sea surface temperatures in both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.
- [Groups File Lawsuit Contending Steelhead Net Pen Aquaculture In Upper Columbia Polluting River, Violating Clean Water Permits](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groups-file-lawsuit-contending-steelhead-net-pen-aquaculture-in-upper-columbia-polluting-river-violating-clean-water-permits/) - Two environmental groups are suing to halt what they say is pollution released from three commercial net pen aquaculture facilities that produce steelhead located on the Columbia River in Eastern Washington. The groups say Pacific SeaFood Aquaculture LLC has been violating its Clean Water Act permits since 2020 and has been harming wild fish and the river’s ecosystem, home to anadromous fish species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Montana Federal Court Rules USFWS Violated ESA Over Gray Wolf Decision, Orders Agency Back To Drawing Board](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-federal-court-rules-usfws-violated-esa-over-gray-wolf-decision-orders-agency-back-to-drawing-board/) - A federal district court in Missoula has ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act when it determined that gray wolves in the western U.S. do not warrant federal protections. The ruling means that the Service’s finding that gray wolves in the West do not qualify for listing is vacated and sent back to the agency for a new decision, consistent with the ESA and best available science.
- [$35 Million Installation Underway At Libby Dam To Improve Reliability, Aid Downstream Flows, Temps For Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/35-million-installation-underway-at-libby-dam-to-improve-reliability-aid-downstream-flows-temps-for-fish/) - A major installation project is underway at Montana’s Libby Dam to add flexibility to project operations and improve the dam’s overall electrical reliability.
- [Bonneville Power Raising Rates For Fiscal Years 2026-28; 8.9 Percent Average For Power, 19.9 Percent Average For Transmission](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bonneville-power-raising-rates-for-fiscal-years-2026-28-8-9-percent-average-for-power-19-9-percent-average-for-transmission/) - The Bonneville Power Administration say it is “strategically raising power and transmission rates to meet customer needs and support national priorities for more abundant, reliable and secure energy.”
- [ODFW-Coquille Indian Tribe Management Efforts Lead To First Chinook Salmon Fishing On Coquille River Since 2021](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-coquille-indian-tribe-management-efforts-lead-to-first-chinook-salmon-fishing-on-coquille-river-since-2021/) - Leadership of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Coquille Indian Tribe came together near the mouth of the Coquille River last month to announce a major step forward in the combined management effort on salmon recovery.
- [How Much Habitat Restoration Needed To Produce ‘Biological Meaningful Results’? Scientists Review 40 Years Of Projects Under Council Program](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/how-much-habitat-restoration-needed-to-produce-biological-meaningful-results-scientists-review-40-years-of-projects-under-council-program/) - In a review of 40 years of habitat restoration projects, a panel of fisheries scientists concluded that projects that remove barriers to salmon and steelhead, augment stream flows and add wood to give streams structure would likely achieve what they set out to do within a short period of time.
- [Columbia River Clean-Up Act Introduced To Continue Funding For Reducing Toxics, Pollution In Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-clean-up-act-introduced-to-continue-funding-for-reducing-toxics-pollution-in-basin/) - Oregon’s Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley and U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR) introduced the Columbia River Clean-Up Act to reauthorize the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program.
- [Summer To Fall Fishing On Columbia: Fall Chinook Forecasted Nice Return, Not So Much Sockeye, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/summer-to-fall-fishing-on-columbia-fall-chinook-forecasted-nice-return-not-so-much-sockeye-steelhead/) - Oregon and Washington are transitioning Columbia River fisheries beginning Aug. 1 from a summer Chinook salmon run that has been the fourth lowest in the last 10 years to a fall Chinook run that is nearly 10 percent larger than last year.
- [‘Sleeping Giant Awakening’: Ocean Warming Causing Higher Concentrations Of Algal Toxins In Arctic Food Webs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/sleeping-giant-awakening-ocean-warming-causing-higher-concentrations-of-algal-toxins-in-arctic-food-webs/) - Rising toxins found in bowhead whales, harvested for subsistence purposes by Alaska Native communities, reveal ocean warming is causing higher concentrations of algal toxins in Arctic food webs, according to new research published in the journal Nature.
- [The Problem Is Now: New WSU Research Shows Groundwater Declines In ‘Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/the-problem-is-now-new-wsu-research-shows-groundwater-declines-in-columbia-plateau-regional-aquifer-system/) - Groundwater is declining across Eastern Washington’s complex, interconnected aquifer system, as people draw on it for irrigation, drinking and other uses at a pace that threatens its sustainability, according to a new study by a Washington State University researcher.
- [Oregon State Researchers Show How 1995 Yellowstone Wolf Reintroduction Prompting Aspen Tree Recovery; Increased Bison New Constraint](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-state-researchers-show-how-1995-yellowstone-wolf-reintroduction-prompting-aspen-tree-recovery-increased-bison-new-constraint/) - Yellowstone National Park is celebrating an ecological milestone along with a key anniversary this summer, Oregon State University researchers report.
- [Relocated Oregon Wolves Part Of Colorado Reintroduction; Three New Packs, New Pups Confirmed](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/relocated-oregon-wolves-part-of-colorado-reintroduction-three-new-packs-new-pups-confirmed/) - Colorado Parks and Wildlife has confirmed three new wolf families — the One Ear, King Mountain and Three Creeks packs. They join the already established Copper Creek pack, which also welcomed new pups. While the total number of pups is still to be determined there are a minimum of four pups in the King Mountain pack.
- [Group Sues Trump Administration On Delays To Give ESA Protections To Oregon’s Crater Lake Newt](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/group-sues-trump-administration-on-delays-to-give-esa-protections-to-oregons-crater-lake-newt/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Trump administration for “delaying critically needed Endangered Species Act protections” for the Crater Lake newt. The newts live only in Oregon’s Crater Lake, and their population has crashed to as few as 13 animals in recent years because of the introduction of signal crayfish and warming lake temperatures from climate change, says the Center.
- [Non-Native Brown Trout Detected In Flathead River, Threatening Native Fish; Montana FWP Deploys E-DNA To Find Additional Presence](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/non-native-brown-trout-detected-in-flathead-river-threatening-native-fish-montana-fwp-deploys-e-dna-to-find-additional-presence/) - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has confirmed the detection of a non-native brown trout in the Flathead River upstream of Pressentine Fishing Access Site near Evergreen, and anglers are encouraged to submit any additional brown trout caught within the drainage.
- [California White Sturgeon Monitoring Shows Sharp Population Declines, Candidate For State ESA Listing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-white-sturgeon-monitoring-shows-sharp-population-declines-candidate-for-state-esa-listing/) - Recent results from white sturgeon monitoring surveys by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife suggest the white sturgeon population has continued to decline. CDFW fisheries biologists now estimate there are approximately 6,500 white sturgeon between 40-60 inches long in California — down sharply from the previous estimate of approximately 30,000 fish in that size range, based on the 2016-2021 survey average.
- [Clear-Cutting Forests Can Make Catastrophic Floods 18 Times More Frequent Says New UBC Study](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/clear-cutting-forests-can-make-catastrophic-floods-18-times-more-frequent-says-new-ubc-study/) - Clear-cutting can make catastrophic floods 18 times more frequent with effects lasting more than 40 years, according to a new University of British Columbia study.
- [Idaho’s Payette Lake Producing Huge Lake Trout Again; New State Record A 42-Incher](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idahos-payette-lake-producing-huge-lake-trout-again-new-state-record-a-42-incher/) - Aaron Goettsche is no stranger to monster Lake Trout. An avid angler, fishing rod maker, and longtime veteran on Utah’s/Wyoming's famous Flaming Gorge Reservoir – a world-renowned fishery known for producing Lake Trout over 30 pounds and occasional giants up to 60 – Aaron knows what a trophy looks like.
- [California Man Gets 3 Years In Prison For Kicking, Clubbing Stranded Pregnant Sea Lion](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-man-gets-3-years-in-prison-for-kicking-clubbing-stranded-pregnant-sea-lion/) - A California man was sentenced on July 14 to 3 years in state prison for kicking and clubbing a stranded California sea lion, with a 4-foot-long piece of driftwood. The incident took place near the Ventura Pier in Ventura, California.
- [Lawsuit Filed To Stop BPA From Joining Southeast Power Market, Says Violates NW Power Act, Salmon Recovery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-filed-to-stop-bpa-from-joining-southeast-power-market-says-violates-nw-power-act-salmon-recovery/) - Northwest nonprofits have challenged in federal court the Bonneville Power Administration’s decision to join a Southeast power market and sell Northwest hydropower to customers as far away as Louisiana, saying the change would result in higher energy bills, higher transmission costs, reduced access to renewable energy and threaten the agency’s commitment to salmon and steelhead recovery.
- [BPA Seeks Major Changes To Council Fish/Wildlife Program, Wants Goals ‘Narrowly Tailored’ To Hydro Influence](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-seeks-major-changes-to-council-fish-wildlife-program-wants-goals-narrowly-tailored-to-hydro-influence/) - In its recommendations for change to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s 2014/2020 Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, the Bonneville Power Administration says the Program’s estimates and goals are beyond the power marketing agency’s statutory responsibility.
- [Army Corps, Bureau Of Reclamation Withdraw Efforts To Complete Supplemental EIS On Hydro Impacts To Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/army-corps-bureau-of-reclamation-withdraw-efforts-to-complete-supplemental-eis-on-hydro-impacts-to-salmon-steelhead/) - Federal agencies this week backed away from their efforts to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement for Columbia River basin dam operations and their impact on salmon and steelhead, citing a June 12 Presidential Memorandum as their justification.
- [NOAA In Court Agreement To Determine ESA-Listing Of Coastal Spring Chinook Salmon By Late 2025, Early 2026](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-in-court-agreement-to-determine-esa-listing-of-coastal-spring-chinook-salmon-by-late-2025-early-2026/) - NOAA Fisheries agreed in Oregon District Court to complete its long-awaited decisions to list coastal spring Chinook salmon in Washington, Oregon and Northern California under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [River Managers Adopt Operations Aimed At Cooling Lower Snake River Water During Return Of Endangered Adult Sockeye](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/river-managers-adopt-operations-aimed-at-cooling-lower-snake-river-water-during-return-of-endangered-adult-sockeye/) - As happens every summer, cold water from Dworshak Dam on the North Fork Clearwater River in Idaho began being released in late June to help keep the tailwater cooler for migrating salmon and steelhead at Lower Granite Dam downstream on the lower Snake River.
- [Anchovy Boom In Ocean Leading To Thiamine Deficiencies In Pacific Salmon, Fish Swimming Upside Down](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/anchovy-boom-in-ocean-leading-to-thiamine-deficiencies-in-pacific-salmon-fish-swimming-upside-down/) - A vitamin deficiency likely killed as many as half of newly hatched fry of endangered winter-run Chinook salmon in the Sacramento River in 2020 and 2021. These new findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
- [Improved Return Forecast Allows A Few Days Of Summer Chinook Fishing, Oregon Adopts Regs To Protect Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/improved-return-forecast-allows-a-few-days-of-summer-chinook-fishing-oregon-adopts-regs-to-protect-steelhead/) - More summer Chinook salmon will enter the Columbia River than was previously forecasted, allowing Oregon and Washington to open the river to recreational angling from its mouth to the two-state border near Pasco, WA for eight days.
- [NOAA: Gray Whale Population Migrating Along West Coast Continues To Decline, Lowest Since 1970s](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-gray-whale-population-migrating-along-west-coast-continues-to-decline-lowest-since-1970s/) - The eastern North Pacific population of gray whales that migrates along the West Coast of the United States has continued to decline, with reproduction remaining very low. Two new Technical Memorandums from NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center report the estimated population size and calf productivity in 2025.
- [Study Looks At How Strategic Transactions Of Water Rights During Shortages Can Both Conserve Water, Restore Fish Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-looks-at-how-strategic-transactions-of-water-rights-during-shortages-can-both-conserve-water-restore-fish-habitat/) - The study, published June 20 in Nature Sustainability, details a new system for leasing rights to water from the basin while reallocating some water to imperiled habitats.
- [NOAA Launches New Ocean Modeling System For West Coast, Alaska, Predicts Future Ocean Changes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-launches-new-ocean-modeling-system-for-west-coast-alaska-predicts-future-ocean-changes/) - NOAA has developed a new high-resolution ocean model to understand and predict West Coast ocean changes.
- [Montana Releases 2024 Wolf Report Showing Slight Decline In Numbers, 297 Harvested](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-releases-2024-wolf-report-showing-slight-decline-in-numbers-297-harvested/) - Montana’s wolf population has remained relatively stable in the past few years with only slight declines in the statewide population estimates, according to the 2024 Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks annual wolf report.
- [California Report Documents 10 Years of Wolf Recovery, 7 Packs, 50-70 Wolves](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-report-documents-10-years-of-wolf-recovery-7-packs-50-70-wolves/) - A century after wolves were wiped out in California, the animals have mounted a promising comeback in the state, with a small population that has grown to at least 50 wolves.
- [Second Pacific Lamprey Restoration Plan: Funding, Staffing, Progress ‘Unacceptably’ Slow, ‘We Are Frustrated’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/second-pacific-lamprey-restoration-plan-funding-staffing-progress-unacceptably-slow-we-are-frustrated/) - Four Columbia River basin treaty tribes recently completed their second restoration plan for “imperiled” Pacific lamprey in the basin fifteen years after the first such plan in which the Tribes had urged aggressive action in order to recover the culturally significant fish.
- [Council Takes Comments On Recommendations For New BPA-Funded Basin F/W Program; Nearly $300 Million For 300 Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-takes-comments-on-recommendations-for-new-bpa-funded-basin-f-w-program-nearly-300-million-for-300-projects/) - Some 60 state and federal agencies, tribes and individuals delivered recommendations by the May 19 deadline on how the Northwest Power and Conservation Council should amend its 2014/2020 Columbia River Basin Fish & Wildlife Program for the future.
- [NW Power/Conservation Council Hires New Executive Director](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nw-power-conservation-council-hires-new-executive-director/) - The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has hired Peter Cogswell as its new executive director. Cogswell’s first day at the Council will be Monday, July 7th.
- [For First Time In World, Lab-Grown Salmon Being Served At (Portland) Restaurant](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/for-first-time-in-world-lab-grown-salmon-being-served-at-portland-restaurant/) - Cultivated salmon is now being served at Kann, a Haitian restaurant in Portland, Oregon, led by the culinary talents of James Beard award-winning Chef Gregory Gourdet. This milestone marks the very first for cultivated seafood anywhere in the world, signaling meaningful progress in bringing cultivated meat and seafood from pilot facilities into real-world kitchens.
- [With U.S. Butterfly Populations Plummeting, Scientists In New Report Lay Out A Roadmap For Recovery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-u-s-butterfly-populations-plummeting-scientists-in-new-report-lay-out-a-roadmap-for-recovery/) - A new report, co-authored by Washington State University conservation biologist Cheryl Schultz, provides a roadmap for recovering butterfly populations across the U.S.
- [Late Push Of Spring Chinook Over Bonneville Dam Allows Fishing On Oregon’s Lookingglass Creek](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/late-push-of-spring-chinook-over-bonneville-dam-allows-fishing-on-oregons-lookingglass-creek/) - Lookingglass Creek, a tributary to northeast Oregon’s Grande Ronde River at Palmer Junction, opened for spring Chinook fishing from Wednesday, June 18 through Sunday, June 29. The open area is from the mouth upstream to the confluence of Jarboe Creek.
- [Studying Ancient Groundwater In Southwest, Northwest Reveals Regional Vulnerabilities To Climate Change](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/studying-ancient-groundwater-in-southwest-northwest-reveals-regional-vulnerabilities-to-climate-change/) - During the last ice age, storms soaked the now-arid Southwestern U.S., while today’s rainy Pacific Northwest remained relatively dry. As global temperatures rose and ice sheets retreated, those storms shifted north—reshaping the climate patterns that define both regions today.
- [Trump Rescinds Biden’s Executive Order Aimed At Restoring Columbia Basin Salmon, Steelhead Runs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-rescinds-bidens-executive-order-aimed-at-restoring-columbia-basin-salmon-steelhead-runs/) - The Trump administration issued a memorandum this week that disrupts Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead recovery by rescinding a 2023 agreement that included the federal government, two states and four Columbia River tribes and funded that effort with nearly $1 billion.
- [Rapid Melt, Expanding Drought Has Columbia Basin Water Supply At Dalles Dam (April-August) At Only 79 Percent Of Normal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/rapid-melt-expanding-drought-has-columbia-basin-water-supply-at-dalles-dam-april-august-at-only-79-percent-of-normal/) - Due to lower-than-normal precipitation in May and an early snowmelt in the Northwest, there will be less water available for salmon and steelhead this summer in the Columbia and Snake river basins as water supply forecasts are continuing their downward slide.
- [‘The Risk Is Quite Staggering’: Invasive Mussel Threat Spurs States To Create Near-Term Action Plan](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/the-risk-is-quite-staggering-invasive-mussel-threat-spurs-states-to-create-near-term-action-plan/) - Washington and Oregon are expanding efforts to prevent invasive mussels from entering the two states and the Columbia River basin. If they get a foothold in the basin, invasive zebra, quagga and golden mussels would cause considerable economic and environmental damage that could slow recovery of the basin’s federally listed salmon and steelhead runs, according to each state’s invasive species manager speaking at the May Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting.
- [UW-Led Study Shows Increasing Wildfires In Canada, Siberia Will Slow Global Warming 12 Percent Globally, 38 Percent In Arctic](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/uw-led-study-shows-increasing-wildfires-in-canada-siberia-will-slow-global-warming-12-percent-globally-38-percent-in-arctic/) - A new University of Washington–led study projects that in the next 35 years increasing boreal fires will actually slow global warming by 12% globally and 38% in the Arctic. Because the aerosols in smoke reflect more sunlight and make clouds brighter, summer temperatures during fire season drop, leading to reduced sea ice loss and cooler winter temperatures.
- [Portland State Researchers Study Delayed Tree Mortality After Large, Severe Wildfires, Live Trees Continue To Die](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/portland-state-researchers-study-delayed-tree-mortality-after-large-severe-wildfires-live-trees-continue-to-die/) - Across the western U.S., wildfires are becoming larger and more severe — and even trees that initially survive are dying in subsequent years, making it harder for forests to regenerate, according to new research from Portland State University.
- [California Launches ‘Strike Team’ To Combat Livestock Depredations By Gray Wolves, GPS Wolf Location Map For Ranchers, Public](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-launches-strike-team-to-combat-livestock-depredations-by-gray-wolves-gps-wolf-location-map-for-ranchers-public/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that it is launching a summer strike team in partnership with federal and local agencies to combat livestock depredations by gray wolves in Siskiyou County and the Sierra Valley (spanning both Sierra and Plumas counties).
- [Archery Angler Sets New Idaho Record By Striking Massive Grass Carp On Snake River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/archery-angler-sets-new-idaho-record-by-striking-massive-grass-carp-on-snake-river/) - Riley Farden of New Plymouth was bow fishing for carp on the Snake River when he shot an arrow that not only hit its mark, it set a new state record for grass carp.
- [Lead-Based Ammunition Poisoning Eagles In Northwest Montana](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lead-based-ammunition-poisoning-eagles-in-northwest-montana/) - Montana Wild Wings Recovery Center in Kalispell has treated six bald eagles and one golden eagle with elevated lead levels in 2025.
- [OSU Study Suggests Outdoor Recreation Should Be Treated As Behavioral Medicine, Essential Public Health](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-suggests-outdoor-recreation-should-be-treated-as-behavioral-medicine-essential-public-health/) - New research strongly suggests policymakers should view outdoor recreation spaces not as luxuries but as essential public health infrastructure.
- [Tribes, Conservation Groups, Industry React To Trump’s Termination Of Columbia Basin Salmon Agreement](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tribes-conservation-groups-industry-react-to-trumps-termination-of-columbia-basin-salmon-agreement/) - Reaction was swift over President Trump’s decision to terminate the federal government’s “Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement,” with parties both condemning and celebrating the move.
- [Washington Salmon Recovery Report: Of 14 Salmon/Steelhead Species ESA-Listed Since 1990s, Eight Still Face Extinction](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-salmon-recovery-report-of-14-salmon-steelhead-species-esa-listed-since-1990s-eight-still-face-extinction/) - Six of fourteen salmon and steelhead species in the state of Washington that are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act are showing modest improvement. However, according to the 2024 State of Salmon report by the Washington Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, eight species are still struggling and face extinction.
- [Research Shows Southeast Alaska Inside Waters May Have Provided Juvenile Salmon Buffer From Marine Heatwaves In Gulf Of Alaska](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/research-shows-southeast-alaska-inside-waters-may-have-provided-juvenile-salmon-buffer-from-marine-heatwaves-in-gulf-of-alaska/) - New research found that the cold, low salinity inshore waters of Icy Strait in Southeast Alaska may have provided a temporary buffer from marine heatwave conditions in the Gulf of Alaska for four species of migrating juvenile salmon.
- [Trump Budget Proposes Elimination Of Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-budget-proposes-elimination-of-pacific-coastal-salmon-recovery-fund/) - At a June 4 hearing, U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on the decision to eliminate the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund. The proposal is included in President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the department.
- [Flow Augmentation From Montana’s Libby Dam For ESA-Listed Kootenai River White Sturgeon Begins](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/flow-augmentation-from-montanas-libby-dam-for-esa-listed-kootenai-river-white-sturgeon-begins/) - Higher flows from Libby Dam designed to encourage endangered white sturgeon to move up into spawning areas on the Kootenai River downstream in Idaho and British Columbia began last week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced.
- [More Lower Columbia Spring Chinook Fishing; Summer/Fall Seasons Set With Low Summer Chinook, Steelhead Numbers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/more-lower-columbia-spring-chinook-fishing-summer-fall-seasons-set-with-low-summer-chinook-steelhead-numbers/) - Although biologists downgraded their upriver spring Chinook salmon run size forecast this week, lower than expected catch and a continuing passage of the fish at Bonneville Dam is allowing Washington and Oregon to extend by two days recreational angling downstream of Bonneville Dam to June 15.
- [Boaters Reminded Of Requirement Since 2023 To Stay 1,000 Yards From Southern Resident Killer Whales, 22 Whales In Poor Shape](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/boaters-reminded-of-requirement-since-2023-to-stay-1000-yards-from-southern-resident-killer-whales-22-whales-in-poor-shape/) - With summer boating and fishing seasons ramping up, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is reminding boaters of new laws requiring vessels to stay 1,000 yards away from endangered Southern Resident killer whales in Washington waters.
- [Destructive European Green Crabs Found For First Time In South Central Puget Sound, Threatens Native Shellfish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/destructive-european-green-crabs-found-for-first-time-in-south-central-puget-sound-threatens-native-shellfish/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has captured invasive European green crabs (EGC) at two new locations between northern Hood Canal and Admiralty Inlet during an early detection trapping effort.
- [Corps Extends Public Comment Period On SEIS For Willamette River Basin Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-extends-public-comment-period-on-seis-for-willamette-river-basin-dams/) - A public comment period for ending hydropower production at federal dams in the Willamette River basin, and thoughts on deep drawdowns at Detroit Reservoir on the North Fork Santiam River, has been extended from June 6 to June 21.
- [Study Shows Western Oregonians Support For Marine Reserves Increases Over Time](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-western-oregonians-support-for-marine-reserves-increases-over-time/) - What do western Oregonians think about the five iconic protected areas, known as marine reserves, that dot the state’s coastline? A new study shows the answer depends on when and where the question was asked.
- [BPA Approves $700 Million Project To Increase Output Of Region’s Only Operating Nuclear Plant](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-approves-700-million-project-to-increase-output-of-regions-only-operating-nuclear-plant/) - Energy Northwest and the Bonneville Power Administration say they are taking a significant step toward strengthening the Pacific Northwest’s supply of energy by increasing the output of the region’s only nuclear facility.
- [Oregon Boat Inspection Stations Open To Protect Waters From Aquatic Invasive Species, Golden Mussels New Threat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-boat-inspection-stations-open-to-protect-waters-from-aquatic-invasive-species-golden-mussels-new-threat/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is ramping up its efforts to protect the state’s lakes, rivers, and streams from aquatic invasive species. Seasonal boat inspection stations are now open, and roving crews will be out this year at boat ramps offering watercraft inspections and decontamination.
- [OSU Wildlife Researchers Improve AI’s Ability To Better Identify Animal Species In Trail Camera Photos](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-wildlife-researchers-improve-ais-ability-to-better-identify-animal-species-in-trail-camera-photos/) - Oregon State University scientists have improved artificial intelligence’s ability to identify wildlife species in photos taken by motion-activated cameras.
- [Tribes’ Habitat Efforts In Progress To Maintain, Improve Cold Water Refuges For Columbia River Salmon Upstream Bonneville Dam ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tribes-habitat-efforts-in-progress-to-maintain-improve-cold-water-refuges-for-columbia-river-salmon-upstream-bonneville-dam/) - Habitat work by Columbia River tribes is in progress to maintain and rejuvenate refuges of cold water in the Columbia River upstream of Bonneville Dam in partnership with the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement.
- [Lawsuit Seeks Quicker Action On NOAA Pending Determination Whether Alaska Chinook Salmon Warrant ESA-Listing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-seeks-quicker-action-on-noaa-pending-determination-whether-alaska-chinook-salmon-warrant-esa-listing/) - The Wild Fish Conservancy filed a lawsuit this month in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. in an effort to speed up NOAA Fisheries’ review of the Washington-based conservation group’s proposal to list Chinook salmon in Alaska under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Large-Scale Habitat Restoration Project Launched On Lower East Fork Lewis River To Aid Threatened Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/large-scale-habitat-restoration-project-launched-on-lower-east-fork-lewis-river-to-aid-threatened-salmon-steelhead/) - This spring, the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership broke ground on a large-scale salmon habitat restoration project on the lower East Fork Lewis River in Washington State. This project will support the recovery of threatened steelhead and salmon on one of the few undammed rivers in the Lower Columbia River watershed.
- [Harvest Managers Upgrade Spring Chinook Return To Columbia River, Extend Fishing Season; Steelhead Numbers Dismal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/harvest-managers-upgrade-spring-chinook-return-to-columbia-river-extend-fishing-season-steelhead-numbers-dismal/) - In its first in-season run size update of the 2025 spring Chinook season, the U.S. v Oregon Technical Advisory Committee on Monday, May 19, raised its expectations for the upriver run by 21 percent to 155,500 fish.
- [Corps Seeks Public Comments On Supplemental EIS For Willamette River Basin Dams, Wants Views On Ending Hydropower](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-seeks-public-comments-on-supplemental-eis-for-willamette-river-basin-dams-wants-views-on-ending-hydropower/) - Public comments are open until June 6 on whether and how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should implement a deeper fall drawdown at its Detroit Reservoir as well as whether the agency should permanently end hydropower production at eight dams in Oregon’s Willamette River basin.
- [Murray Says Trump Administration’s Spending Plans For Corps Moving Project Funding From Blue States To Red States](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/murray-says-trump-administrations-spending-plans-for-corps-moving-project-funding-from-blue-states-to-red-states/) - U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) says the Trump Administration’s spending plans for the Army Corps of Engineers would steer hundreds of millions of dollars more in construction funding to red states while cutting hundreds of millions of dollars in construction funding for blue states.
- [Alaska Expects This Year’s Commercial Salmon Harvest To Be Nearly Double Last Year’s Harvest, Big Boosts To Pinks, Coho](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-expects-this-years-commercial-salmon-harvest-to-be-nearly-double-last-years-harvest-big-boosts-to-pinks-coho/) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says forecasted 2025 total Alaska commercial salmon harvest will be approximately 214.6 million fish, which is 111 million more salmon than the 2024 harvest.
- [Washington State’s Green Crab Invasion: WSU Study Finds Juvenile Green Crabs Do As Much Damage As Adults](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-states-green-crab-invasion-wsu-study-finds-juvenile-green-crabs-do-as-much-damage-as-adults/) - Scientists at Washington State University have found that juvenile European green crabs can do as much damage as adults to shellfish and native sea plants, calling into question current methods to eradicate the invasive crustaceans.
- [USDA Terminates Largest Grant In University of Idaho’s History, $59 Million For “Climate-Smart’ Commodities Program](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usda-terminates-largest-grant-in-university-of-idahos-history-59-million-for-climate-smart-commodities-program/) - The largest grant in University of Idaho’s history, intended to provide payment directly to Idaho producers for developing sustainable agricultural practices, was terminated last week as a result of new criteria implemented by the United States Department of Agriculture.
- [OSU Analysis Suggests Thousands Of Animal Species Threatened By Climate Change, Invertebrates Increasingly Invulnerable](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-analysis-suggests-thousands-of-animal-species-threatened-by-climate-change-invertebrates-increasingly-invulnerable/) - A novel analysis suggests more than 3,500 animal species are threatened by climate change and also sheds light on huge gaps in fully understanding the risk to the animal kingdom.
- [IDFG Offering Cash Incentives To Harvest Rainbows, Hybrids From South Fork Snake River, Helps Native Cutthroat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idfg-offering-cash-incentives-to-harvest-rainbows-hybrids-from-south-fork-snake-river-helps-native-cutthroat/) - The South Fork Snake River is one of the last major conservation strongholds for Idaho's state fish – the cutthroat trout -- but they are losing ground and only occupy 34% of their historical range in the lower Snake River drainage. Anglers willing to harvest rainbow trout can help change this trajectory.
- [BPA Financial Outlook Improves Second Quarter With Higher Than Expected Revenues](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-financial-outlook-improves-second-quarter-with-higher-than-expected-revenues/) - Higher than expected revenues, lower expenses and debt management have resulted in the Bonneville Power Administration forecasting net revenues of $210 million, $70 million above agency targets. The encouraging results improve on the first quarter net revenue forecast of negative $44 million, which was impacted by the dry winter weather.
- [Administration’s Proposed Budget Would Eliminate ‘The Bee Lab’ That Funds, Conducts Native Bee Research](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/administrations-proposed-budget-would-eliminate-the-bee-lab-that-funds-conducts-native-bee-research/) - President Trump’s proposed budget would end funding of research for America’s bees coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey Bee Lab. The budget proposal eliminates all $307 million in funding to the Ecosystem Management Area, a division within the USGS that funds biological research, including the Bee Lab.
- [Study: Glaciers Will Take Centuries To Recover Even If Global Warming Reversed](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-glaciers-will-take-centuries-to-recover-even-if-global-warming-reversed/) - New research reveals mountain glaciers across the globe will not recover for centuries – even if human intervention cools the planet back to the 1.5°C limit, having exceeded it.
- [Columbia Basin Water Supply Forecast, April-September, Remains Below Normal, Coming Precipitation Could Help](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-basin-water-supply-forecast-april-september-remains-below-normal-coming-precipitation-could-help/) - 2025 is forming to be the third consecutive year of low Columbia River basin water supplies, with the latest forecast April-September at The Dalles Dam of just 85 percent of the 30-year average, according to a NOAA water supply briefing this week.
- [Columbia Basin Snowmelt, Runoff In Most Areas Early, Rapid; Water Supply Forecasts May-September Dropping](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-basin-snowmelt-runoff-in-most-areas-early-rapid-water-supply-forecasts-may-september-dropping/) - Due to a drier and warmer than normal April, the water supply forecasts for May-September for the Columbia and Snake river basins have dropped, according to NOAA’s Northwest River Forecast Center’s last water supply briefing of the season held online this month.
- [Spring Runoff Older Than You Think: Hydrologists Show Mountain Streamflow Old Snowmelt On Years-Long Underground Journey](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/spring-runoff-older-than-you-think-hydrologists-show-mountain-streamflow-old-snowmelt-on-years-long-underground-journey/) - Growing communities and extensive agriculture throughout the Western United States rely on meltwater that spills out of snow-capped mountains every spring. The models for predicting the amount of this streamflow available each year have long assumed that a small fraction of snowmelt each year enters shallow soil, with the remainder rapidly exiting in rivers and creeks.
- [Columbia River Harvest Managers Confirm Spring Chinook Return On Track, Approve 14 More Fishing Days](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-harvest-managers-confirm-spring-chinook-return-on-track-approve-14-more-fishing-days/) - Columbia River fisheries forecasters confirmed Monday that their preseason run size forecast for upriver spring Chinook salmon was likely to be accurate, allowing Oregon and Washington to reopen recreational angling in the river between Tongue Point, near Astoria, OR, and the two-state line, near Pasco, WA.
- [EVs, Chip Factories, Data Centers, Growth Leading To Doubling Of Electricity Needs In Northwest By 2046](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/evs-chip-factories-data-centers-growth-leading-to-doubling-of-electricity-needs-in-northwest-by-2046/) - Northwest states have been consuming about 22,000 average megawatts of electricity per year, but the Northwest Power and Conservation Council is forecasting double that amount by 2046 to as much as 44,000 aMW, according to a just-completed initial forecast of Northwest energy demand.
- [For First Time, California Releases Millions Of Juvenile Fall Chinook Into Mainstem Sacramento River, Timed With Water Flow Increases](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/for-first-time-california-releases-millions-of-juvenile-fall-chinook-into-mainstem-sacramento-river-timed-with-water-flow-increases/) - In a significant shift of California’s salmon strategy, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has begun releasing juvenile fall-run Chinook salmon from CDFW-operated hatcheries into the main stem of the Sacramento River for the first time.
- [Federal Agencies Extend Comment Period On Columbia/Snake Hydro System Supplemental EIS](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-agencies-extend-comment-period-on-columbia-snake-hydro-system-supplemental-eis/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation are extending the public comment period for the Columbia River System Operations Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement to August 15, 2025.
- [Trump Administration Budget Proposes Eliminating Marine Mammal Commission, Staff On Oct. 1](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-administration-budget-proposes-eliminating-marine-mammal-commission-staff-on-oct-1/) - The Trump administration’s proposed budget released would cut all funding for the Marine Mammal Commission, a federal agency dedicated to the protection of marine mammals.
- [OSU Study Details How Many Additional Deaths Attributed To Warming Climate, Wildfire Pollution](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-details-how-many-additional-deaths-attributed-to-warming-climate-wildfire-pollution/) - Scientists say human-caused climate change led to 15,000 additional deaths from wildfire air pollution in the continental United States during the 15-year period ending in 2020.
- [Dead Dolphins Continue Showing Up On California Beaches Due To Ongoing Domoic Acid Event, Not Risk At Population Scale](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dead-dolphins-continue-showing-up-on-california-beaches-due-to-ongoing-domoic-acid-event-not-risk-at-population-scale/) - The stranding team from NOAA Fisheries’ Southwest Fisheries Science Center recovered 16 dead dolphins from San Diego beaches on Sunday, April 20.
- [Extensive Survey Of Oregon’s Forests Shows Drought, Pests, Diseases Biggest Threats To State’s Trees](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/extensive-survey-of-oregons-forests-shows-drought-pests-diseases-biggest-threats-to-states-trees/) - Based on an extensive aerial survey of Oregon’s forests completed last year by the Oregon Department of Forestry and the USDA Forest Service, a new report shows that drought, insect pests, and tree diseases continue to be the biggest threats to the state’s trees.
- [Trump Executive Order Aims To Reduce Regulations On Commercial Fishing, Processing With America First Seafood Strategy](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-executive-order-aims-to-reduce-regulations-on-commercial-fishing-processing-with-america-first-seafood-strategy/) - An April 17 Executive Order President Donald Trump calls for suspending or revising regulations on the U.S. seafood industry, saying that regulations “overly burden” America’s commercial fishing and fish processing industries, as well as the nation’s aquaculture industry.
- [Lawsuit Seeks Public Records On Impacts To NOAA’s Marine, Fisheries Work Due To Staff Reductions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-seeks-public-records-on-impacts-to-noaas-marine-fisheries-work-due-to-staff-reductions/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has sued the Trump administration for what it says is a failure to release public records about ocean conservation work “interrupted by firings and layoffs” at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- [Invasive, Destructive Chinese Mitten Crab Found In Columbia River Near Astoria, First Time Found In PNW](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/invasive-destructive-chinese-mitten-crab-found-in-columbia-river-near-astoria-first-time-found-in-pnw/) - A Chinese mitten crab, a prohibited species in Oregon, was caught on April 22 in the Lower Columbia River east of Tongue Point, near Astoria. Chinese mitten crabs have not been confirmed in the Pacific Northwest until now. A single Japanese mitten crab was found in the same area in 1997.
- [With A Continued Strong Fall Chinook Run (Above 10-Year Average), States Extend Recreational Fishing Below Bonneville, Add Gillnetting Days](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-a-continued-strong-fall-chinook-run-above-10-year-average-states-extend-recreational-fishing-below-bonneville-add-gillnetting-days/) - With a higher in-season forecast of Chinook salmon tracking above the 5- and 10-year average, Oregon and Washington reopened all the Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam to recreational angling for Chinook and hatchery coho as of Sept. 22. The reopening is for the remainder of this year.
- [Corps Information Sessions To Focus On Basin Power/Flood Control If No Agreement Reached On New Columbia River Treaty With Canada](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-listening-sessions-to-focus-on-basin-power-flood-control-if-no-agreement-reached-on-new-columbia-river-treaty-with-canada/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold four virtual listening-only sessions this month and in October to describe how it will operate the Columbia River system of dams after September 2024 if the Columbia River Treaty negotiations fail to reach an agreement.
- [Draft 2023 Survival Study Says Substantial Gains In Adult Returns Of Imperiled  Salmon, Steelhead Will Require Breaching Lower Snake River Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/draft-2023-survival-study-says-substantial-gains-in-adult-returns-of-imperiled-salmon-steelhead-will-require-breaching-lower-snake-river-dams/) - A long-running annual report that evaluates salmon and steelhead survival in the Columbia and Snake rivers again this year concluded that removal of the lower Snake River dams poses less of a risk to recovery than allowing the four dams to remain in place.
- [As Measures Implemented To Aid ESA Salmonids At Willamette Valley Dams, Corps Studying Whether To End Hydro Production](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/as-measures-implemented-to-aid-esa-salmonids-at-willamette-valley-dams-corps-studying-whether-to-end-hydro-production/) - By legislative requirement, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Portland District is assessing whether it should continue to produce hydroelectric power at its Willamette Valley project dams.
- [More Recreational Salmon Fishing Days Added Below Bonneville; With New Washington Policy, States Disagree On Gillnetting Periods](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/more-recreational-salmon-fishing-days-added-below-bonneville-with-new-washington-policy-states-disagree-on-gillnetting-periods/) - With an upgraded fall chinook run, fishery managers from Oregon and Washington added more recreational salmon fishing opportunity on the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam during a joint Columbia River Compact hearing Wednesday. But the hearing took an unusual turn when Washington and Oregon diverged on how much more commercial gillnetting should be allowed, and where.
- [Researchers Use Models To Estimate Where West Coast Salmon Habitat Will Remain Favorable With Warming Climate](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/researchers-use-models-to-estimate-where-west-coast-salmon-habitat-will-remain-favorable-with-warming-climate/) - With climate change, some spawning habitat in British Columbia could actually expand, peaking in area around 2060, according to a recent study that looked at current stream habitat and projected future favorable spawning habitat as the climate warms.
- [UW Researchers Find That Fall Snow Levels (December) In Oregon, Washington Can Predict Total Snowfall An Area Will Get](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/uw-researchers-find-that-fall-snow-levels-december-in-oregon-washington-can-predict-total-snowfall-an-area-will-get/) - Researchers who study water resources want to know how much snow an area will get in a season. The total snowpack gives scientists a better idea of how much water will be available for hydropower, irrigation and drinking later in the year.
- [Columbia Riverkeeper, Vancouver Port Reach Agreement To Reduce Water Pollution Into Columbia River; Port To Spend Over $25 Million](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-riverkeeper-vancouver-port-reach-agreement-to-reduce-water-pollution-into-columbia-river-port-to-spend-over-25-million/) - Columbia Riverkeeper and the Port of Vancouver USA this week reached an agreement settling a Clean Water Act lawsuit challenging years of alleged unlawful water pollution from the public port. In the settlement, the port committed to make significant changes to reduce the amount of water pollution that flows off the 1643-acre property and into the Columbia River.
- [ODFW Distributing Salmon Carcasses In Willamette Valley Rivers For Stream Nutrient Enhancement, Keep Dogs Away](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-distributing-salmon-carcasses-in-willamette-valley-rivers-for-stream-nutrient-enhancement-keep-dogs-away/) - If you live or recreate close to a river or stream in the Willamette Valley, you might come across salmon carcasses or see Oregon Department Fish and Wildlife staff and volunteers slinging carcasses into the water during September and October.
- [Avian Influenza Found For First Time In West Coast Marine Mammals; Three Puget Sound Adult Harbor Seals Stricken, Stranded](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/avian-influenza-found-for-first-time-in-west-coast-marine-mammals-three-puget-sound-adult-harbor-seals-stricken-stranded/) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed that three adult harbor seals in Puget Sound have tested positive for the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 strain. The seals stranded on Marrowstone Island on August 18 and 25. This confirms initial testing by the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, which indicated the presence of H5N1 in these seals. No seal pups have tested positive.
- [Though Far Below Historical Returns, Impressive Numbers This Year For Pacific Lamprey Passing Columbia/Snake River Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-far-below-historical-returns-impressive-numbers-this-year-for-pacific-lamprey-passing-columbia-snake-river-dams/) - Pacific lamprey are returning to the Columbia and Snake rivers this year in record numbers, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Nez Perce Tribe.
- [Biden Administration Memo Orders Federal Agencies To Review All Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery Programs, Identify Needs, Prioritize Actions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/biden-administration-memo-orders-federal-agencies-to-review-all-columbia-basin-salmon-recovery-programs-identify-needs-prioritize-actions/) - In a presidential memorandum released Wednesday, the Biden Administration emphasized salmon and steelhead restoration in the Columbia and Snake river basins and called for an all-hands-on-deck approach to recovery of the fish.
- [Study: The Massive Surge Of Hatchery Pink Salmon In North Pacific Harming Abundance Of Other Salmon Species, Whales, Birds](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-the-massive-surge-of-hatchery-pink-salmon-in-north-pacific-harming-abundance-of-other-salmon-species-whales-birds/) - Chinook, coho and sockeye salmon are in steep decline in the North Pacific and one of the causes is the proliferation of pink salmon, many of which originate from Russian, Japanese and Alaskan fish hatcheries, according to a recent study by scientists in Alaska, Canada and Washington.
- [Klamath River Reach Prepped For Post-Dam Removal Flows As Copco No. 2 Dam Being Removed; 3 More Klamath Dams Removed Next Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/klamath-river-reach-prepped-for-post-dam-removal-flows-as-copco-no-2-dam-being-removed-3-more-klamath-dams-removed-next-year/) - The Yurok Tribe and the Klamath River Renewal Corporation (KRRC), in collaboration with the Shasta Indian Nation, started preparing a stretch of the Klamath River to flow freely for the first time in a century.
- [NW Power/Conservation Council Releases Two Reports Detailing Fish/Wildlife Spending; $932 Million By BPA In FY 2022](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nw-power-conservation-council-releases-two-reports-detailing-fish-wildlife-spending-932-million-by-bpa-in-fy-2022/) - The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has recently released two reports -- one a report on fish and wildlife expenses incurred by the Bonneville Power Administration in the Columbia/Snake river basins and, more recently, a second report that will be sent to Congress that is currently out for public review until Dec. 12. Both reports are for fiscal year 2022.
- [Portland State Inventory Shows Western States’ Glaciers Disappearing, Getting Smaller](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/portland-state-inventory-shows-western-states-glaciers-disappearing-getting-smaller/) - The Western United States is losing its glaciers. A new inventory from Portland State University researchers shows that some glaciers have disappeared entirely, some no longer show movement, some are too small to meet the 0.01 square kilometer minimum and some are actually rock glaciers — rocky debris with ice in the pore spaces.
- [National Science Foundation Grants $220 Million To UW, OSU, Others To Continue Ocean Observatories Initiative; Measure Climate Change Impacts](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/national-science-foundation-grants-220-million-to-uw-osu-others-to-continue-ocean-observatories-initiative-measure-climate-change-impacts/) - The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded a coalition of academic and oceanographic research organizations including Oregon State University a five-year, $220 million cooperative agreement to continue operating and maintaining the Ocean Observatories Initiative.
- [Researchers Show E-DNA Detects Genetic Diversity Of Invasive Fish; Can Help Trace Source Of New Population, Prevent Further Invasions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/researchers-show-e-dna-detects-genetic-diversity-of-invasive-fish-can-help-trace-source-of-new-population-present-further-invasions/) - Ecologists have demonstrated that the genetic material that species shed into their environments can reveal not only the presence of the species but also a broad range of information about the genetics of whole populations — information that can help scientists trace the source of a new invasive population as well as prevent further invasion.
- [GUEST COLUMN: A Rebuttal To Dam Breaching, We Can Have Fish And Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/guest-column-a-rebuttal-to-dam-breaching-we-can-have-fish-and-dams/) - This is what we believe is wrong with the dam breaching concept. There were far more fish that returned in the first 15 years of the 21st century than ever did in the 20th century, fully 25 years after construction of the last dam on the lower Snake River. That is the case for both steelhead and spring and summer chinook.
- [Biden Administration Says BPA To Provide $200 Million Over 20 Years To Advance Salmon Reintroduction In Upper Columbia River Blocked Areas](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/biden-administration-says-bpa-to-provide-200-million-over-20-years-to-advance-salmon-reintroduction-in-upper-columbia-river-blocked-areas/) - The Biden administration this week announced that the Bonneville Power Administration will provide three Upper Columbia River Tribes $200 million over 20 years for ongoing efforts to reintroduce salmon above Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams, which have blocked fish migration since 1942. The Tribes have agreed to a twenty-year pause to existing litigation while these actions are pursued.
- [Idaho Initiates Rapid Response Plan After Quagga Mussel Larvae Detected In Snake River Near Twin Falls; WDFW Increases Monitoring](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-initiates-rapid-response-plan-after-quagga-mussel-larvae-detected-in-snake-river-near-twin-falls-wdfw-increases-monitoring/) - The Idaho State Department of Agriculture confirmed this week the presence of quagga mussel larvae in the Snake River at Twin Falls. Multiple samples of quagga mussel at larval life stages have been found in the Centennial Waterfront Park area by ISDA’s early detection monitoring program.
- [Colossal Coho Caught In Clearwater River, 11.78 Pounds A New State Record](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/colossal-coho-caught-in-clearwater-river-11-78-pounds-a-new-state-record/) - Matt Hosking of Lewiston, Idaho caught a colossal coho in the Clearwater River in on October 13th, setting a new state record for coho salmon.
- [Without A New Columbia River Treaty Corps Will Need To Use ‘Real-Time’ Flood Control, Rather Than ‘Assured Storage’ In Canadian Reservoirs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/without-a-new-columbia-river-treaty-corps-will-need-to-use-real-time-flood-control-rather-than-assured-storage-in-canadian-reservoirs/) - Facing the uncertainty of how it will operate the Columbia River hydroelectric system without the flood risk management controls and water storage space in Canada currently offered by the Columbia River Treaty, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it may need to switch to a “real-time” operation to ensure flood control south of the Canadian border after September 2024 when the Treaty expires.
- [In Largest Wildlife Damage Claim In Oregon History, ODFW Lawsuit Alleges Water Control District’s Work Killed More Than 500,000 Pacific Lamprey](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/in-largest-wildlife-damage-claim-in-oregon-history-odfw-lawsuit-alleges-water-control-districts-work-killed-more-than-500000-pacific-lamprey/) - A claim for $27.6 million in damages was filed in a Douglas County Circuit Court in Oregon claiming that more than half a million juvenile Pacific lamprey died in August during repairs to Winchester Dam, located on Oregon’s North Umpqua River.
- [Study Looks At What Factors Drive Juvenile Salmon Smolts To Pass Columbia/Snake Dams Through Turbines](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-looks-at-what-factors-drive-juvenile-salmon-smolts-to-pass-columbia-snake-dams-through-turbines/) - High spill volumes to maximum total dissolved oxygen levels in order to reduce passage of juvenile salmon smolts through turbines at federal Columbia and Snake river dams is likely to be most effective at night, during high river flows and when temperatures are colder, according to a recent study. These are times when juveniles are less active and their swimming ability is low.
- [Draft Grizzly Bear Restoration Plan By USFWS, NPS Calls For 200 Bears In North Cascades Within 60-100 Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/draft-grizzly-bear-restoration-plan-by-usfws-nps-calls-for-200-bears-in-north-cascades-within-60-100-years/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service have released a draft plan analyzing options to restore grizzly bears to the North Cascades in Washington.
- [Court Ordered Drawdown Of Willamette Reservoir To Aid ESA Salmon Leads To Death For Thousands Of Kokanee](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/court-ordered-drawdown-of-willamette-reservoir-to-aid-esa-salmon-leads-to-death-for-thousands-of-kokanee/) - A deep reservoir drawdown at Green Peter Dam in the Willamette Valley to improve passage for Chinook salmon and steelhead has killed thousands of kokanee salmon.
- [Report Says Floating Offshore Wind Farms Off Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Could Bring Billions In Value, Power A Million Homes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/report-says-floating-offshore-wind-farms-off-southern-oregon-northern-california-coast-could-bring-billions-in-value-power-a-million-homes/) - A new report from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory shows that along a 200-mile stretch of ocean off the coast of southern Oregon and northern California, floating wind farms could potentially triple the Pacific Northwest’s wind power capacity while offsetting potentially billions of dollars in costs for utilities, ratepayers, insurance companies, and others across the West who bear the cost of climate change’s effects.
- [Up To 10 Wolves From Northeast Oregon To Be Relocated To Colorado West Slope In Voter-Approved Reintroduction Effort](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/up-to-10-wolves-from-northeast-oregon-to-be-relocated-to-colorado-west-slope-in-voter-approved-reintroduction-effort/) - In a one-year agreement announced between Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon will be a source for up to 10 wolves for the Colorado gray wolf reintroduction effort. These wolves will be captured and translocated between December 2023 and March 2024.
- [With Updated Run Forecasts, Salmon Angling Now Open From Columbia River Mouth To Pasco](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-updated-run-forecasts-salmon-angling-now-open-from-columbia-river-mouth-to-pasco/) - With an updated and higher fall Chinook run forecast, recreational angling for salmon will continue through the end of the year on the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 to the Oregon/Washington border near Pasco, WA.
- [Group Files Lawsuit Against USFWS Over Lack Of ESA Protection For American Bumblebees](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/group-files-lawsuit-against-usfws-over-lack-of-esa-protection-for-american-bumblebees/) - The Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal notice this week of its intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to protect four imperiled bee species, including American bumblebees, under the Endangered Species Act. Southern Plains bumblebees, variable cuckoo bumblebees and blue calamintha bees are also included in today’s filing.
- [Despite Dry Conditions, High Market Prices, BPA Makes 2023 Treasury Payment Of $1.02 Billion](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/despite-dry-conditions-high-market-prices-bpa-makes-2023-treasury-payment-of-1-02-billion/) - On Oct. 3, the Bonneville Power Administration made its annual payment to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the 40th consecutive year on time and in full, bringing cumulative payments to approximately $34.6 billion over this period. The total payment for fiscal year 2023 was $1.02 billion.
- [How to Slow Global Warming? Researchers Focus On Removing Carbon Dioxide, Dial Down Non-CO2 Emissions; Halting Deforestation](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/how-to-slow-global-warming-researchers-focus-on-removing-carbon-dioxide-dial-down-non-co2-emissions-halting-deforestation/) - With the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference just a few weeks away, countries will soon take stock of their progress in the worldwide effort to slow and adapt to global warming. Better known as COP28, the conference offers the chance for countries to meet and coordinate their climate-mitigating pledges, like achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 or peak emissions by 2030.
- [Scientists Review Pikeminnow Removal Rewards Program; Decrease In Abundance Concurrent With Bass, Walleye Increase?](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scientists-review-pikeminnow-removal-rewards-program-decrease-in-abundance-concurrent-with-bass-walleye-increase/) - Studies over the 33-year history of a program designed to remove Northern Pikeminnow, a natural predator of salmon and steelhead smolts, from the Columbia and Snake rivers still has not been able to make a direct connectionbetween mass removals of the predator and recovery of salmonids in the rivers, according to a recent report by the Independent Scientific Review Panel.
- [IDFG Says Invasive Walleye Established In Lake Lowell Near Nampa, Concerns About Spread Into Snake River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idfg-says-invasive-walleye-established-in-lake-lowell-near-nampa-concerns-about-spread-into-snake-river/) - Idaho Fish and Game biologists learned on Oct. 10 that Lake Lowell near Nampa now likely has a reproducing population of walleye. While the effects to Lake Lowell and other area fisheries are uncertain at this point, they are concerned about what this might mean for this fishery and others in Southwest Idaho, including the Snake River below Hells Canyon, which is a major migration corridor for salmon and steelhead.
- [Deschutes Water Bank Aims To Restore Streamflows, Get Farmers Water They Need, Secure Water For Future Municipal Needs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/deschutes-water-bank-aims-to-restore-streamflows-get-farmers-water-they-need-secure-water-for-future-municipal-needs/) - Deschutes River basin water rights were over-appropriated more than 100 years ago and today some 86 percent of the river’s total water is used for irrigation while only 12 percent of the water is appropriated for instream flows and just 2 percent for municipal water, according to Kate Fitzpatrick, executive director of the Deschutes River Conservancy.
- [El Nino In Place For Winter First Time In Four Years, Drier Than Average Across Northern Tier](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/el-nino-in-place-for-winter-first-time-in-four-years-drier-than-average-across-northern-tier/) - This year, El Nino is in place heading into winter for the first time in four years, driving the outlook for warmer-than-average temperatures for the northern tier of the continental United States, according to NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook released this week by the Climate Prediction Center — a division of the National Weather Service.
- [Coho Returning To Elwha River In Good Numbers, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Fish First Time Since Dam Removal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/coho-returning-to-elwha-river-in-good-numbers-lower-elwha-klallam-tribe-fish-first-time-since-dam-removal/) - For the first time in more than a decade, the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe is exercising its treaty right to harvest salmon from the Elwha River.
- [Conservation Groups Say Very Low Return Of Wild Spring Chinook To Southern Oregon Coastal River Shows Need For ESA Listing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/conservation-groups-say-very-low-return-of-wild-spring-chinook-to-southern-oregon-coastal-river-shows-need-for-esa-listing/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s recent count of spring-run Chinook salmon returning to the South Umpqua River showed just 17 wild adult fish detected during snorkel surveys. This dismal return is 12% of the 10-year average of 139 fish returning to the river and “signals an urgent need for federal Endangered Species Act protections,” says the Center for Biological Diversity.
- [OSU Scientists Author State Of The Climate Report: ‘We Are On Our Way To Potential Collapse Of Natural, Socioeconomic Systems’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-scientists-author-state-of-the-climate-report-we-are-on-our-way-to-potential-collapse-of-natural-socioeconomic-systems/) - An international coalition of climate scientists says in a paper published this week that the Earth’s vital signs have worsened beyond anything humans have yet seen, to the point that life on the planet is imperiled.
- [Group Sues NMFS Over Orcas Being Killed In Bering Sea Trawl Nets, Wants Immediate Mitigation To Reduce Bycatch](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/group-sues-nmfs-over-orcas-being-killed-in-bering-sea-trawl-nets-wants-immediate-mitigation-to-reduce-bycatch/) - The Center for Biological Diversity filed a formal notice this week of its intent to sue the National Marine Fisheries Service for what it says is a failure to protect marine mammals from being killed by the Bering Sea Aleutian Islands groundfish trawl fisheries.
- [Milestone: NOAA Says Snohomish Coho 50th Fish Stock Rebuilt Under Magnuson-Stevens Act](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/milestone-noaa-says-snohomish-coho-50th-fish-stock-rebuilt-under-magnuson-stevens-act/) - NOAA Fisheries says the agency and its fishery management partners reached a major milestone this summer – the rebuilding of a 50th fish stock. The Snohomish coho salmon stock was declared overfished in 2018 and has now rebuilt to its sustainable level.
- [Idaho Fly Fisherman Lands 41-Inch Clearwater River Steelhead, New Catch-Release State Record](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-fly-fisherman-lands-41-inch-clearwater-river-steelhead-new-catch-release-state-record/) - In the early morning of October 6th, Kyriacos Panayiotou of McCall waded into the cool waters of the Clearwater River, Idaho's legendary steelhead mecca. Using a two-handed spey rod, he began searching the water, hoping a steelhead would grab the fly.
- [Rethinking Wolf Hunting Behavior: Researchers Observe Wolves Killing Sea Otters, Seals On Alaska Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/rethinking-wolf-hunting-behavior-researchers-observe-wolves-killing-sea-otters-seals-on-alaska-coast/) - Firsthand observations of a wolf hunting and killing a harbor seal and a group of wolves hunting and consuming a sea otter on Alaska’s Katmai coast have led scientists to reconsider assumptions about wolf hunting behavior.
- [Alaska 2023 Salmon Harvest Numbers Show Huge Increase In Catch Over Last Year, But Down Over $300 Million In Value](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-2023-salmon-harvest-numbers-show-huge-increase-in-catch-over-last-year-but-down-over-300-million-in-value/) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has published preliminary harvest and value figures for the 2023 Alaska Commercial Salmon Fishery, which show an increase of 69 million harvested salmon over last year. But the market value was way down.
- [Corps Seeks Public Comment For Willamette Valley Hydropower Report To Congress: Is Hydro Necessary?](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-seeks-public-comment-for-willamette-valley-hydropower-report-to-congress-is-hydro-necessary/) - The Portland District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will gather the public’s perspective and opinions on the future of hydropower across the Corps’ Willamette Valley system of dams during three listening sessions – one in-person and two virtual.
- [Low Water In Upper Columbia Has River Managers Tweaking Operations To Aid ESA Chum Salmon In Lower River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/low-water-in-upper-columbia-has-river-managers-tweaking-operations-to-aid-esa-chum-salmon-in-lower-river/) - Low water in the upper reaches of the Columbia River -- and concerns about releasing water now from Grand Coulee Dam when it might be needed later for refill and to augment river flows -- has caused fisheries and dam operators of the interagency Technical Management Team to change Columbia River chum salmon operations at Bonneville Dam.
- [States Set Columbia River Winter Sturgeon Angling Times, Rules Above Bonneville Dam Based On Recent Stock Assessments](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/states-set-columbia-river-winter-sturgeon-angling-times-rules-above-bonneville-dam-based-on-recent-stock-assessments/) - Oregon and Washington this week set 2024 sturgeon winter retention seasons for recreational anglers in the Columbia River upstream of Bonneville Dam, beginning Jan. 1.
- [Dams And Disease: Researchers Say Klamath Dam Removals Should Aid Salmon Hit Hard By Deadly Pathogens](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dams-and-disease-researchers-say-klamath-dam-removals-should-aid-salmon-hit-hard-by-deadly-pathogens/) - The world’s largest dam removal and restoration project currently underway on the Klamath River in Oregon and California will aid salmon populations that have been devastated by disease and other factors. However, it will not fully alleviate challenges faced by the species, a team of researchers conclude in a just-published paper.
- [Administration Announces New Funding For Columbia River Basin Mitchell Act Hatcheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/administration-announces-new-funding-for-columbia-river-basin-mitchell-act-hatcheries/) - The Biden Administration says $60 million will be available for NOAA Fisheries to invest in upgrades identified as tribal priorities for Columbia River Basin hatchery facilities that produce Pacific salmon through the Mitchell Act.
- [Columbia/Snake Salmon Recovery Lawsuit On Hold Again As Parties Seek Buy-In On ‘Actions And Commitments’ Not Yet Made Public](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-snake-salmon-recovery-lawsuit-on-hold-again-as-parties-seek-buy-in-on-actions-and-commitments-not-yet-made-public/) - Parties to the lawsuit challenging the federal government’s 2020 environmental impact statement and biological opinion for imperiled salmon and steelhead traversing Columbia/Snake River federal dams have developed a package of “actions and commitments” that they will present to regional partners to get buy-in over the next 45 days.
- [USFWS Seeks Comment On Draft Strategy To Remove Non-Native Barred Owls To Save California’s Spotted Owls](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-seeks-comment-on-draft-strategy-to-remove-non-native-barred-owls-to-save-californias-spotted-owls/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public input on a draft environmental impact statement and draft Barred Owl Management Strategy that addresses the threat of the non-native and invasive barred owls to native northern and California spotted owls.
- [Dolphin Calves End Up With More Toxins Than Nursing Mothers; Raises Concerns About Southern Resident Killer Whales (Dolphins)](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dolphin-calves-end-up-with-more-toxins-than-nursing-mothers-raises-concerns-about-southern-resident-killer-whales-dolphins/) - When bottlenose dolphins nurse their young, they transfer toxic pollutants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and DDT to their calves through their milk. New research shows that the calves end up with higher concentrations of the toxins than their mothers.
- [USFWS Finalizes Designation Of Gray Wolf Experimental Population In Colorado, Wolves To Come From Oregon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-finalizes-designation-of-gray-wolf-experimental-population-in-colorado-wolves-to-come-from-oregon/) - In support of a statewide voter-led initiative passed in November 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has finalized the designation of an experimental population of gray wolves in Colorado under the Endangered Species Act. This action provides management flexibility in support of the state of Colorado’s voter-mandated gray wolf reintroduction program.
- [Some Say Keep Hydro, Others Say Focus On The Fish; Corps Hears Public Views On Whether Willamette Dams Should Keep Producing Power](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/some-say-keep-hydro-others-say-focus-on-the-fish-corps-hears-public-views-on-whether-willamette-dams-should-keep-producing-power/) - The public was split at a listening session this week on whether the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should deauthorize hydroelectric turbines at its projects on the Willamette River, according to a small number of people who testified at the first of the Corps’ three listening sessions this week.
- [Republican U.S. House Members Request All CEQ Documents Related To Mediation, Settlement Discussions On Lower Snake Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/republican-u-s-house-members-request-all-ceq-documents-related-to-mediation-settlement-discussions-on-lower-snake-dams/) - U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-OR, who represents eastern, central and southern Oregon is requesting the White House Council on Environmental Quality release documents related to CEQ's role in mediation and settlement discussions regarding the Lower Snake River Dams.
- [DOJ Proposes $33.2 Million Settlement To Compensate For Damages From Pollutants, Oil Discharges Into Willamette River, Portland Harbor](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/doj-proposes-33-2-million-settlement-to-compensate-for-damages-from-pollutants-oil-discharges-into-willamette-river-portland-harbor/) - The U.S. Department of Justice this month announced a proposed settlement valued at approximately $33.2 million to compensate for natural resource injuries that resulted from hazardous substance releases and oil discharges into the Willamette River and Portland Harbor in Oregon.
- [Interior Sending Millions To Columbia/Snake River Basin For Significant Fisheries, Watershed Health Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/interior-sending-millions-to-columbia-snake-river-basin-for-significant-fisheries-watershed-health-projects/) - The Department of the Interior this week announced $51 million provided by the two-year-old Infrastructure Law for 30 new Environmental Water Resource Projects in 11 states through the Bureau of Reclamation, including multi-million dollar projects in Oregon, Idaho and Washington that will aid fish protection and restoration.
- [EPA Agrees To Begin Rulemaking On Risk To Salmon From 6PPD, A Chemical In Every Vehicle Tire; Kills Coho Within Hours](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/epa-agrees-to-begin-rulemaking-on-risk-to-salmon-from-6ppd-a-chemical-in-every-vehicle-tire-kills-coho-within-hours/) - The Environmental Protection Agency has granted a petition submitted by the Yurok, Port Gamble S’Klallam, and Puyallup Tribes, which asked EPA to develop regulations that prohibit the use of the chemical 6PPD in tires due to the lethal effects on salmon, steelhead trout, and other wildlife.
- [National Climate Assessment Details Challenges To Northwest Salmon Recovery; Warming ‘Increases Extinction Risk For Species Already At Low Abundance’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/national-climate-assessment-details-challenges-to-northwest-salmon-recovery-warming-increases-extinction-risk-for-species-already-at-low-abundance/) - The Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5) released this week finds that the impacts of weather extremes — exacerbated by climate change — are far-reaching across every region of the United States. And it indicates a warming future threatens Northwest salmon recovery.
- [Idaho Details Successful Eradication Treatment Of Invasive, Destructive Quagga Mussels In Snake River, First Sighting In Columbia River Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-details-successful-eradication-treatment-of-invasive-destructive-quagga-mussels-in-snake-river-first-siting-in-columbia-river-basin/) - Idaho completed a 10-day treatment to rid a sixteen-mile section of the mid-Snake River near Twin Falls of quagga mussel larvae (veligers) and at least two adult mussels. The state says the treatment was largely successful, although it and other partners will continue to test for at least the next five years.
- [Déjà Vu: Oregon Study Says Once Again Salmon-Eating Cormorants Need To Somehow Be Relocated From Astoria Bridge Back To Estuary Island](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/deja-vu-oregon-study-says-once-again-salmon-eating-cormorants-need-to-somehow-be-relocated-from-astoria-bridge-back-to-estuary-island/) - The thousands of double-crested cormorants nesting on the 5-mile-long Astoria-Megler Bridge in the Columbia River estuary that are damaging the bridge, causing safety problems and eating more salmon and steelhead smolts must go, according to a value engineering study led by the Oregon Department of Transportation.
- [Guest Column: Northwest Tribes Demand Action For Salmon And Orca Restoration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/guest-column-northwest-tribes-demand-action-for-salmon-and-orca-restoration/) - More than 15 Northwest Tribal Nations gathered in early November to share stories about salmon, orca, water, and the land — and to demand the federal government uphold Tribal treaty obligations to recover and restore salmon in the Snake River and Columbia River Basin.
- [Recreational Angler In Washington Gets 50 Days In Jail For Snagging Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/recreational-angler-in-washington-gets-50-days-in-jail-for-snagging-salmon/) - A Pacific County judge has sentenced a recreational fisherman to 50 days in jail, fined him $1,500, and imposed a five-year fishing license suspension for repeat salmon snagging violations, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced.
- [Logging And Climate Change: Forest Modeling By OSU Shows Which Harvest Rotations Maximize Carbon Sequestration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/logging-and-climate-change-forest-modeling-by-osu-shows-which-harvest-rotations-maximize-carbon-sequestration/) - Forest modeling by Oregon State University scientists shows that a site’s productivity – an indicator of how fast trees grow and how much biomass they accumulate – is the main factor that determines which time period between timber harvests allows for maximum above-ground carbon sequestration.
- [Conservation Groups File Appeal Urging Washington Governor To Order New Rules For Wolf-Killing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/conservation-groups-file-appeal-urging-washington-governor-to-order-new-rules-for-wolf-killing/) - Conservation groups this week filed an appeal asking Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to order the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to draft enforceable rules that limit when the state can kill endangered wolves for conflicts with livestock.
- [$16 Million Headed To Central Oregon For Significant Water Conservation Projects Aimed At Habitat Restoration, Improved Streamflow For Fish, Frogs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/16-million-headed-to-central-oregon-for-significant-water-conservation-projects-aimed-at-habitat-restoration-improved-streamflow-for-fish-frogs/) - Oregon U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced this week a total of $4.1 million in federal investments from the Infrastructure Law are heading to the Crooked River Watershed Council and the Deschutes Land Trust. The funds are intended to boost collaborative projects focusing on water conservation, management, and restoration efforts. In addition, the Oregon Water Resources Department announced grants for four significant water conservation projects in Central Oregon.
- [BPA Says Fourth Quarter Boosted 2023 Revenues Beyond Forecasts, Intends To “Accelerate Fish And Wildlife Mitigation’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-says-fourth-quarter-boosted-2023-revenues-beyond-forecasts-intends-to-accelerate-fish-and-wildlife-mitigation/) - The Bonneville Power Administration says it ended fiscal year 2023 on solid financial footing, exceeding expectations of previous quarterly forecasts that indicated the agency would miss net revenues and expense targets. The agency’s annual report describes how the agency bounced back in the fourth quarter, offsetting cost pressures primarily from the 13th driest year on record.
- [Chelan PUD Juvenile Salmon Passage Study At Rocky Reach Dam Shows High Survival Numbers; HCPs Call For No Net Impact](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/chelan-pud-juvenile-salmon-passage-study-at-rocky-reach-dam-shows-high-survival-numbers-hcps-call-for-no-net-impact/) - More than 93% of young Chinook safely passed Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project last spring, says Chelan PUD. The results represent the most successful survival study of yearling Chinook in the 21-year history of the Rocky Reach Habitat Conservation Plan.
- [EPA Sending $32 Million To The Columbia River Basin For Projects Aimed At Reducing Toxins In Fish, Water](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/epa-sending-32-million-to-the-columbia-river-basin-for-projects-aimed-at-reducing-toxins-in-fish-water/) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is investing $31,768,530 million in projects and programs to reduce toxics in fish and water in the Columbia River Basin.
- [Removal Of Klamath River Dam (First Of Four) Restores Flows To Historic Canyon For First Time In 98 Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/removal-of-klamath-river-dam-first-of-four-restores-flows-to-historic-canyon-for-first-time-in-98-years/) - Earlier this month, crews put the final touches on the removal of the Copco No. 2 Dam and its diversion infrastructure on the Klamath River.
- [USFWS Reverses Course, Lists North American Wolverine As Threatened Under ESA, Taking Comment On Rule Allowing Certain ‘Take’ Activities](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-reverses-course-lists-north-american-wolverine-as-threatened-under-esa-taking-comment-on-rule-allowing-certain-take-activities/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced its final rule to list the distinct population segment of the North American wolverine in the contiguous U.S. as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
- [Leaked Court Mediation Document Listing ‘Actions And Commitments’ For Basin Salmon Recovery Draws Objections, Questions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/leaked-court-mediation-document-listing-actions-and-commitments-for-basin-salmon-recovery-draws-objections-questions/) - A draft agreement mediated by the Biden Administration outlining investments in Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead recovery that was to remain confidential until mid-December was leaked early this week by Washington and Oregon members of Congress.
- [The Heat Is On: Study Shows Pacific Northwest Snowpack Endangered By Increasing Spring Heatwaves](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/the-heat-is-on-study-shows-pacific-northwest-snowpack-endangered-by-increasing-spring-heatwaves/) - Even in the precipitation-heavy Pacific Northwest, more frequent heatwaves are threatening a key source of water supply.
- [The Heat Is On: Scientists Say Supercharged Heat Waves Will Strike Harder, More Often In Pacific Northwest](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/the-heat-is-on-scientists-say-supercharged-heat-waves-will-strike-harder-more-often-in-pacific-northwest/) - North America’s 2021 heat wave was Washington’s deadliest weather-related disaster, claiming over 100 lives in the evergreen state and many others in neighboring regions. Scientists not only suggest that such heat waves will grow more intense and strike more often—in new work, they reveal the underlying mechanism behind these strengthened heat waves.
- [USFWS Seeking Comment On Draft Recovery Plan For ESA-Listed Canada Lynx, Includes Upper Columbia Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-seeking-comment-on-draft-recovery-plan-for-esa-listed-canada-lynx-includes-upper-columbia-basin/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking public input on a draft recovery plan for the lower 48 distinct population segment of Canada lynx, informed by an updated species status assessment.
- [NOAA Opens Application Process For $106 Million In Funding For Projects Under Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-opens-application-process-for-106-million-in-funding-for-projects-under-pacific-coastal-salmon-recovery-fund/) - NOAA this month announced the availability of up to $106 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund for Pacific salmon and steelhead recovery and conservation projects. This funding — which includes funding from the Infrastructure Law — will support state and tribal salmon restoration projects and activities to protect, conserve and restore these fish populations and their habitats.
- [Specialized Forecasts Can Predict A Year In Advance Ocean Changes That Shift Fisheries, Cause Conflicts](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/specialized-forecasts-can-predict-a-year-in-advance-ocean-changes-that-shift-fisheries-cause-conflicts/) - Two new research studies describe the increasing accuracy of specialized scientific models in forecasting changes in the ocean up to a year in advance.
- [NOAA Fisheries Finds ESA-Listing For Washington Coast Chinook May Be Warranted; Status Review Initiated](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-fisheries-finds-esa-listing-for-washington-coast-chinook-may-be-warranted-status-review-initiated/) - In response to a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity and Pacific Rivers, the National Marine Fisheries Service has made an initial finding that Endangered Species Act protections may be warranted for Washington coast Chinook salmon. The agency will initiate a status review for Washington coast spring-run and fall-run salmon populations.
- [Hard-Working Angler Nets $107,800 For Pulling Northern Pikeminnow Out Of Columbia River Under Reward Program](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/hard-working-angler-nets-107800-for-pulling-northern-pikeminnow-out-of-columbia-river-under-reward-program/) - The final winner in the Northern Pikeminnow Sport Reward Fishery Program this year received a whopping $107,800 for their efforts to catch the aggressive predator of juvenile salmon and steelhead. Even the second-place angler received nearly $100,000 in winnings with a total catch of 9,786 pikeminnow.
- [Study Finds High Levels Of Mercury In Snake River’s Smallmouth Bass In Reservoirs Compared To Free-Flowing Stretches](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-finds-high-levels-of-mercury-in-snake-rivers-smallmouth-bass-in-reservoirs-compared-to-free-flowing-stretches/) - Mercury concentrations are twice as high in smallmouth bass found in reservoirs than those in the free-flowing sections of the Snake River in Idaho and Oregon, according to a joint U.S. Geological Survey and Idaho Power Company study that looked at 1,815 specimens of this popular recreational fishing species from a variety of habitats in 31 sites along 530 miles of the Snake River.
- [D.C. Subcommittee Hearing: NW GOP Lawmakers Complain About Confidential (Leaked) Draft Salmon Settlement Talks](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/d-c-subcommittee-hearing-nw-gop-lawmakers-complain-about-confidential-leaked-draft-salmon-settlement-talks/) - Biden administration officials bound by court-ordered confidentiality declined to participate in a congressional oversight hearing Tuesday focused on a leaked draft settlement of the long-running salmon and dams litigation in the Columbia River basin.
- [IDFG Surveys Impact On Fish From Copper Treatment Used To Kill Quagga Mussels In Snake River; Tons Of Dead Fish, While Some Species Survived](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idfg-surveys-impact-on-fish-from-copper-treatment-used-to-kill-quagga-mussels-in-snake-river-tons-of-dead-fish-while-some-species-survived/) - Idaho Fish and Game biologists quickly learned that the copper treatment to rid a stretch of the Snake River from quagga mussels caused high mortality in certain species – at least six to seven tons of dead fish -- while others survived quite well.
- [Oregon’s Clackamas River Seeing Impressive Return Of Coho, Wild Spring Chinook, Utility Cites Modernized Fish Passage Systems At Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregons-clackamas-river-seeing-impressive-return-of-coho-wild-spring-chinook-utility-cites-modernized-fish-passage-systems-at-dams/) - More than 17,000 adult coho salmon and nearly 5,000 wild spring Chinook salmon returned to Portland General Electric’s North Fork Dam on the Clackamas River this fall, according to the utility.
- [Washington Says $14 Million Columbia River Commercial Gillnet Buyback Program Successful, Purchased 70 Percent Of Licenses; No Oregon Buybacks](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-says-14-million-columbia-river-commercial-gillnet-buyback-program-successful-purchased-70-percent-of-licenses-no-oregon-buybacks/) - The state of Washington has successfully reduced the number of commercial Columbia River gillnet licenses in the state from 240 to 67. The reduction is the result of a $14.4 million commercial license reduction program approved by the state’s legislature in 2021, and a part of a plan to move gillnet boats off the mainstem of the river and to give more of the salmon harvest to recreational anglers.
- [Burns Paiute Tribe Calls On FERC, Biden Administration To Identify Measures To Return Salmon To Malheur River Basin Upstream Of Hells Canyon Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/burns-paiute-tribe-calls-on-ferc-biden-administration-to-identify-measures-to-return-salmon-to-malheur-river-basin-upstream-of-hells-canyon-dams/) - The Burns Paiute Tribe of southeastern Oregon has sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission asking that action be taken to identify measures to return salmon to the Malheur River Basin upstream of Idaho Power’s three-dam Hells Canyon Complex on the Snake River along the Idaho-Oregon border. Idaho Power, in the midst of relicensing those dams, says salmon and steelhead were extirpated before the dams were built and the complex was not central to these losses.
- [Early Columbia River 2024 Salmon Forecasts Show Spring Chinook Lower Than Last Year, Sockeye May See Large Increase](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/early-columbia-river-2024-salmon-forecasts-show-spring-chinook-lower-than-last-year-sockeye-may-see-large-increase/) - The early run size forecast for spring Chinook salmon next year into the Columbia River basin is slightly lower than the 2023 actual return of the spring fish and much lower than last year’s early run size forecast.
- [Senators Push Biden, Trudeau To Swiftly Complete New Columbia River Treaty Before Canada Flood Control Goes From Certainty To ‘Called-Upon’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/senators-push-biden-trudeau-to-swiftly-complete-new-columbia-river-treaty-before-canada-flood-control-goes-from-certainty-to-called-upon/) - U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, this week sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging them to finalize an agreement between the U.S. and Canada to modernize and strengthen the treaty.
- [Biden Administration, Two States, Treaty Tribes Reach MOU On Columbia River Basin Salmon Recovery, Litigation Paused For At Least Five Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/biden-administration-two-states-treaty-tribes-reach-mou-on-columbia-river-basin-salmon-recovery-litigation-paused-for-at-least-five-years/) - The Biden Administration, Columbia River treaty tribes and the states of Oregon and Washington agreed Thursday to work to restore wild salmon populations in the Columbia and Snake river basins and to delay ongoing litigation for five years, with an option for the delay to go as long as 10 years.
- [$86 Million Announced For British Columbia Salmon Restoration Projects, Part Of Canada’s Pacific Salmon Restoration Strategy](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/86-million-announced-for-british-columbia-salmon-restoration-projects-part-of-canadas-pacific-salmon-restoration-strategy/) - Last month, the Canadian Minister of Fisheries, Oceans, and the Canadian Coast Guard, Diane Lebouthillier, and the British Columbia Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, Nathan Cullen, announced $86,119,340 for 58 projects receiving funding under the second phase of the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF).
- [USDA Proposes National Forest Plan Amendment To Conserve, Restore Old Growth Forests, First Of Its Kind](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usda-proposes-national-forest-plan-amendment-to-conserve-restore-old-growth-forests-first-of-its-kind/) - Consistent with direction from President Biden in an executive order to conserve and restore old and mature forests, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a proposal to amend all 128 forest land management plans to conserve and steward old-growth forest conditions on national forests and grasslands nationwide.
- [NOAA’s 2023 Arctic Report Card: Summer Air Temperatures Warmest Ever Observed, New Chapter Focuses On Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaas-2023-arctic-report-card-summer-air-temperatures-warmest-ever-observed-new-chapter-focuses-on-salmon/) - NOAA’s 2023 Arctic Report Card documents new records showing that human-caused warming of the air, ocean and land is affecting people, ecosystems and communities across the Arctic region, which is heating up faster than any other part of the world.
- [Tree Ring History: Study Shows Oregon Cascade Range Forests Burned More Often Than Previously Thought, But Fires Much Smaller](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tree-ring-history-study-shows-oregon-cascade-range-forests-burned-more-often-than-previously-thought-but-fires-much-smaller/) - Forests on the west slope of Oregon’s Cascade Range experienced fire much more often between 1500 and 1895 than had been previously thought, according to new research by scientists at Oregon State University.
- [Sturgeon Fishing Too Good; Retention Closes From Bonneville Dam To John Day Dam](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/sturgeon-fishing-too-good-retention-closes-from-bonneville-dam-to-john-day-dam/) - Oregon and Washington closed recreational white sturgeon retention from Bonneville Dam upstream to the tailwater of the John Day Dam this week. The closure began the end of the day on January 3.
- [Oregon Commission Says Revised Wolf Plan Not Needed; Staff To Focus On Wolf-Livestock Conflict, High Illegal Take Rate](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-commission-says-revised-wolf-plan-not-needed-staff-to-focus-on-wolf-livestock-conflict-high-illegal-take-rate/) - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, at a workshop last month, determined that revision of the Wolf Plan was not needed at this time, while directing staff to focus on addressing key challenges including wolf-livestock conflict, reducing illegal take, and population monitoring.
- [Canadian Researchers Find Toxic Chemicals From Oil Spills, Wildfire Smoke (PAHs) In Killer Whales, Transfers Mother To Fetus](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/canadian-researchers-find-toxic-chemicals-from-oil-spills-wildfire-smoke-pahs-in-killer-whales-transfers-mother-to-fetus/) - Toxic chemicals produced from oil emissions and wildfire smoke have been found in muscle and liver samples from Southern Resident killer whales and Bigg’s killer whales.
- [NOAA Grants $27 Million For Projects To Help Restore Willamette Valley Imperiled Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-grants-27-million-for-projects-to-help-restore-willamette-valley-imperiled-salmon-steelhead/) - NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation is using $27 million under the Infrastructure Law to support four major projects aiming at boosting threatened salmon and steelhead in Oregon’s Willamette River watershed.
- [With Higher Spill At Dams, Detecting Survival Of PIT-Tagged Juvenile Salmon, Steelhead Extremely Elusive, Creating Key Data Gap](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-higher-spill-at-dams-detecting-survival-of-pit-tagged-juvenile-salmon-steelhead-extremely-elusive-creating-key-data-gap/) - The precision of estimating salmon and steelhead smolt survival rates through Snake and Columbia river dams during the 2023 spring outmigration is remaining elusive. This is the fifth straight year that high levels of court-ordered spill at Columbia and Snake river dams have impacted detection rates of the tagged juveniles as they migrated downstream through eight dams.
- [Idaho, Montana, Utilities, Ports File Opposition To Proposed Salmon Recovery MOU, Stay Mediated By Biden Administration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-montana-utilities-ports-file-opposition-to-proposed-salmon-recovery-mou-stay-mediated-by-biden-administration/) - Idaho and Montana – along with the region’s public power utilities and inland ports in Idaho, among others, are opposed to the Biden Administration’s Memorandum of Understanding on Columbia Basin salmon recovery and have filed their displeasure in federal court, saying they were entirely left out of making the deal.
- [ODFW Director Melcher Retiring In April, Recruitment Process Underway](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-director-melcher-retiring-in-april-recruitment-process-underway/) - Curt Melcher, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife's Director since 2014, has announced he is retiring effective April 1, 2024.
- [Washington Governor Directs WDFW To Draft New Rules For Handling Wolf-Livestock Conflicts](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-governor-directors-wdfw-to-draft-new-rules-for-handling-wolf-livestock-conflicts/) - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee last week directed the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission to draft new rules to guide when wolves can be killed for conflict with livestock and prioritize using nonlethal methods of conflict deterrence over killing wolves.
- [Montana Survey Shows Tolerance Of Wolves Way Up Among State's General Population, Tolerance of Wolf Hunting Down](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-survey-shows-tolerance-of-wolves-way-up-among-general-population-tolerance-of-wolf-hunting-down/) - Montanans have varying attitudes and beliefs about wolves and wolf management, and over time some of those feelings have shifted, according to a new survey conducted cooperatively by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the University of Montana.
- [New USGS Report Shows 75 Percent Of U.S. Could Experience Damaging Earthquake Shaking In Coming Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-usgs-report-shows-75-percent-of-u-s-could-experience-damaging-earthquake-shaking-in-coming-years/) - Nearly 75 percent of the U.S. could experience damaging earthquake shaking, according to a recent U.S. Geological Survey-led team of over scientists and engineers.
- [For First Time, Crews At Ashland Watercraft Inspection Site Find Invasive Quagga Mussels; Pontoon Boat From Lake Mead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/for-first-time-crews-at-ashland-watercraft-inspection-site-find-invasive-quagga-mussels-pontoon-boat-from-lake-mead/) - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff at the Ashland Boat Inspection Station found quagga mussels on a pontoon boat that was being transported from Lake Mead, Nev., into Oregon on Jan. 4.
- [Salmon Becoming ‘Thiamine Deficient’; Researchers Find Hope In Thiamine Compounds Found In Salmon Spawning Rivers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/salmon-becoming-thiamine-deficient-researchers-find-hope-in-thiamine-compounds-found-in-salmon-spawning-rivers/) - Oregon State University researchers have discovered vitamin B1 produced by microbes in rivers, findings that may offer hope for vitamin-deficient salmon populations.
- [Group Petitions NOAA Fisheries To List Alaska Chinook Salmon Under ESA; State Says ‘Targeted Attack’ On Alaska](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/group-petitions-noaa-fisheries-to-list-alaska-chinook-salmon-under-esa-state-says-targeted-attack-on-alaska/) - The Wild Fish Conservancy has petitioned NOAA Fisheries to list Alaska king salmon under the Endangered Species Act, saying the fish are in “severe decline and poor condition.”
- [With Still Developing El Nino, Contrasting Pattern In North Pacific, NOAA Says Signals Mixed For NW Juvenile Salmon Growth, Survival This Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-still-developing-el-nino-contrasting-pattern-in-north-pacific-noaa-says-signals-mixed-for-nw-juvenile-salmon-growth-survival-this-year/) - The ocean indicators that NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center researchers track off Newport, on the Central Oregon Coast, are decidedly mixed for juvenile salmon the coming year. El Niño is still developing at the equator and there are both positive and negative indicators in local waters for emerging salmon.
- [If Columbia River Basin Salmon MOU Approved By Court, What Will Be The Role Of Northwest Power/Conservation Council? Hard To Say](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/if-columbia-river-basin-salmon-mou-approved-by-court-what-will-be-the-role-of-northwest-power-conservation-council-hard-to-say/) - Commitments to restore Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead populations made by the federal government and “six sovereigns” will intersect or overlap with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s responsibilities under the Northwest Power Act, according to a presentation at last week’s Council meeting.
- [Seems Like A Lot Of Snowy, Wet Weather, But Columbia Basin Water Supply Likely To Remain Below Normal; 77 Percent At Dalles Dam](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/seems-like-a-lot-of-snowy-wet-weather-but-columbia-basin-water-supply-likely-to-remain-below-normal-77-percent-at-dalles-dam/) - The Columbia River basin began the new year with below average snowpack and below average water supply forecasts
- [New Filing Takes Issue With Requests For District Court To Reject Proposed 5-Year Delay Of Columbia River Basin Salmon Litigation](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-filing-takes-issue-with-requests-for-district-court-to-reject-proposed-5-year-delay-of-columbia-river-basin-salmon-litigation/) - Federal agencies, states and tribes say a five-year or more pause in U.S. District Court litigation over Columbia River basin salmon recovery will harm none of the parties that objected to the “stay” in December. Instead, they say in a Jan. 12 filing, a stay will allow the region to focus on “important partnership efforts … to benefit the fish, wildlife, diverse habitat, and Native American communities in the Northwest.”
- [Montana Study Quantifies Interconnected Impacts Of Climate Change, Irrigation On Hundreds Of Western Watersheds’ Surface Water Flows](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-study-quantifies-interconnected-impacts-of-climate-change-irrigation-on-hundreds-of-western-watersheds-surface-water-flows/) - In a study that could help reshape understanding and management of water resources in the Western United States, David Ketchum, a 2023 graduate of the University of Montana systems ecology Ph.D. program, has unveiled a 35-year analysis quantifying the interconnected impacts of climate change and irrigation on surface water flows.
- [Marine Heat Waves Trigger Earlier Reproduction, High Juvenile Mortality In Pacific Cod In Gulf Of Alaska Years After Event](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/marine-heat-waves-trigger-earlier-reproduction-high-mortality-in-juvenile-pacific-cod-in-gulf-of-alaska-years-after-event/) - Marine heat waves appear to trigger earlier reproduction, high mortality in early life stages and fewer surviving juvenile Pacific cod in the Gulf of Alaska, a new study from Oregon State University shows.
- [Petition Filed To ESA-List Near Extinct Columbia River Gorge Wonder Caddisfly; Only Survives In 100-Yard Stretch Of Stream](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/petition-filed-to-esa-list-near-extinct-columbia-river-gorge-wonder-caddisfly-only-survives-in-100-yard-stretch-of-stream/) - The Center for Biological Diversity filed a legal petition this week with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the wonder caddisfly under the Endangered Species Act.
- [WSU Researchers Find Permeable Pavements May Reduce Salmon-Killing Tire Wear Particles](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-researchers-find-permeable-pavements-may-reduce-salmon-killing-tire-wear-particles/) - The pore-like structure of permeable pavements may help protect coho salmon by preventing tire wear particles and related contaminants from entering stormwater runoff, according to a Washington State University study.
- [Griz In The Bitterroots? USFWS Initiates Scoping Period To Evaluate Restoration Of Grizzly Bears In Montana-Idaho Bitterroot Ecosystem](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/griz-in-the-bitterroots-usfws-initiates-scoping-period-to-evaluate-restoration-of-grizzly-bears-in-montana-idaho-bitterroot-ecosystem/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced a public scoping period to consider options for restoring grizzly bears to the Bitterroot ecosystem.
- [Montana Files Notice Of Intent To Sue USFWS Over Recent Wolverine ESA Listing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-files-notice-of-intent-to-sue-usfws-over-recent-wolverine-esa-listing/) - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of its intent to pursue legal action over the recent listing of wolverines as a threatened species.
- [Northwest, Southwest Fisheries Science Centers Get $27 Million For New Science, Research To Advance Pacific Salmon Recovery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-southwest-fisheries-science-centers-get-27-million-for-new-science-research-to-advance-pacific-salmon-recovery/) - The Department of Commerce and NOAA has announced plans for $27 million to recover threatened and endangered Pacific salmon in the face of climate change.
- [Harvest Managers Approve Commercial Research Gillnetting for ESA-Listed Columbia River Smelt; If Numbers Good, Recreational Dip-Netting To Follow](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/harvest-managers-approve-commercial-research-gillnetting-for-esa-listed-columbia-river-smelt-if-numbers-good-recreational-dip-netting-to-follow/) - With another good run of ESA-listed smelt expected this year into the Columbia River and a few lower river tributaries, the two-state Columbia River Compact approved this week commercial research gillnetting for the small fish through mid-March.
- [NW GOP House Members Push Legislation To Prohibit Use Of Federal Funds For Implementing Salmon Recovery MOU, Dam Breaching Prep](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nw-gop-house-members-push-legislation-to-prohibit-use-of-federal-funds-for-implementing-salmon-recovery-mou-preparing-for-dam-breaching/) - U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) has introduced the Defending Against Manipulative Negotiators Act (DAMN ACT) to prohibit the use of federal funds from being used in breaching or altering the Lower Snake River Dams and to prohibit the implementation of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative.
- [Salmon Recovery MOU A Secret, Radical Deal? Republicans Say Yes, Administration Officials Say Brings Stability, Helps Fish, Contains Costs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/salmon-recovery-mou-a-secret-radical-deal-republicans-say-yes-administration-officials-say-brings-stability-helps-fish-contains-costs/) - Senior members of the Biden administration and Republican members of Congress painted vastly divergent pictures Tuesday of the agreement that could pause litigation over Snake River dams and salmon for the next decade.
- [Hatcheries: Groups To Sue Over Lower Columbia Hatcheries’ Impacts On Wild Salmon; NOAA Seeks Comments On Expanding Hatcheries To Help Orcas](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/hatcheries-groups-to-sue-over-lower-columbia-hatcheries-impacts-on-wild-salmon-noaa-seeks-comments-on-expanding-hatcheries-to-help-orcas/) - Two Northwest conservation groups have alleged that lower Columbia River hatcheries harm wild salmon and steelhead, sending a 60-day notice of intent to sue federal, state and county agencies that oversee and operate Mitchell Act and SAFE hatcheries.
- [Harvest Managers Predict 2024 Upriver Spring Chinook Return To Columbia River 15 percent Smaller Than 2023; Expect Drop In Wild Fish To Snake River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/harvest-managers-predict-2024-upriver-spring-chinook-return-to-columbia-river-15-percent-smaller-than-2023-expect-drop-in-wild-fish-to-snake-river/) - Fisheries biologists are predicting that a smaller run of upriver spring Chinook salmon will return this year to the Columbia River than had returned last year, and that fewer of those fish will be of natural origin, continuing a years’ long trend, according to a report released last week by Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife agencies.
- [Public Power Council Seeks Ninth Circuit Review Of BPA’s Actions Regarding Salmon Recovery MOU](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/public-power-council-seeks-ninth-circuit-review-of-bpas-actions-regarding-salmon-recovery-mou/) - The Public Power Council this week filed a Petition for Review in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding a recently announced U.S. Government agreement that PPC and its members believe inappropriately binds the Bonneville Power Administration to significant actions and commitments that are outside BPA’s congressionally-authorized mission and related obligations.
- [Federal Judge Approves Years-Long Pause On Basin Salmon Recovery Litigation So Parties Can Pursue Tribal-States-Feds Restoration Plan](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/federal-judge-approves-years-long-pause-on-basin-salmon-recovery-litigation-so-parties-can-pursue-tribal-states-feds-restoration-plan/) - Oregon U.S. District Court Judge Michael Simon Thursday approved a long-term pause in Columbia/Snake River salmon recovery litigation so a tribal-state plan and U.S. government commitments to restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin will continue as plann
- [Snake River Wild Steelhead: Potlatch River Long-Term Steelhead Restoration Plan Improves Juvenile Numbers But Declines In Adult Fish Continue](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/snake-river-wild-steelhead-potlatch-river-long-term-steelhead-restoration-plan-improves-juvenile-numbers-but-declines-in-adult-fish-continues/) - An important population of listed steelhead in Idaho’s Snake River basin has been getting the help it needs to boost its numbers – removal of barriers, increasing habitat complexity, fewer scouring spring flows and higher and more consistent summer streamflows.
- [Domestication Selection: Researchers Use DNA To Examine Genetic Differences Between Hatchery, Wild Chinook Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/domestication-selection-researchers-use-dna-to-examine-genetic-difference-between-hatchery-wild-chinook-salmon/) - Hatchery-reared salmon show genetic differences from wild populations in only a few generations, but those differences vary among hatcheries.
- [Basin Water Supply Dropping With Most Watersheds Well Below Normal, Setting Up Low Expectations For The Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/basin-water-supply-dropping-with-most-watersheds-well-below-normal-setting-up-low-expectations-for-the-year/) - After nearly a month of cold weather and heavy snow across the Columbia River basin, giving fisheries managers hope that there would be plenty of streamflow this summer for salmon and steelhead, February has been drier and warmer than normal, leaving the basin water supply at just 75 percent of average, as measured at The Dalles Dam.
- [Efforts To Suppress Salmon-Eating Northern Pike In Upper Columbia Successful, But Require Long-Term, Sustained Effort](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/efforts-to-suppress-salmon-eating-northern-pike-in-upper-columbia-successful-but-require-long-term-sustained-effort/) - Efforts to suppress northern pike in reservoirs upstream of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams so far have been successful at keeping the voracious predator from populating waters downstream in what is considered the “anadromous zone” where it is feared the invasive fish would decimate salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia River basin. Many of those anadromous fish are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Study Looks At Invisible Nanoplastics Threatening Marine Ecosytems; Small Size Penetrates Living Organisms](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-looks-at-invisible-nanoplastics-threatening-marine-ecosytems-small-size-penetrates-living-organisms/) - Millions of tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year. The sun’s ultraviolet light and ocean turbulence break down these plastics into invisible nanoparticles that threaten marine ecosystems.
- [Study Shows Very Low, Brief Levels Of Pesticide Exposure Can Affect Fish For Generations; Offspring ‘Developmentally Deformed’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-very-low-brief-levels-of-pesticide-exposure-can-affect-fish-for-generations-offspring-developmentally-deformed/) - Fish exposed to some pesticides at extremely low concentrations for a brief period of time can demonstrate lasting behavioral changes, with the impact extending to offspring that were never exposed firsthand, a recent study found.
- [NOAA Status Review Says Sacramento Winter-Run Chinook Remain Endangered, Serious Threats From Climate Change, Disease](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-status-review-says-sacramento-winter-run-chinook-remain-endangered-serious-threats-from-climate-change-disease/) - Though agencies and partners have pulled together to support the recovery of endangered Sacramento winter-run Chinook salmon in the last few years, NOAA Fisheries says the species is still in trouble, facing threats from climate change and other factors.
- [Climate Change Hitting West Coast Fishing Fleets, Study Shows Vessels Further North Will Experience More Dramatic Changes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/climate-change-hitting-west-coast-fishing-fleets-study-shows-vessels-further-north-will-experience-more-dramatic-changes/) - A new NOAA Fisheries study examined how climate change might affect commercial fishing fleets on the U.S. West Coast, assessing the risk to different bottom trawl groundfish fishing fleets in California, Oregon, and Washington.
- [FERC’s Final EIS On Columbia River Pumped Storage Project Near John Day Dam Recommends Issuing A License With Conditions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fercs-final-eis-on-columbia-river-pumped-storage-project-near-john-day-dam-recommends-issuing-a-license-with-conditions/) - A final environmental impact statement by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff for the Goldendale Energy Storage Project near the Columbia River’s John Day Dam recommends issuing a license that includes conditions required by the Clean Water Act, and staff-recommended modifications and additional measures submitted by state and federal agencies, Tribes, and non-governmental organizations.
- [Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission Votes To List Southern Resident Orcas As Endangered Under State ESA, Forage Near Mouth Of Columbia](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-fish-and-wildlife-commission-votes-to-list-southern-resident-orcas-as-endangered-under-state-esa-forage-near-mouth-of-columbia/) - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission has voted unanimously to list Southern Resident orcas as endangered under Oregon's Endangered Species Act. Southern Resident orcas now number just 75 whales in three pods and have been listed as endangered under federal law since 2005.
- [States Set Early, Cautious Dates For Spring Chinook Angling On Columbia River; Impacts To Struggling Wild Snake River Fish Limiting Factor](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/states-set-early-cautious-dates-for-spring-chinook-angling-on-columbia-river-impacts-to-struggling-wild-snake-river-fish-limiting-factor/) - Oregon and Washington fisheries managers approved 36 days of recreational angling in the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 near the river’s mouth to Bonneville Dam to kick off the 2024 spring Chinook salmon season. Fishing begins March 1 and ends April 5, which is more than a month before the spring Chinook season officially ends on June 15.
- [Initial Phase Of Klamath River Drawdowns Complete, Reservoirs Drained By Late Spring; Dam Removal Follows](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/initial-phase-of-klamath-river-drawdowns-complete-reservoirs-drained-by-late-spring-dam-removal-follows/) - The initial phase of reservoir drawdowns on the Klamath River – the draining of Iron Gate, Copco, and JC Boyle reservoirs – is now complete. Draining the reservoirs is a critical step on the path to deconstructing the remaining three Klamath River dams that are slated for removal later this year.
- [Judge Says Northwest Dam Violating ESA By Harming Listed Salmon, Steelhead Needs To Go; Orders Breaching This Summer](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/judge-says-northwest-dam-violating-esa-by-harming-listed-salmon-steelhead-needs-to-go-orders-breaching-this-summer/) - A federal judge in Seattle last week ordered the owners of the Electron diversion dam on the Puyallup River in Washington to breach the dam by this summer because it violates the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Biden Administration, States, Tribes Formally Sign Billion-Dollar Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative To Recover Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/biden-administration-states-tribes-formally-sign-billion-dollar-columbia-basin-restoration-initiative-to-recover-salmon-steelhead/) - The Biden administration, along with the governors of Oregon and Washington and leaders of four lower Columbia River tribes – the six sovereigns – formally signed an agreement last week that commits the federal government to as much as $1 billion to build infrastructure for eventual removal of four lower Snake River dams and to recover salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River basin.
- [Other Industry, Power Groups Join Public Power Council In Challenging In Ninth Circuit BPA’s Signing Of Salmon Recovery MOU](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/other-industry-power-groups-join-public-power-council-in-challenging-in-ninth-circuit-bpas-signing-of-salmon-recovery-mou/) - The Public Power Council has announced the Alliance of Western Energy Consumers will file a petition for review and join PPC’s Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals challenges of the Bonneville Power Administration’s decision to enter into a U.S. Government agreement and Memorandum of Understanding on Columbia River salmon recovery that commits BPA to various obligations.
- [Warming Waters Threatening Walleye, Spawning Timing Off With More Variable Spring Thaw](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/warming-waters-threatening-walleye-timing-of-spawning-off-with-more-variable-spring-thaw/) - Walleye are one of the most sought-after species in freshwater sportfishing, a delicacy on Midwestern menus and a critically important part of the culture of many Indigenous communities. They are also struggling to survive in the warming waters of the midwestern United States and Canada.
- [Researchers Document First-Ever Hoary Bat Flying Over Open Ocean In Area Slated For Wind Power Off Northern California Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/researchers-document-first-ever-hoary-bat-flying-over-open-ocean-in-area-slated-for-wind-power-off-northern-california-coast/) - On a research cruise focused on marine mammals and seabirds, Oregon State University scientists earned an unexpected bonus: The first-ever documented sighting of a hoary bat flying over the open ocean.
- [Oregon Researchers Lead Effort To Expand Ocean Conditions Monitoring Using Sensors On Crab Pots](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-researchers-lead-effort-to-expand-ocean-conditions-monitoring-using-sensors-on-crab-pots/) - Oregon State University researchers are leading an effort to refine the design and expand use of oxygen monitoring sensors that can be deployed in fishing pots to relay critical information on changing ocean conditions to the fishing industry.
- [Gas Bubble Disease In Klamath River Leads To Large Mortality Of Fall-Run Chinook Salmon Fry Released From Hatchery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/gas-bubble-disease-in-klamath-river-leads-to-large-mortality-of-fall-run-chinook-salmon-fry-released-from-hatchery/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that fall-run Chinook salmon fry released for the first time from its Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in Siskiyou County are presumed to have succumbed to gas bubble disease in the Klamath River.
- [Study Says Cooler, Wetter Pacific Northwest Forests -The Westside – To See Biggest Increases In Fires As Climate Warms](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-says-cooler-wetter-pacific-northwest-forests-the-westside-to-see-biggest-increases-in-fires-as-climate-warms/) - Forests in the coolest, wettest parts of the western Pacific Northwest are likely to see the biggest increases in burn probability, fire size and number of blazes as the climate continues to get warmer and drier, according to new modeling led by an Oregon State University scientist.
- [Reopening Rivers For Salmon, Steelhead: 10-Year Effort Underway To Remove, Replace Culverts Blocking Fish Passage On Olympic Peninsula](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/reopening-rivers-for-salmon-steelhead-10-year-effort-underway-to-remove-replace-culverts-blocking-fish-passage-on-olympic-peninsula/) - The cold water rivers of Western Washington hold some of the last, best freshwater habitat for salmon and steelhead in the lower 48 states, and despite a warming climate, their high-elevation headwaters are predicted to remain cool enough for salmon and steelhead for at least the next 50 years.
- [EPA Proposing To Add Upper Columbia River To Superfund List; High Level Of Lead, Arsenic Pose Unacceptable Risk To Children](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/epa-proposing-to-add-upper-columbia-river-to-superfund-list-high-level-of-lead-arsenic-pose-unacceptable-risk-to-children/) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week it is proposing to add the Upper Columbia River Site in northeast Washington to the National Priorities List, the list of hazardous waste sites in the United States eligible for cleanup financed under the federal Superfund Program.
- [February’s Lower Temps, Normal Precip Gives Slight Improvement To Columbia Basin April-August Water Supply Forecast; 83 Percent Of Average](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/februarys-lower-temps-normal-precip-gives-slight-improvement-to-columbia-basin-april-august-water-supply-forecast-83-percent-of-average/) - With lower-than-normal temperatures and near normal precipitation in February across the Columbia River basin, the March water supply forecast is showing some improvement over the last two months.
- [Due To New Agreement On Columbia/Snake River Salmon Recovery, Spill For Fish At Federal Dams Starts A Month Earlier](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/due-to-new-agreement-on-columbia-snake-river-salmon-recovery-spill-for-fish-at-federal-dams-starts-a-month-earlier/) - Spilling instead of passing water through turbines at some Columbia/ Snake River dams to aid safe passage for juvenile salmon and steelhead began March 1, one month earlier than in past years, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- [Novel Parasite Detected In Sick Rainbow Trout At Three Oregon Fish Hatcheries, Warming Waters Favor Pathogens](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/novel-parasite-detected-in-sick-rainbow-trout-at-three-oregon-fish-hatcheries-warming-waters-favor-pathogens/) - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s fish health lab has detected a novel parasite in sick rainbow trout that were raised at Klamath Falls, Rock Creek and Elk River hatcheries. The detection marks the first time this parasite has been associated with disease symptoms in Oregon's fish.
- [Montana Detects Season’s First Mussel-Fouled Watercraft At Anaconda Inspection Station, Boat Was Headed To Ephrata, WA](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-detects-seasons-first-mussel-fouled-watercraft-at-anaconda-inspection-station-boat-was-headed-to-ephrata-wa/) - Montana’s first mussel-fouled watercraft of the year was intercepted at the Anaconda watercraft inspection station on March 10.
- [WDFW Release For Public Comment Northern Pike Rapid Response Plan, Fish Expected To Expand Throughout State](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-release-for-public-comment-northern-pike-rapid-response-plan-fish-expected-to-expand-throughout-state/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a draft Interagency Northern Pike Rapid Response Plan that guides coordination and resources to prevent the spread of northern pike to new areas in Washington and develop long-term management plans for the voracious predator. The draft plan is undergoing a State Environmental Policy Act review. As part of that process, WDFW is asking members of the public for input.
- [NOAA Climate Report Says Winter 2023-24 Was Record-Warm Winter For U.S., Third Warmest February](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-climate-report-says-winter-2023-24-was-record-warm-winter-for-u-s-third-warmest-february/) - A very mild February wrapped up a record-warm winter for the U.S., according to experts from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information.
- [New Report By Group Favoring Breaching says Lower Snake Dams, Reservoirs Major Source Of Greenhouse Gases](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-report-by-group-favoring-breaching-says-lower-snake-dams-reservoirs-major-source-of-greenhouse-gases/) - A new report says that the four lower Snake River dams are not as environmentally friendly as dam advocates tout.
- [Work Progresses On Removing Second Of Four Dams On Klamath River; Copco No. 1 Should Be Gone By End Of Summer](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/work-progresses-on-removing-second-of-four-dams-on-klamath-river-copco-no-1-should-be-gone-by-end-of-summer/) - Following a successful test blast, the Klamath River Renewal Corporation will proceed with the removal of the Copco No. 1 Dam, the second dam to be removed as a part of the Klamath dam removal project. The Copco No. 1 Dam, constructed in 1918 for the sole purpose of hydroelectric power generation, has blocked fish passage for over 100 years and is expected to be fully removed by the end of August.
- [Study: Low Oxygen Conditions (Hypoxia) Widespread, Increasing Off Pacific Northwest Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-low-oxygen-conditions-hypoxia-widespread-increasing-off-pacific-northwest-coast/) - Low oxygen conditions that pose a significant threat to marine life are widespread and increasing in coastal Pacific Northwest ocean waters as the climate warms, a new study shows.
- [OSU, NOAA Publish First Study Examining Marine Heat Wave Impacts On Entire Ocean Ecosystem In California Current, Food Webs Disrupted](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-noaa-publish-first-study-examining-marine-heat-wave-impacts-on-entire-ocean-ecosystem-in-california-current-food-webs-disrupted/) - Marine heat waves in the northeast Pacific Ocean create ongoing and complex disruptions of the ocean food web that may benefit some species but threaten the future of many others, a new study has shown.
- [Strong, Ocean-Warming El Nino Has Arrived But Researchers Say California Current Ecosystem Should Hold Up Better Than Last Time (2015)](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/strong-ocean-warming-el-nino-has-arrived-but-researchers-say-california-current-ecosystem-should-hold-up-better-than-last-time-2015/) - The California Current ecosystem is a vital ocean system stretching from Washington to Baja California. It is facing a strong 2024 El Niño event, a cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean. However, the latest information from NOAA’s Integrated Ecosystem Assessment program suggests the ecosystem is better positioned to weather these changing conditions than previous El Niño events.
- [This Year’s West Coast Ocean Salmon Fishing Alternatives Reflect Expected Low Abundance Of ESA-Listed Salmon Stocks, In-Season Cuts Possible](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-years-west-coast-ocean-salmon-fishing-alternatives-reflect-expected-low-abundance-of-esa-listed-salmon-stocks-in-season-cuts-possible/) - Fishery managers have developed options for Washington’s ocean salmon fisheries that reflect lower numbers of several coho salmon stocks predicted to return this year.
- [Ocean Conditions Key For Columbia River Basin Salmon/Steelhead Survival, NOAA Researchers Say About Average In 2023](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ocean-conditions-key-for-columbia-river-basin-salmon-steelhead-survival-noaa-researchers-say-about-average-in-2023/) - urvival of Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead is poor – in most cases less than 2 percent smolt to adult returns – compared to a Northwest Power and Conservation SARs goal of 6 percent, according to a presentation at the Council’s March meeting.
- [Montana Climate Office Says Western Montana Headed To Lowest Snowpack Ever Seen; Big Ripple Effects Downstream Of Three Major Rivers’ Headwaters](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-climate-office-says-western-montana-headed-to-lowest-snowpack-ever-seen-big-ripple-effects-downstream-of-three-major-rivers-headwaters/) - Snowpack this winter continues to be at an all-time low across several river basins in western Montana, indicating that this year could see water shortages, according to recent projections from the Montana Climate Office.
- [Invasive Walleye Moving Higher Into Snake River Basin, Threatening Wild, Hatchery Stocks Of Juvenile Salmon, Steelhead, Lamprey](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/invasive-walleye-moving-higher-into-snake-river-basin-threatening-wild-hatchery-stocks-of-juvenile-salmon-steelhead-lamprey/) - Walleye, an invasive species with a reputation for a voracious appetite, has moved down the Columbia River from Lake Roosevelt and are now being counted in increasing numbers upstream of Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River, according to a report by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game.
- [Dam-Sheds: Tribes Report Calculates Loss Of Spring/Summer Chinook On Upper Snake River Due To Dams At 1.4 Million Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dam-sheds-tribes-report-calculates-loss-of-spring-summer-chinook-on-upper-snake-river-due-to-dams-at-1-4-million-fish/) - An estimated 1.4 million spring/summer Chinook salmon were lost after multiple dams were constructed on the upper Snake River, according to a loss assessment recently completed by the Upper Snake River Tribes Foundation.
- [The Future For Imperiled Canada Lynx In U.S.: Might Do Well If Expanded To Utah, Central Idaho, Yellowstone](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/the-future-for-imperiled-canada-lynx-in-u-s-might-do-well-if-expanded-to-utah-central-idaho-yellowstone/) - New research indicates that lynx might do well in the future in parts of Utah, central Idaho and the Yellowstone National Park region, even considering climate change and the lack of lynx in those areas now.
- [Unintended Consequences: Montana Study Shows How Too Much Fire Suppression Leads To Wildfires With Greater Severity](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/unintended-consequences-montana-study-shows-how-too-much-fire-suppression-leads-to-wildfires-with-greater-severity/) - The escalation of extreme wildfires globally has prompted a critical examination of wildfire management strategies. A new study from the University of Montana reveals how fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at high severity, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation.
- [WSU Study Shows How PNW Honey Bees At Risk For Colony Collapse As Climate Warms, Hive Boxes May Need Cold Storage](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-study-shows-how-pnw-honey-bees-at-risk-for-colony-collapse-as-climate-warms-hive-boxes-may-need-cold-storage/) - The famous work ethic of honey bees might spell disaster for these busy crop pollinators as the climate warms, new research indicates.
- [USFWS Report Shows Wetlands Loss Has Increased By 50 Percent Since 2009, Half Gone Since 1780s](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-report-shows-wetlands-loss-has-increased-by-50-percent-since-2009-half-gone-since-1780s/) - A new report released by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reveals wetlands – 95 percent of which are freshwater — covered less than 6 percent of the lower 48 states as of 2019 – which is half the area they covered since the 1780s. The report also identifies that loss rates have increased by 50 percent since 2009 and that without additional conservation actions taken to protect these ecosystems, wetland loss will likely continue, reducing ecosystem benefits for people and habitat for fish, wildlife and plants.
- [Fish Tanker Truck Accident Results In Loss Of Spring Chinook Smolts For Imnaha River Release](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fish-tanker-truck-accident-results-in-loss-of-spring-chinook-smolts-for-imnaha-river-release/) - On March 29 near Lookingglass Hatchery in northeast Oregon, a fish tanker truck was involved in an accident while transporting approximately 102,000 spring Chinook smolts for release in the Imnaha River.
- [Final Federal EIS Proposes Establishment Of Experimental Grizzly Bear Population In North Cascades National Park](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/final-federal-eis-proposes-establishment-of-experimental-grizzly-bear-population-in-north-cascades-national-park/) - The National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have published a final Environmental Impact Statement that identifies the preferred alternative to reintroduce grizzly bear into the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone, including North Cascades National Park.
- [For First Time, Oregon Satellite Tagging Winter Steelhead ‘Kelts’ To See Where They Go In The Ocean; Rarely Encountered In Commercial Fisheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/for-first-time-oregon-satellite-tagging-winter-steelhead-kelts-to-see-where-they-go-in-the-ocean-rarely-encountered-in-commercial-fisheries/) - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists in southern Oregon want to know where steelhead go in the ocean after they spawned in the rivers.
- [During Extended Outage Corps Completes Major Work On Aging McNary, Lower Snake Dams’ Locks To Reduce Risk Of ‘Asset Failure’, Navigation Reopened](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/during-extended-outage-corps-completes-major-work-on-mcnary-lower-snake-dams-locks-to-reduce-risk-of-asset-failure-navigation-reopened/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District, reopened navigation locks on the Columbia and Snake rivers on March 29 after an eleven-week outage. This extended outage allowed the district to perform routine maintenance and to replace aged equipment to reduce the risk of asset failure.
- [Alaska, Canada Sign Agreement On Yukon Salmon Recovery; Suspension Of Most Harvest For Seven Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-canada-sign-agreement-on-yukon-salmon-recovery-suspension-of-most-harvest-for-seven-years/) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Fisheries and Oceans Canada have signed an agreement regarding the recovery of Chinook salmon in the Yukon River drainage. The agreement is focused on rebuilding the stocks to a level that they can once again provide for subsistence, as well as sport, commercial, and personal use fishing opportunities.
- [As Part Of Commitment To Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery, Administration Allocates $60 Million To Address Climate Change, Hatchery Repairs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/as-part-of-commitment-to-columbia-basin-salmon-recovery-administration-allocates-60-million-to-address-climate-change-hatchery-repairs/) - The Department of Commerce and NOAA have announced plans to allocate $60 million in funding to advance tribal priorities and address the impacts of climate change on Pacific salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River. These funds from the Infrastructure Law will also address deferred maintenance and repairs at Mitchell Act-funded hatchery facilities across the Columbia River Basin.
- [Final ESA Rules Released Restoring Some Protections Tossed Out By Trump Administration; Groups Want Further Actions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/final-esa-rules-released-restoring-some-protections-tossed-out-by-trump-administration-groups-want-further-actions/) - Newly released changes to the rules implementing the Endangered Species Act are intended to restore protections overturned under the Trump Administration, while providing clarity for state and Tribal wildlife agencies. Some discarded rules were not reinstated.
- [Corps Says Report On Greenhouse Gases From Lower Snake Reservoirs Misleading; ‘Relatively Clean Reservoirs In Columbia/Snake River’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-says-report-on-greenhouse-gases-from-lower-snake-reservoirs-misleading-relatively-clean-reservoirs-in-columbia-snake-river/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says that a report by a new group that recently asserted the four lower Snake River dams are a major source of greenhouse gases, particularly methane gas, largely used emission figures from dams and reservoirs outside of the Columbia and Snake river basins.
- [NOAA Releases Status Review For Oregon Coast/Northern California Chinook, Low To Moderate Risk Of Extinction; Listing Decision Coming](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-releases-status-review-for-oregon-coast-northern-california-chinook-low-to-moderate-risk-of-extinction-listing-decision-coming/) - NOAA Fisheries is nearing a determination of whether the Oregon Coast (OC) and Southern Oregon/Northern California Coastal (SONCC) Chinook salmon should be listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, saying the final determination is expected this spring.
- [Sea Lion Trapping Begins; 2023 Pinniped Report Notes Predation Impacts To ESA Steelhead Twice As Severe Compared To Spring Chinook](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/sea-lion-trapping-begins-2023-pinniped-report-notes-predation-impacts-to-esa-steelhead-twice-as-severe-compared-to-spring-chinook/) - As states and tribes begin trapping and euthanizing sea lions in the Columbia River near Bonneville Dam this week, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released its 2023 report on last year’s pinniped abundance and predation of salmon and steelhead. The report covers the period July 2022 through May 2023 and shows that the 104 sea lions observed during the 2023 reporting period is the highest since 2018, when the number was 134.
- [Though Angler Effort High, With Low Catch Rates And Late Arriving Run, Lower Columbia River Spring Chinook Fishing Extended](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-angler-effort-high-with-low-catch-rates-and-late-arriving-run-lower-columbia-river-spring-chinook-fishing-extended/) - Due to a lateness of the run of spring Chinook salmon and lower than expected harvest, Oregon and Washington extended recreational angling for the fish through Tuesday, April 9. The angling period set by the two-state Columbia River Compact in February began March 1 and was due to end today, Friday, April 5.
- [Columbia Basin Water Supply Forecast Still Projected Well Below Normal; Expect Early Runoff, Lower Flows This Spring/Summer](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-basin-water-supply-forecast-still-projected-well-below-normal-expect-early-runoff-lower-flows-this-spring-summer/) - Water supply forecasts at major dams in the Columbia River basin dropped again during March, with the forecast at The Dalles Dam dropping from 83 percent of normal in February to 80 percent of normal in March, according to the April 3 water supply forecast by NOAA’s Northwest River Forecast Center.
- [Groups Sue USFWS Over Denial Of Petition To Protect Gray Wolves In Northern Rocky Mountains](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groups-sue-usfws-over-denial-of-petition-to-protect-gray-wolves-in-northern-rocky-mountains/) - Four conservation and animal protection groups have sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for denying their petition to protect gray wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains under the Endangered Species Act.
- [Review Of Salmon Habitat Projects Shows Putting Woody Debris In Right Place In Stream Can Lead To Increased Juvenile Numbers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/review-of-salmon-habitat-projects-shows-putting-woody-debris-in-right-place-in-stream-can-lead-to-increased-juvenile-numbers/) - Well-placed woody debris in streams results in a two- to three-fold increase of juvenile salmon, according to a recently completed review.
- [Interior Funds Solar Panels Over Irrigation Canals In California, Oregon, Utah; Decrease Evaporation While Producing Renewable Energy](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/interior-funding-solar-panel-installation-over-irrigation-canals-in-california-oregon-utah-decrease-evaporation-while-producing-renewable-energy/) - The Department of the Interior announced a $19 million investment to install solar panels over irrigation canals in California, Oregon and Utah, simultaneously decreasing evaporation of critical water supplies and advancing clean energy goals.
- [With A Forecasted Lower Water Year For Lower Columbia River During Juvenile Fish Migration, Additional Flow Aug From Lake Roosevelt Approved](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-a-forecasted-lower-water-year-for-lower-columbia-river-during-juvenile-fish-migration-additional-flow-aug-from-lake-roosevelt-approved/) - With lower-than-average water flow in the lower Columbia River expected during the spring juvenile salmon and steelhead outmigration, fishery managers at the interagency Technical Management Team last week asked for additional flow augmentation from Lake Roosevelt, the reservoir backed up behind Grand Coulee Dam on the upper river, to aid fish migration.
- [ESA Protections Sought For Two Freshwater Snails Once Widespread In Columbia River Basin; Now Scattered, Isolated Populations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/esa-protections-sought-for-two-freshwater-snails-once-widespread-in-columbia-river-basin-now-scattered-isolated-populations/) - The Center for Biological Diversity this week filed a petition with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking Endangered Species Act protections for the ashy pebblesnail and shortface lanx.
- [PFMC Recommends Closure For California’s Ocean Salmon Fisheries; For Oregon, Washington Fishing Opportunities Likely Similar To Last Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pfmc-recommends-closure-for-californias-ocean-salmon-fisheries-for-oregon-washington-fishing-opportunities-likely-similar-to-last-year/) - The Pacific Fishery Management Council acted unanimously to recommend closure of California’s commercial and recreational ocean salmon fisheries through the end of the year, mirroring recommendations made last year to close the fisheries in 2023.
- [Oregon Annual Wolf Report Shows No Population Growth For First Time In 16 Years; ‘The Amount Of Poaching, Other Suspicious Deaths Alarming’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-annual-wolf-report-shows-no-population-growth-for-first-time-in-16-years-the-amount-of-poaching-other-suspicious-deaths-alarming/) - The minimum known count of wolves in Oregon at the end of 2023 was 178 wolves, according to the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management annual report released this week by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. This is the same number documented in 2022 and does not include 10 wolves translocated to Colorado in 2023 to help establish a wolf population there.
- [Fish Family Tree: McKenzie River Study Shows Reproductive Success For First Generation, Wild-Born Descendants Of Hatchery Chinook Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fish-family-tree-mckenzie-river-study-shows-reproductive-success-for-first-generation-wild-born-descendants-of-hatchery-chinook-salmon/) - Researchers who created “family trees” for nearly 10,000 fish found that first-generation, wild-born descendants of hatchery-origin Chinook salmon in an Oregon river show improved fitness.
- [Imperiled Steelhead Migrating Up Columbia/Snake River Show Lowest Survival Bonneville Dam To McNary Dam, Miss Survival Targets](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/imperiled-adult-steelhead-traveling-upstream-columbia-snake-river-show-lowest-survival-from-bonneville-dam-to-mcnary-dam-missing-survival-targets/) - Asotin Creek adult summer steelhead survival is at its lowest in the Bonneville Dam pool as the fish migrate upstream to the Snake River tributary, according to a presentation last week that focused on survival of steelhead listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Temperature and harvest (catch and release mortalities) are cited as the main reasons for steelhead struggles in the Bonneville Pool.
- [Status Report: Though Some SW Washington Steelhead, Salmon Populations Under ESA Show Improved Numbers Since Listing, None Anywhere Near Recovery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/status-report-though-some-sw-washington-steelhead-salmon-populations-under-esa-show-improved-numbers-since-listing-none-anywhere-near-recovery/) - The status of southwest Washington salmon and steelhead listed under the federal Endangered Species Act is generally stable, although none of these fish populations are close to meeting recovery goals, says a recent report by the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- [From British Columbia: April Update On Negotiations Towards A Modernized Columbia River Treaty](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/from-british-columbia-april-update-on-negotiations-towards-a-modernized-columbia-river-treaty/) - 2023 was a year of accelerated activity in the ongoing process of modernizing the Columbia River Treaty.
- [FISH WAR: Northwest Treaty Tribes Documentary Premieres At Seattle International Film Festival](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fish-war-northwest-treaty-tribes-documentary-premieres-at-seattle-international-film-festival/) - FISH WAR, a documentary film produced by Northwest Treaty Tribes Media and North Forty Productions, will have its world premiere at the Seattle International Film Festival at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 11, with an additional matinee screening at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 12.
- [Holistic Negotiations: Washington, Federal Agencies Announce Agreement On ‘Realistic Course’ for Radioactive Waste Cleanup At Hanford](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/holistic-negotiations-washington-federal-agencies-announce-agreement-on-realistic-course-for-radioactive-waste-cleanup-at-hanford/) - The U.S. Department of Energy, Washington State Department of Ecology, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week announced a landmark agreement that the agencies say proposes “a realistic and achievable course” for cleaning up millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste from large, underground tanks at the Hanford Site near the Columbia River.
- [Montana Seeking Comment On Proposed Conservation Easement For 33,000 Acres Of Fish/Wildlife Habitat In Salish, Cabinet Mountains](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-seeking-comment-on-proposed-conservation-easement-for-33000-acres-of-fish-wildlife-habitat-in-salish-cabinet-mountains/) - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on a potential project that would place nearly 33,000 acres of private timberland in northwest Montana under a conservation easement and protect working lands, public recreation access, and wildlife habitat.
- [Vandal Pours Bleach Into Oregon Hatchery Fish Tank, Poisoning Thousands Of Juvenile Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/vandal-pours-bleach-into-oregon-hatchery-fish-tank-poisoning-thousands-of-juvenile-salmon/) - Nearly 18,000 young salmon died after a vandal poured bleach into a southern Oregon Coast fish hatchery tank last week, according to law enforcement authorities.
- [To Stay Within ESA Harvest Constraints, Columbia River Spring Chinook Fishing Closed Until At Least Mid-May Run Update; Low Idaho Return Expected](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/to-stay-within-esa-harvest-constraints-columbia-river-spring-chinook-fishing-closed-until-at-least-mid-may-run-update-low-idaho-return-expected/) - With the fishery expected to have already met its allowable catch, recreational spring Chinook fishing on the Columbia River mainstem from Bonneville Dam to the Oregon/Washington border was closed Tuesday, April 30, by fishery managers from Washington and Oregon.
- [Washington’s Wolf Population Keeps Growing At About 23 Percent A Year; In 2023, Count Showed 42 Packs, 260 Wolves](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washingtons-wolf-population-keeps-growing-at-about-23-percent-a-year-in-2023-count-showed-42-packs-260-wolves/) - Washington’s wolf population grew for the 15th consecutive year in 2023, according to the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2023 Annual Report released by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- [About One Million Chinook Salmon Fry Lost After Mechanical Failure At Puget Sound Hatchery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/about-one-million-chinook-salmon-fry-lost-after-mechanical-failure-at-puget-sound-hatchery/) - Approximately 1 million young Chinook salmon have died at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Samish Hatchery near Burlington after a mechanical failure at 1 a.m. on Monday morning, April 29.
- [Fish-Blocking Dam On Willamette River Tributary Built In 1858 Being Removed; New Habitat For Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fish-blocking-dam-on-willamette-river-tributary-built-in-1858-being-removed-new-habitat-for-salmon-steelhead/) - American Rivers is leading a project team to remove the Kellogg Dam at the mouth of the Kellogg Creek, a tributary of the Lower Willamette River. The work will help threatened Upper Willamette River Chinook and steelhead, Lower Columbia River coho, and Pacific lamprey to access upstream spawning and rearing habitat for juveniles.
- [Funding Package For Removing Dams, Culverts Includes $5 Million For Removing NE Washington’s Enloe Dam, Could Open 1,500 Miles Of Salmon Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/funding-package-for-removing-dams-culverts-includes-5-million-for-removing-ne-washingtons-enloe-dam-could-open-1500-miles-of-salmon-habitat/) - Nearly $5 million to move forward on the removal of northeast Washington’s Enloe Dam is included in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announcement that 29 states will receive just over $70 million to support 43 projects that will address outdated or obsolete dams, culverts, levees and other barriers fragmenting the nation’s rivers and streams. Another $8 million will go to projects in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.
- [Bering Sea Salmon: NOAA Denies Request For Emergency Action To End Chinook Bycatch In Pollock Fishery, Did Not Meet Criteria](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bering-sea-salmon-noaa-denies-request-for-emergency-action-to-end-chinook-bycatch-in-pollock-fishery-did-not-meet-criteria/) - NOAA Fisheries denied a request by Alaskan Native communities for an emergency action requiring that no Chinook salmon be caught in the Bering Sea pollock fishery – a proposal that would basically cap the bycatch at zero and limit or close the largest fishery in the United States.
- [Lawsuit Says Lower Columbia River Hatcheries Violating ESA By Releasing Too Many Fish, Threatening Listed Wild Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-says-lower-columbia-river-hatcheries-violating-esa-by-releasing-too-many-fish-threatening-listed-wild-salmon-steelhead/) - Two conservation groups followed up on their threat to sue in federal court against federal, state and local governments, saying that lower Columbia River hatcheries downstream of Bonneville Dam are a threat to wild salmon and steelhead listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [DDT Pollutants Found In Deep Sea Fish, Sediments Off CA Coast; Banned Pesticide Threat To Marine Life, Human Health?](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ddt-pollutants-found-in-deep-sea-fish-sediments-off-socal-coast-banned-pesticide-threat-to-marine-life-human-health/) - In the 1940s and 1950s, the ocean off the coast of Los Angeles was a dumping ground for the nation’s largest manufacturer of the pesticide DDT – a chemical now known to harm humans and wildlife. Due to the stubborn chemistry of DDT and its toxic breakdown products, this pollution continues to plague L.A.’s coastal waters more than half a century later.
- [Idaho Study Suggests Parasitic Worm In Brain May Play Role In Declining Moose Populations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-study-suggests-parasitic-worm-in-brain-may-play-role-in-declining-moose-populations/) - A parasitic worm that can infest the brains of moose appears to be playing a role in the decline of the iconic animal in some regions of North America.
- [Commission Selects Colbert As New ODFW Director, First Woman To Lead The Agency](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/commission-selects-colbert-as-new-odfw-director-first-woman-to-lead-the-agency/) - The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission last week voted unanimously to select Debbie Colbert as the new ODFW Director.
- [Elwha River Tribal Ceremonial Fishery To Open This Fall, Other Fishing Closed Until More Spawners Above Former Dam Sites](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/elwha-river-tribal-ceremonial-fishery-to-open-this-fall-other-fishing-closed-until-more-spawners-above-former-dam-sites/) - The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Olympic National Park, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that a tribal ceremonial and subsistence fishery for coho salmon on the Elwha River will be open for a limited time during fall 2024.
- [Lower Snake Dam Breaching: NW House Republicans Introduce Package Of Bills To ‘Protect These Critical Pieces Of Infrastructure’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lower-snake-dam-breaching-nw-house-republicans-introduce-package-of-bills-to-protect-these-critical-pieces-of-infrastructure/) - U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-WA, and other Northwest House Republicans have introduced a package of seven bills that, if signed into law, would make breaching of the four Lower Snake River Dams nearly impossible, develop alternatives to fish and wildlife funding to mitigate costs to Bonneville Power Administration ratepayers, and order the Army Corps of Engineers to acquire acoustic sound technology to deter pinniped salmon predators above and below the Bonneville Dam.
- [Plan Approved For Pulses Out Of Libby Dam To Encourage ESA-Listed Kootenai River Sturgeon To Move Upstream, Spawn](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/plan-approved-for-pulses-out-of-libby-dam-to-encourage-esa-listed-kootenai-river-sturgeon-to-move-upstream-spawn/) - Due to a low May water supply forecast that is 5.129 million-acre feet (April – August), 84 percent of average, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s biological opinion for Kootenai River sturgeon allows a volume of 0.8 MAF to be used for augmenting spring sturgeon flows. Volume forecasts of 4.8 to 6 MAF puts this year’s operations into a Tier 2 category. A water supply forecast of less than 4.8 MAF would be Tier 1 and would allow no augmentation for sturgeon.
- [NE Oregon Sees Outbreak Of Poisoning Cases That Includes Wolves, Cows, Eagles, Dogs, Cougar, Coyote](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ne-oregon-sees-outbreak-of-poisoning-cases-that-includes-wolves-cows-eagles-dogs-cougar-coyote/) - Oregon investigators found a cow carcass laced with poison in a creek in the Imnaha River drainage. The target was likely a wolf, the latest poisoning in a disturbing trend that has killed 19 wolves in Oregon since 2015. Whatever the target, the collateral damage in northeast Oregon’s ongoing poisoning cases now includes golden eagles, dogs, and other carnivores.
- [Dropping Water Supply Forecast Signals Drought Conditions Over Much Of Columbia Basin; Grand Coulee Sixth Lowest On Record](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/dropping-water-supply-forecast-signals-drought-conditions-over-much-of-columbia-basin-grand-coulee-sixth-lowest-on-record/) - Water supply forecasts across the Columbia River basin dropped again this month with very low forecasts in the upper basins of Idaho, Montana and British Columbia, signaling drought conditions in those areas.
- [States Reopen Spring Chinook Fishing Below Bonneville Dam, Still Closed Above; Allow 12 Hours Commercial Gillnetting On Mainstem](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/states-reopen-spring-chinook-fishing-below-bonneville-dam-still-closed-above-allow-12-hours-commercial-gillnetting-on-mainstem/) - Recreational anglers will return to the Columbia River to fish for spring Chinook salmon beginning today, May 17, for a total of 10 additional fishing days through June 15, but only downstream of Bonneville Dam.
- [At End Of Second Quarter, Bonneville Power $375 Million Below Financial Target](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/at-end-of-second-quarter-bonneville-power-375-million-below-financial-target/) - The Bonneville Power Administration released its second official forecast of the expected financial performance for fiscal year 2024, with results showing $375 million below the financial performance target.
- [With Dam Removals Proceeding, CDFW Releases Millions Of Chinook Salmon Smolts Into Klamath River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-dam-removals-proceeding-cdfw-releases-millions-of-chinook-salmon-smolts-into-klamath-river/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife this week successfully completed the release of more than 2 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the Klamath River.
- [Upper Columbia River Tribes Report Progress To Re-Introduce Salmon Upstream](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/upper-columbia-river-tribes-report-progress-to-re-introduce-salmon-upstream/) - With a promised $200 million from the Bonneville Power Administration and nearly $100 million from other federal agencies and the state of Washington, Upper Columbia River tribes are moving into Phase II of a twenty-year effort to bring salmon back to blocked areas upstream of Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams.
- [Marbled Murrelet Study Shows How Artificial Intelligence Can Enhance Monitoring Secretive Species](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/marbled-murrelet-study-shows-how-artificial-intelligence-can-enhance-monitoring-secretive/) - Artificial intelligence analysis of data gathered by acoustic recording devices is a promising new tool for monitoring the marbled murrelet and other secretive, hard-to-study species, research by Oregon State University and the U.S. Forest Service has shown.
- [Harvest Managers Allow More Spring Chinook Fishing Below Bonneville Dam](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/harvest-managers-allow-more-spring-chinook-fishing-below-bonneville-dam/) - Oregon and Washington this week gave anglers downstream of Bonneville Dam the go-ahead to continue spring Chinook fishing through June 15, beginning June 1, despite a predicted downturn in the forecasted run.
- [NOAA Fisheries Finds ESA Listing Of Gulf Of Alaska Chinook May Be Warranted](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-fisheries-finds-esa-listing-of-gulf-of-alaska-chinook-may-be-warranted/) - In response to a petition to list Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, NOAA Fisheries has found that listing may be warranted.
- [Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Cross Another Milestone In Efforts To Build Hatchery For Yellowstone Cutthroat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shoshone-bannock-tribes-cross-another-milestone-in-efforts-to-build-hatchery-for-yellowstone-cutthroat/) - A 26-year effort by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes to build a salmon and trout hatchery in the upper Snake River basin got the go ahead from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Fish and Wildlife Committee.
- [New Genetic Study Shows Heavy Fishing During Early Part Of Season Can Result In Younger, Smaller Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-genetic-study-shows-heavy-fishing-during-early-part-of-season-can-result-in-younger-smaller-salmon/) - A new genetic study found that heavy fishing in the early part of the fishing season may result in younger and smaller Atlantic salmon.
- [Improved Ocean Conditions Giving A Boost To ESA-Listed Willamette Wild Winter Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/improved-ocean-conditions-giving-a-boost-to-esa-listed-willamette-wild-winter-steelhead/) - A threatened run of wild steelhead thought to be at a high risk of extinction in 2017 is making what could be a dramatic comeback in Oregon’s Willamette River. The comeback is mostly due to better ocean conditions and fewer sea lions feeding on the fish at Willamette Falls, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
- [Study Shows Pacific Northwest’s Rocky Shores Have Low Resilience To Climate Change](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-pacific-northwests-rocky-shores-have-low-resilience-to-climate-change/) - A 15-year period ending in 2020 that included a marine heat wave and a sea star wasting disease epidemic saw major changes in the groups of organisms that live along the rocky shores of the Pacific Northwest.
- [USFWS Designates 1.2 Million Acres As Critical Habitat In California, Oregon For Coastal Marten](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-designates-1-2-million-acres-as-critical-habitat-in-california-oregon-for-coastal-marten/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is designating 1.2 million acres of critical habitat in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon for the coastal distinct population segment of the Pacific marten, also known as the coastal or Humboldt marten.
- [States Give Anglers Upstream Of Bonneville Dam Another Shot At Spring Chinook, Set Summer/Fall Chinook Seasons](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/states-give-anglers-upstream-of-bonneville-dam-another-shot-at-spring-chinook-set-summer-fall-chinook-seasons/) - Oregon and Washington fisheries managers of the Compact gave recreational anglers upstream of Bonneville Dam another chance to catch spring Chinook salmon from the dam to the two-state border.
- [Climate Change Creating New ‘Open Gate’ Corridors For Pacific Salmon; Higher Abundance Seen In Canadian Arctic](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/climate-change-creating-new-open-gate-corridors-for-pacific-salmon-higher-abundance-seen-in-canadian-arctic/) - New research has connected warming ocean temperatures to higher Pacific salmon abundance in the Canadian Arctic, an indicator that climate change is creating new corridors for the fish to expand their range.
- [Upper Snake Flow Augmentation For ESA-Listed Juvenile Salmon Migration At Three-Year High](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/upper-snake-flow-augmentation-for-esa-listed-juvenile-salmon-migration-at-three-year-high/) - Although water supplies throughout the Columbia River basin are generally in the 75- to 80-percent of normal range, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is saying that flow augmentation water out of the upper Snake River this year will amount to 471,000-acre feet of water.
- [Idaho Fish And Game Confirms First Grizzly Bear Sighting West Of I-15 In Upper Snake Region](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-fish-and-game-confirms-first-grizzly-bear-sighting-west-of-i-15-in-upper-snake-region/) - Trail camera footage provided to Idaho Fish and Game staff confirms for the first time the presence of a grizzly bear west of Interstate 15 (in Game Management Unit 59).
- [New West Coast Offshore Wind Science Consortium: ‘Essential Offshore Wind Energy Developed In Environmentally, Socially Responsible Ways’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-west-coast-offshore-wind-science-consortium-essential-offshore-wind-energy-developed-in-environmentally-socially-responsible-ways/) - A new West Coast collaboration for offshore wind science was announced last month. The Pacific Offshore Wind Consortium is a joint effort between three research centers: the Schatz Energy Research Center at Cal Poly Humboldt, the Pacific Marine Energy Center at Oregon State University, and the Center for Coastal Marine Sciences at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
- [Public Finds It Easy To Connect Wildfires, Intense Heat To Climate Change, Not So Much With Other Extreme Weather Events](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/public-finds-it-easy-to-connect-wildfires-intense-heat-to-climate-change-not-so-much-with-other-extreme-weather-events/) - Oregon State University researchers found that U.S. adults are fairly confident in linking wildfires and heat to climate change, but less confident when it comes to other extreme weather events like hurricanes, flooding or tornadoes.
- [Mountain Watersheds To Ocean Depths: Flathead Lake Biological Station Gets $9.5 Million To Study Ocean Climate Change](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/mountain-watersheds-to-ocean-depths-flathead-lake-biological-station-gets-9-5-million-to-study-ocean-climate-change/) - A new research project led by the University of Montana’s Flathead Lake Biological Station expands the impact of the station’s renowned expertise from mountain watersheds to ocean depths.
- [Conservation Groups Submit Comments Blasting BLM’s Draft Amendment To Protect Sage Grouse On 69 Million Acres, 10 Western States](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/conservation-groups-submit-comments-blasting-blms-draft-amendment-to-protect-sage-grouse-on-69-million-acres-10-western-states/) - Conservation organizations have submitted comments blasting the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s draft amendment for 77 land-use plans across the western United States intended to protect the imperiled greater sage grouse.
- [For First Time Invasive, Predatory Pike Show Up In Montana Clark Fork River Tributary, Posing Threat To ESA-Listed Bull Trout](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/for-first-time-invasive-predatory-pike-show-up-in-montana-clark-fork-river-tributary-posing-threat-to-esa-listed-bull-trout/) - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is asking anglers to report any northern pike caught or observed in the Bull River, a tributary of the Clark Fork River, following the first confirmed detection of the predacious non-native fish. The Clark Fork River in northwest Montana flows into Lake Pend Oreille in northern Idaho.
- [Infrastructure Law Funding Restores Habitat On Section Of Oregon’s McKenzie River, Redds Showing Up](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/infrastructure-law-funding-restores-habitat-on-section-of-oregons-mckenzie-river-redds-showing-up/) - NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation says the agency and its partners are increasing numbers of threatened Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon by restoring habitat in Oregon’s McKenzie River watershed.
- [Pacific Coast Gray Whales 13 Percent Shorter Than 20 Years Ago; Raises Concerns About Warming Waters, Lack Of Prey, State Of Marine Food Web](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pacific-coast-gray-whales-13-percent-shorter-than-20-years-ago-raises-concerns-about-warming-waters-lack-of-prey-state-of-marine-food-web/) - Gray whales that spend their summers feeding in the shallow waters off the Pacific Northwest coast have undergone a significant decline in body length since around the year 2000, a new Oregon State University study found.
- [Canada Says Will Ban British Columbia Open Net-Pen Salmon Aquaculture By 2029, Developing Transition Plan For ‘Closed Containment’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/canada-says-will-ban-british-columbia-open-net-pen-salmon-aquaculture-by-2029-developing-transition-plan-for-closed-containment/) - Aimed at protecting wild Pacific salmon, Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced this week that the Canadian Government will ban open net-pen salmon aquaculture in British Columbia coastal waters by June 30, 2029.
- [Basin Summer Water Supply? Record Low Snowpacks In The North, Above Normal Southern Idaho, Dalles Dam Runoff 77 Percent Of Average](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/basin-summer-water-supply-record-low-snowpacks-in-the-north-above-normal-southern-idaho-dalles-dam-runoff-77-percent-of-average/) - Across most of the Columbia River basin, May brought cooler than normal weather with a mix of precipitation totals. Although providing a respite from this year’s typically lower than normal precipitation and higher than normal temperatures, water supply forecasts continue their downward trend into the summer months, according to the NOAA Northwest River Forecast Center June briefing.
- [WA Fish/Wildlife Commission Gets The Skinny On Columbia River Shad; ‘We Don’t Even Know If Shad Obstacle To Salmon Recovery Or Not’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wa-fish-wildlife-commission-gets-the-skinny-on-columbia-river-shad-we-dont-even-know-if-shad-obstacle-to-salmon-recovery-or-not/) - More than 1.6 million American shad have been counted at Bonneville Dam this year as of June 17 and a few of the non-native fish have even been counted as high in the river basin as Lower Granite Dam, the uppermost of the four lower Snake River dams, and Priest Rapids Dam in the mid-Columbia. For more than a decade they have outnumbered all other anadromous fish entering the river combined.
- [Administration Report Describes Harm Of Dams To Columbia Basin Tribes, White House Sets Up Task Force To Coordinate Basin Salmon Recovery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/administration-report-describes-harm-of-dams-to-columbia-basin-tribes-white-house-sets-up-task-force-to-coordinate-basin-salmon-recovery/) - The Biden Administration this week released a controversial “Tribal Circumstances Analysis” acknowledging the harm 11 Columbia and Snake river dams have inflicted and continue to inflict on Columbia Basin Native American Tribes.
- [Ninth Circuit Stops Old-Growth Clearcutting In Oregon Forest To Protect ESA-Listed Marbled Murrelets](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/ninth-circuit-stops-old-growth-clearcutting-in-oregon-forest-to-protect-esa-listed-marbled-murrelets/) - The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals last week affirmed a lower court ruling that prevents Scott Timber from clearcutting old growth trees within Oregon’s Elliott State Forest. The decision will protect marbled murrelets, which are a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
- [Turning The Tide At Willapa Bay: From Fastest Eroding West Coast Beach To One Of ‘Best Restored Beaches’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/turning-the-tide-at-willapa-bay-from-fastest-eroding-west-coast-beach-to-one-of-best-restored-beaches/) - The 1.1 mile long North Cove beach is located along the north entrance to Willapa Bay in Pacific County and was once the fastest eroding ocean beach on the U.S. West Coast.
- [Southern Resident Killer Whales In Poor Condition, ‘Vulnerable’; WDFW Asks All Boaters To Give Struggling, ESA-Listed Orcas Space](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/southern-resident-killer-whales-in-poor-condition-vulnerable-wdfw-asks-all-boaters-to-give-struggling-esa-listed-orcas-space/) - For the fourth year in a row, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issued an emergency rule requiring commercial whale-watching vessels to stay at least one-half nautical mile away from vulnerable Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) this summer.
- [Bass Predation Primary Reason For Struggling Wild Chinook In Oregon River, ODFW Allowing Spearfishing To Remove The Invasive Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bass-predation-primary-reason-for-struggling-wild-chinook-in-oregon-river-odfw-allowing-spearfishing-to-remove-the-invasive-fish/) - Spearfishing for bass is allowed on southwest Oregon’s Coquille River through Oct. 31. Spears, spear guns and angling with bait to take smallmouth bass is allowed, and there are no harvest size or limits.
- [USFWS Lists Mount Rainier Ptarmigan As Threatened Due To Climate Change, Lives In High Country Cascades From Mount Adams To Canada](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-lists-mount-rainier-ptarmigan-as-threatened-due-to-climate-change-lives-in-high-country-cascades-from-mount-adams-to-canada/) - A bird that spends its entire life near mountaintops in the Pacific Northwest is likely to become in danger of extinction as a result of climate change, the U.S Fish & Wildlife Service has announced.
- [USFWS Releases Strategy To Avoid Extinction Of Northwest Spotted Owls: Lethally Remove Small Numbers Of Invasive Barred Owls](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-releases-strategy-to-avoid-extinction-of-northwest-spotted-owls-lethally-remove-small-numbers-of-invasive-barred-owls/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week released its final environmental impact statement analyzing proposed barred owl management alternatives to protect northern and California spotted owls in Washington, Oregon and California from invasive barred owls.
- [NW Power/Conservation Council Approves Funds To Upgrade Fish Screens, Reviews Progress On $25 Million For Hatchery Maintenance](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nw-power-conservation-council-approves-funds-to-upgrade-fish-screens-reviews-progress-on-25-million-for-hatchery-maintenance/) - Idaho, Washington and Oregon are in line to receive $1,840,082 to upgrade or replace existing fish screens that prevent migrating juvenile salmon and steelhead from getting trapped in canals and irrigation ditches.
- [With Air, Water Temps In Lower Snake Heating Up, Corps Releasing Cool Dworshak Flows To Aid Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-air-water-temps-in-lower-snake-heating-up-corps-releasing-cool-dworshak-flows-to-aid-salmon-steelhead/) - The reservoir behind central Idaho’s Dworshak Dam is full (1,600-foot elevation), air temperatures in the lower Snake River basin are warming into the 100’s over the July 4 weekend and beyond, and tailwater temperature at Lower Granite Dam is warming towards 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the maximum allowed by NOAA Fisheries’ biological opinion on impacts of the federal hydroelectric system on salmon and steelhead.
- [Study Finds Pacific Cod In Gulf Of Alaska Can’t Rely On Coastal Safe Havens For Protection During Marine Heat Waves, May Have To Move North](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-finds-pacific-cod-in-gulf-of-alaska-cant-rely-on-coastal-safe-havens-for-protection-during-marine-heat-waves-may-have-to-move-north/) - During recent periods of unusually warm water in the Gulf of Alaska, young Pacific cod in near shore safe havens where they typically spend their adolescence did not experience the protective effects those areas typically provide, a new Oregon State University study found.
- [Though Sockeye Return To Columbia River Is Booming, Angler Retention Shut Down To Protect Struggling, ESA-Listed Snake River Sockeye](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-sockeye-return-to-columbia-river-is-booming-angler-retention-shut-down-to-protect-struggling-esa-listed-snake-river-sockeye/) - Last week, Oregon and Washington fisheries managers shut down retention of Columbia River sockeye salmon from the ocean to the two-state border at Hwy 395 near Pasco, WA, even as the run size forecast rose twice and by early this week had nearly doubled.
- [U.S., Canada Reach ‘Agreement-In-Principle’ For Modernized Columbia River Treaty; Assures Pre-Planned Flood Control, Rebalances Power Benefits](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/u-s-canada-reach-agreement-in-principle-for-modernized-columbia-river-treaty-assures-pre-planned-flood-control-rebalances-power-benefits/) - The governments of Canada and the United States announced Thursday they have reached an agreement-in-principle to modernize the Columbia River Treaty.
- [White-Nose Bat Syndrome Killing Entire Colonies; Montana Researchers Get $3 Million Award To Study Disease, Climate Change Impacts](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/white-nose-bat-syndrome-killing-entire-colonies-montana-researchers-get-3-million-award-to-study-disease-climate-change-impacts/) - Since 2006, a fast-moving disease known as white-nose syndrome has killed an estimated 6.7 million bats, wiping out entire colonies and decimating creatures that provide an integral means of pest control.
- [Study Documents How Rising Temperatures May Impact Groundwater; Water Too Warm For Drinking, Spawning Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-documents-how-rising-temperatures-may-impact-groundwater-water-too-warm-for-drinking-spawning-salmon/) - As the world’s largest unfrozen freshwater resource, groundwater is crucial for life on Earth. Researchers at Germany’s Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have investigated how global warming is affecting groundwater temperatures and what that means for humanity and the environment.
- [Cable Installation To Begin Off Oregon Coast For Nation’s First Grid-Connected, Utility-Scale Wave Energy Testing Facility](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/cable-installation-to-begin-off-oregon-coast-for-nations-first-grid-connected-utility-scale-wave-energy-testing-facility/) - Crews later this month will begin installing the power and data cables that are essential to completing construction of a new wave energy testing facility off the Oregon Coast.
- [Montana Restarts Efforts To Raise, Stock In Kootenai River Drainage State’s Only Native Rainbow Trout, Redbands](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-restarts-efforts-to-raise-stock-in-kootenai-river-drainage-states-only-native-rainbow-trout-redbands/) - Montana’s only native rainbow trout is making a comeback in the northwest corner of the state.
- [Washington Predator-Prey Project’s Research Shows Wolves In NE Washington Not Having Much Impact on Deer](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-predator-prey-projects-research-shows-wolves-in-ne-washington-not-having-much-impact-on-deer/) - Humans drove wolves to extinction in Washington state around the 1930s. Thanks to conservation efforts, by about 80 years later, wolves had returned
- [Status Review: Northern California Steelhead, ESA-Listed 24 Years Ago, Still In Trouble, Climate Change Main Threat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/status-review-northern-california-steelhead-esa-listed-24-years-ago-still-in-trouble-climate-change-main-threat/) - Northern California steelhead require continued protection as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act, according to a recent 5-year review by NOAA Fisheries.
- [Public Power Council Urges Biden Administration To Include Its Members In New Columbia Basin Task Force](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/public-power-council-urges-biden-administration-to-include-its-members-in-new-columbia-basin-task-force/) - In a forceful letter earlier this month, the Public Power Council urged the Biden Administration to include its members as a “meaningful part” of the Columbia Basin Task Force, which the Administration’s Council on Environmental Quality formed in June.
- [Status Review: ESA-Listed In 1999, Upper Willamette Spring Chinook, Winter Steelhead Nowhere Near Recovery, Need Better Passage At Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/status-review-esa-listed-in-1999-upper-willamette-spring-chinook-winter-steelhead-nowhere-near-recovery-need-better-passage-at-dams/) - In a recently completed review of their status, NOAA Fisheries has determined that Upper Willamette River spring Chinook and Upper Willamette River winter steelhead should remain listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [WDOE Taking Comment On Proposed, First-Of-Its-Kind Pilot Project In Port Angeles To Pull Carbon Pollution Out Of The Air](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdoe-taking-comment-on-proposed-first-of-its-kind-pilot-project-in-port-angeles-to-pull-carbon-pollution-out-of-the-air/) - A pilot project proposed in Port Angeles, Washington is designed to test whether seawater can be used to soak up more carbon dioxide from the air. It is a first-of-its-kind pilot project that has the potential to remove carbon dioxide from marine waters.
- [WDOE Taking Comment On Proposed, First-Of-Its-Kind Pilot Project In Port Angeles To Pull Carbon Pollution Out Of The Air](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdoe-taking-comment-on-proposed-first-of-its-kind-pilot-project-in-port-angeles-to-pull-carbon-pollution-out-of-the-air-2/) - A pilot project proposed in Port Angeles, Washington is designed to test whether seawater can be used to soak up more carbon dioxide from the air. “Project Macoma,” as the proposed pilot is named, is an effort by a company called Ebb Carbon. It is a first-of-its-kind pilot project that has the potential to remove
- [Nez Perce Tribe Begins Construction Of Kelt Reconditioning Facility, Aims To Improve Wild Snake River Steelhead Survival](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nez-perce-tribe-begins-construction-of-kelt-reconditioning-facility-aims-to-improve-wild-snake-river-steelhead-survival/) - Snake River wild steelhead populations have declined significantly over the past several years, and this facility will be the first hatchery project in the basin aimed specifically at recovering this threatened run.
- [Fish Biologists Look At Reconnecting Migratory Bull Trout Below Hells Canyon With Resident Populations Upstream](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fish-biologists-look-at-reconnecting-migratory-bull-trout-below-hells-canyon-with-resident-populations-upstream/) - Biologists in Idaho are hoping that the large migratory bull trout that overwinter in the Snake River downstream of Idaho Power Company’s Hells Canyon Dams can in the next few years be trapped and moved upstream.
- [Washington Approves Changes To Cougar Hunting Rules, Rejects Staff Recommendation To Downgrade Wolf Protection Status](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-approves-changes-to-cougar-hunting-rules-rejects-staff-recommendation-to-downgrade-wolf-protection-status/) - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission last week voted 8-1 to approve amended cougar hunting rules. Spurred by a petition from wildlife conservation organizations, the new rules aim to avoid cougar overexploitation.
- [Council Gets Rundown On Over 130 Habitat Projects Aiming At Improving Lot Of Struggling Willamette River Spring Chinook, Winter Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-gets-rundown-on-over-130-habitat-projects-aiming-at-improving-lot-of-struggling-willamette-river-spring-chinook-winter-steelhead/) - Upper Willamette River spring Chinook salmon and winter steelhead are benefitting from long-running habitat projects downstream of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 13 Willamette Project dams, according to a recent presentation at the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
- [Court Halts Million-Acre Oil Lease Sale In Alaska’s Cook Inlet Due To Possible Impacts To Beluga Whales, Orders Further Environmental Review](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/court-halts-million-acre-oil-lease-sale-in-alaskas-cook-inlet-due-to-possible-impacts-to-beluga-whales-orders-further-environmental-review/) - Environmental groups celebrated a legal victory last week when a federal district court judge overturned an offshore oil and gas lease sale in Alaska’s Cook Inlet, saying the federal government violated the law when holding the sale.
- [Researchers Enhance Database That Help Wildfire Managers Predict When, Where Wildfires May Occur](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/researchers-enhance-database-that-help-wildfire-managers-predict-when-where-wildfires-may-occur/) - A newly enhanced database is expected to help wildfire managers and scientists better predict where and when wildfires may occur by incorporating hundreds of additional factors that impact the ignition and spread of fire.
- [Big Sockeye Return To Columbia River, Some Endangered Snake River Sockeye Trapped At Lower Granite To Avoid Warming Waters](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/big-sockeye-return-to-columbia-river-some-endangered-snake-river-sockeye-trapped-at-lower-granite-to-avoid-warming-waters/) - Warm water in the upper Salmon River is leading biologists to trap the sockeye at Lower Granite Dam and haul them to the Eagle Hatchery near Boise, ID.
- [Biden Administration Announces $240 Million For Pacific Northwest Tribal Hatcheries Producing Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/biden-administration-announces-240-million-for-pacific-northwest-tribal-hatcheries-producing-salmon-steelhead/) - The Departments of Commerce and Interior Thursday (July 25) announced $240 million in funding to support Tribal hatcheries that produce Pacific salmon and steelhead.
- [Fisheries Workshop Offers Latest Info On Deschutes River Salmon, Steelhead, Reintroduction Numbers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fisheries-workshop-offers-latest-info-on-deschutes-river-salmon-steelhead-reintroduction-numbers/) - The number of wild steelhead returning to the Deschutes River this year remains low, although the run is still in progress, while this year’s wild spring Chinook salmon run is in critical condition, as it has been for the past few years
- [Klamath River Dam Removal: Salmon Scientists Design Monitoring Program To Track Fish Returns, When And Where They Go](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/klamath-river-dam-removal-salmon-scientists-design-monitoring-program-to-track-fish-returns-when-and-where-they-go/) - The removal of four dams on the Klamath River will reopen more habitat to Pacific salmon than all previous dam removals in the West combined. Now it will have a monitoring program to match—designed by salmon scientists to track when and how many fish of different species return and where they go.
- [Klamath River Flows Returned To Historic Path At JC Boyle Dam Site, Fish Passage Restored](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/klamath-river-flows-returned-to-historic-path-at-jc-boyle-dam-site-fish-passage-restored/) - Last week crews broke through the cofferdam at the JC Boyle Dam site, returning the Klamath River to its historic path and restoring fish passage in that reach of the river.
- [NOAA Announces $105 Million In Recommended Salmon Recovery Funding For Alaska, Northwest States, Tribes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-announces-105-million-in-recommended-salmon-recovery-funding-for-alaska-northwest-states-tribes/) - The Department of Commerce and NOAA have announced more than $105 million in recommended funding for 14 new and continuing salmon recovery projects and programs.
- [Astounding Number Of Sockeye Return To Central Washington, 68,000 Fish Over Preseason Forecast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/astounding-number-of-sockeye-return-to-central-washington-68000-fish-over-preseason-forecast/) - It’s a phenomenal year for sockeye salmon in Central Washington, with record numbers of fish making their way upriver. Through July 31, an astounding 165,071 sockeye have been counted at Tumwater Dam on the Wenatchee River.
- [Nice Uptick In Return Of Unmarked Summer Steelhead Allows Deschutes River Fishing, Other Rivers On Track](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nice-uptick-in-return-of-unmarked-summer-steelhead-allows-deschutes-river-fishing-other-rivers-on-track/) - The popular Lower Deschutes River in central Oregon will remain open for steelhead fishing under permanent regulations.
- [Idaho Develops New Genetics-Based Method To Count State’s Wolf Population, Replacing Camera-Based Estimates](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-develops-new-genetics-based-method-to-count-states-wolf-population-replacing-camera-based-estimates/) - Idaho Fish and Game researchers have developed a new genetics-based method of estimating the state’s wolf population. The method uses genetic and age information taken from every harvested wolf checked by Fish and Game.
- [Idaho Fish And Game Reports Loss Of Juvenile Chinook At McCall Hatchery Due To Lack Of Oxygen Supply](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-fish-and-game-reports-loss-of-juvenile-chinook-at-mccall-hatchery-due-to-lack-of-oxygen-supply/) - Idaho Fish and Game reported last week a mortality event that resulted in about 33,000 young Chinook dying at the McCall Fish Hatchery in late July.
- [USFWS Petitioned To List Under ESA Freshwater Snail Found Only In Oregon’s Lower Deschutes River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-petitioned-to-list-under-esa-freshwater-snail-found-only-in-oregons-lower-deschutes-river/) - The Center for Biological Diversity this week petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the banded juga — an imperiled freshwater snail in Oregon’s Deschutes River — under the Endangered Species Act.
- [Bureau Of Reclamation Announces Funding For Klamath Basin Salmon Restoration Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bureau-of-reclamation-announces-funding-for-klamath-basin-salmon-restoration-projects/) - The Bureau of Reclamation last week announced four projects totaling more than $1 million to be awarded as part of two Klamath Basin Salmon Restoration grant programs.
- [Guest Column: Canada-U.S. ‘Agreement-In-Principle’ Sets Stage For More Balanced Columbia River Treaty](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/guest-column-canada-u-s-agreement-in-principle-sets-stage-for-more-balanced-columbia-river-treaty/) - On July 11, 2024, Canada and the U.S. reached a milestone in the process of modernizing the Columbia River Treaty – an agreement-in-principle (AIP) that sets the stage for an improved treaty that supports people and ecosystems on both sides of the border.
- [Yakama Tribal Leader Takala Sworn In as Chair Of Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission For 2024-2025](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/yakama-tribal-leader-takala-sworn-in-as-chair-of-columbia-river-inter-tribal-fish-commission-for-2024-2025/) - Yakama tribal leader Jeremy Takala was sworn in as the 2024-2025 Chair of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission at its July meeting, being hosted by the Warm Springs Tribe in Madras, Oregon. This is the second time Takala has served as the CRITFC Chair, previously occupying this position in 2020-2021.
- [First Case Of Chronic Wasting Disease In Deer In North Idaho Confirmed, IDFG Planning Disease Sampling](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/first-case-of-chronic-wasting-disease-in-deer-in-north-idaho-confirmed-idfg-planning-disease-sampling/) - Idaho Fish and Game recently received test results confirming a positive case of chronic wasting disease in an adult female white-tailed deer roughly 3 miles outside of Bonners Ferry in hunting Unit 1. The deer was reported to Fish and Game by a landowner who found the dead deer in early July.
- [USGS Research Shows Links Between Wildfires And Increased Mercury In Pacific Northwest Headwater Streams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usgs-research-shows-links-between-wildfires-and-increased-mercury-in-pacific-northwest-headwater-streams/) - New research from the U.S. Geological Survey links wildfires to increased mercury concentrations in Pacific Northwest headwater streams.
- [Interior Department Establishes New Willamette Valley Conservation Area, Part Of National Wildlife Refuge Complex](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/interior-department-establishes-new-willamette-valley-conservation-area-part-of-national-wildlife-refuge-complex/) - The Department of the Interior announced this week the establishment of the Willamette Valley Conservation Area in Oregon as the 572nd unit of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-managed National Wildlife Refuge System.
- [Grande Ronde Tribes Receive NOAA Funding To Improve Conditions For Imperiled Chinook, Steelhead On Willamette Valley’s North Santiam River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/grande-ronde-tribes-receive-noaa-funding-to-improve-conditions-for-imperiled-chinook-steelhead-on-willamette-valleys-north-santiam-river/) - The North Santiam River is a high priority for the recovery of threatened Upper Willamette River spring Chinook and winter steelhead. Large dams upriver impaired natural stream processes, decimating fish populations. Development, shoreline armoring, and the disconnection of floodplains from the river damaged habitat key for salmon spawning and rearing juvenile fish.
- [Washington Updates Aquatic Life Toxics Criteria To Help Protect Salmon, Steelhead, Orcas](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-updates-aquatic-life-toxics-criteria-to-help-protect-salmon-steelhead-orcas/) - The Washington Department of Ecology has developed changes to the state’s aquatic life toxics criteria the agency says are based on updated science and new research, new methods and modeling tools, and recommendations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Tribal governments.
- [Despite 20 Years Of Management Actions, Avian Predation Remains Substantial Source Of Columbia River Salmon, Steelhead Mortality](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/despite-20-years-of-management-actions-avian-predation-remains-substantial-source-of-columbia-river-salmon-steelhead-mortality/) - As juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River basin migrate downstream to the ocean – mostly in the spring and summer – they run a gauntlet of avian predators. Birds are taking as much as 50 percent of these fish, with juvenile steelhead the hardest hit.
- [Once Again Invasive Zebra Mussels Found In Aquarium Moss Balls In Washington, Prompts Rapid Response](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/once-again-invasive-zebra-mussels-found-in-aquarium-moss-balls-in-washington-prompts-rapid-response/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife received notification last week from a local wholesale aquarium company in Renton of possible invasive freshwater mussels on a shipment of Marimo moss balls. Moss balls are a commonly used decorative algae in aquariums and water gardens.
- [Last Year’s Snake River Invasive Mussel Incident Has F&W Managers On High Alert; Widespread Infestation Poses Billions In Damage](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/last-years-snake-river-invasive-mussel-incident-has-f-widespread-infestation-poses-billions-in-damage/) - The state of Idaho has shifted from an aggressive rapid response – the emergency eradication of quagga mussels found in the mid-Snake River near Twin Falls last year -- to prevention and containment, according to Nic Zurfluh, Invasive Species Bureau Chief at the Idaho State Department of Agriculture. The incident was the first time invasive, destructive mussels were verified in the Columbia River basin.
- [Petition Filed Seeking ESA Protections For Alvord Chub, Freshwater Fish In Oregon, Nevada Desert](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/petition-filed-seeking-esa-protections-for-alvord-chub-freshwater-fish-in-oregon-nevada-desert/) - The Center for Biological Diversity this week petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the highly imperiled Alvord chub under the Endangered Species Act.
- [How To Keep Wind Turbines From Killing Thousands Of Birds Each Year? OSU Research Looks At Painting One Blade Black](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/how-to-keep-wind-turbines-from-killing-thousands-of-birds-each-year-osu-research-looks-at-painting-one-blade-black/) - Oregon State University researchers are part of a team looking at reducing bird collision risks with wind turbines by painting a single blade of the turbine black.
- [Why Have Colorado River Basin Streamflows Been Lower Than Predicted Based On Snowpack? UW Research Says Lack Of Spring Rainfall](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/why-has-colorado-river-basin-streamflows-been-lower-than-predicted-based-on-snowpack-uw-research-says-lack-of-spring-rainfall/) - The Colorado River and its tributaries provide water for hydropower, irrigation and drinking water in seven U.S. states and Mexico. Much of this water comes from the snowpack that builds up over the winter and then melts each spring. Every year in early April, water managers use the snowpack to predict how much water will be available for the upcoming year.
- [Climate Report Shows Greenhouse Gas, Global Temps, Ocean Heat, Sea Levels All Reached Record Highs In 2023](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/climate-report-shows-greenhouse-gas-global-temps-ocean-heat-sea-levels-all-reached-record-highs-in-2023/) - Greenhouse gas concentrations, the global temperature across land and oceans, global sea level and ocean heat content all reached record highs in 2023, according to an international State of the Climate report led by NOAA scientists.
- [Tribes Using $9.5 Million From NOAA For Salmon Habitat Restoration –Engineered Log Jams – On Washington’s South Fork Nooksack River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tribes-using-9-5-million-from-noaa-for-salmon-habitat-restoration-engineered-log-jams-on-washingtons-south-fork-nooksack-river/) - NOAA’s Office of Habitat Conservation is investing $9.5 million through the Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to restore salmon habitat for South Fork Nooksack River Spring Chinook. Projects led by the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe will install engineered log jams in the river.
- [Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission To Receive $794,000 From NOAA For Salmon Recovery In Columbia River Estuary](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-inter-tribal-fish-commission-to-receive-794000-from-noaa-for-salmon-recovery-in-columbia-river-estuary/) - Oregon U.S. Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission is set to receive a $794,000 federal grant from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to support their salmon recovery work and strengthen underserved communities impacted by climate change in the Columbia River Estuary.
- [Scientists Review Upper Snake Tribes’ Assessment Of Salmon Losses Due To Construction Of Upper Snake River Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scientists-review-upper-snake-tribes-assessment-of-salmon-losses-due-to-construction-of-upper-snake-river-dams/) - A regional panel of scientists’ recent review of the Upper Snake River Tribes Foundation’s assessment of spring/summer Chinook losses resulting from the construction of upper Snake River dams said the Tribes’ analysis could be improved and gives pointers to help with a second round of work.
- [This Year’s Operations At Dworshak Dam Keep Snake River At Lower Granite Dam Cool Enough For Salmon Through August](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-years-operations-at-dworshak-dam-keep-snake-river-at-lower-granite-dam-cool-enough-for-salmon-through-august/) - A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ operation that began July 1 to maintain tailwater temperatures at Lower Granite Dam under 68 degrees Fahrenheit by releasing cool water from Dworshak Dam into the lower Snake River system is coming to an end this weekend.
- [New Juvenile Fish Passage Facility Completed At Cle Elum Dam, Part Of Project To Boost Sockeye Returns To Yakima River Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-juvenile-fish-passage-facility-completed-at-cle-elum-dam-part-of-project-to-boost-sockeye-returns-to-yakima-river-basin/) - The Bureau of Reclamation and partners of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan completed a new fish passage facility at the Cle Elum Dam in July that will allow juvenile sockeye salmon to naturally pass downstream. Once all parts of the Integrated Plan are in place, annual adult sockeye returns to the Cle Elum River are projected to rise from 20,000 fish to 100,000 fish.
- [Mercier Named Next Director Of Bureau Of Indian Affairs, Served As Director Of BIA Northwest Regional Office Since 2018](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/mercier-named-next-director-of-bureau-of-indian-affairs-served-as-director-of-bia-northwest-regional-office-since-2018/) - Department of Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland announced that Bryan Mercier has been selected to serve as the next director of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
- [Study Predicts Grizzly Bear Habitat Use In Bitterroot Ecosystem (Montana, Idaho) Under Recolonization, Reintroduction Scenarios](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-predicts-grizzly-bear-habitat-use-in-bitterroot-ecosystem-montana-idaho-under-recolonization-reintroduction-scenarios/) - A new study co-authored by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks helps to identify where in the Bitterroot Ecosystem grizzly bears could call home through reintroduction or recolonization.
- [New Research Documents How Salish Sea Waters Too Noisy For Southern Resident Orcas To Hunt Salmon Successfully](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-research-documents-how-salish-sea-waters-too-noisy-for-southern-resident-orcas-to-hunt-salmon-successfully/) - New research led by the University of Washington and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has revealed how underwater noise produced by humans may help explain the southern residents orcas’ plight.
- [Elwha River Dam Removals 10 Years Later; Long-Term Study Shows Impacts To Salmon, Steelhead, Ecosystem](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/elwha-river-dam-removals-10-years-later-long-term-study-shows-impacts-to-salmon-steelhead-ecosystem/) - Removing the Elwha and Glines Canyon dams on Washington's Elwha River presented an opportunity to study the ecological response of a river ecosystem to large-scale disturbance and subsequent restoration.
- [With Klamath Dams Breached, California Issues ‘Klamath River Anadromous Fishery Reintroduction and Restoration Monitoring Plan’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-klamath-dams-breached-california-issues-klamath-river-anadromous-fishery-reintroduction-and-restoration-monitoring-plan/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released the “Klamath River Anadromous Fishery Reintroduction and Restoration Monitoring Plan,” a 60-page blueprint to guide the reintroduction and monitoring of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead and Pacific lamprey in a newly undammed Klamath River.
- [States Expand Salmon Fishing In Mainstem Columbia After 7 Percent Increase In Forecasted Upriver Chinook Return](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/states-expand-salmon-fishing-in-mainstem-columbia-after-7-percent-increase-in-forecasted-upriver-chinook-return/) - Oregon and Washington added more fishing days on the mainstem Columbia River and expanded the bag limit to three salmon for the Buoy 10 fishery at a hearing this week after a prediction of higher than previously forecasted returns of salmon and steelhead.
- [Hydropower Industry Sues Biden Administration Over ESA Administrative Rule Changes, Says Excess Of Authority](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/hydropower-industry-sues-biden-administration-over-esa-administrative-rule-changes-says-excess-of-authority/) - The hydropower industry has filed a lawsuit in U.S. district court that challenges administrative changes to the federal Endangered Species Act made by Biden Administration agencies this spring that the industry says were made in “excess of the Services’ statutory jurisdiction and authority.”
- [Another Signal Too Many Hatchery Pink Salmon In North Pacific? Study Shows Pink Salmon Abundance Impacting Size Of Snake River Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/another-signal-too-many-hatchery-pink-salmon-in-north-pacific-study-shows-pink-salmon-abundance-impacting-size-of-snake-river-steelhead/) - Competition with millions of pink salmon in the North Pacific Ocean, which are known for their two-year cycle of abundance, is resulting in shorter steelhead returning to the Snake River – also on a two-year cycle, according to a recent study.
- [Forest Service Releases EIS For Massive Gold Mine At Headwaters Of Idaho’s Salmon River, Critical Habitat For Chinook Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/forest-service-releases-eis-for-massive-gold-mine-at-headwaters-of-idahos-salmon-river-critical-habitat-for-chinook-salmon/) - The Payette National Forest released a Final Environmental Impact Statement and Draft Record of Decision for a controversial gold mine located in the headwaters of Idaho’s Salmon River. The draft documents will undergo a 45-day public review for what the U.S. Forest Service is calling a “pre-decisional objection period.”
- [WSU Study Finds That At-Risk Butterflies More Likely To Survive With Active Human Help, Some Declining At Rapid Rate](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wsu-study-finds-that-at-risk-butterflies-more-likely-to-survive-with-active-human-help-some-declining-at-rapid-rate/) - Some of the butterflies most in danger of fluttering out of existence fare better when their habitats are actively managed by humans, a recent study found.
- [In ESA Status Review USFWS Confirms Marbled Murrelet Remains Threatened, Loss Of Old Growth Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/in-esa-status-review-usfws-confirms-marbled-murrelet-remains-threatened-loss-of-old-growth-habitat/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has released a five-year status review for the marbled murrelet, a species of seabird that is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act from the Canadian border to central California.
- [Interior Announces First Offshore Wind Energy Lease Sale Off Northwest Coast, Could Power One Million Homes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/interior-announces-first-offshore-wind-energy-lease-sale-off-northwest-coast-could-power-one-million-homes/) - The Department of the Interior has announced it will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale off southern Oregon. The two areas to be auctioned on October 15, 2024, by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management could generate more than 3.1 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy if fully developed, which could power approximately one million homes.
- [Oregon Launches Pilot Projects To Estimate Anglers’ Salmon, Steelhead Catch; There’s An App For That](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-launches-pilot-projects-to-estimate-anglers-salmon-steelhead-catch-theres-an-app-for-that/) - Creel surveys (where state fish biologists ask for and record information about anglers’ catches) provide critical information for managing many fisheries but can be expensive and labor-intensive.
- [WDFW Officers Respond To Call Of River Otter Attacking Child, Mother](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-officers-respond-to-call-of-river-otter-attacking-child-mother/) - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers earlier this month received a report of a human-river otter incident that occurred at the Bremerton Marina in Kitsap County.
- [USFWS Status Review Says Bull Trout Should Remain Listed As Threatened Under ESA](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-status-review-says-bull-trout-should-remain-listed-as-threatened-under-esa/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has completed the 5-year status review and a Species Status Assessment for bull trout in the lower 48 states, recommending no change to the current threatened listing status of the bull trout under the Endangered Species Act.
- [What Do Two Populations Of North Pacific Killer Whales Eat? Research Shows Differences Between Southern Residents (Puget Sound), Alaska Residents](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/what-do-two-populations-of-north-pacific-killer-whales-eat-research-shows-differences-between-southern-residents-puget-sound-alaska-residents/) - Scientists studied two populations of fish-eating killer whales -- the Southern Residents and the southern Alaska residents – to find out if these two populations different things and how their diets change throughout the year.
- [Steelhead Kelt Reconditioning: ‘Developing Relatively Uncertain Approach Into Viable Management Alternative To Enhance Spawner Abundance’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/steelhead-kelt-reconditioning-developing-relatively-uncertain-approach-into-viable-management-alternative-to-enhance-spawner-abundance/) - The Bonneville Power Administration is funding the construction of a state-of-the-art steelhead kelt reconditioning facility in Julietta, Idaho aimed at restoring steelhead populations in the Clearwater River. The new facility will be built adjacent to Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery, which BPA funded in 2001, and is being constructed in partnership with Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the Nez Perce tribe.
- [Lamprey Returns To Columbia River ‘Disappointing’ This Year; Efforts Continue To Boost Numbers, Including Translocation To Tributaries, Better Dam Passage](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lamprey-returns-to-columbia-river-disappointing-this-year-efforts-continue-to-boost-numbers-including-translocation-to-tributaries-better-dam-passage/) - Some 22,038 Columbia River basin Pacific lamprey had been counted at Bonneville Dam’s fish ladders as of Sept. 22, one-half the 10-year average and only one-third the number that had passed the dam on this date last year.
- [Washington State Issues Draft Strategy To Remove Small-Scale Salmon, Steelhead Passage Barriers, 20,000 Across The State](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-state-issues-draft-strategy-to-remove-small-scale-salmon-steelhead-passage-barriers-20000-across-the-state/) - Responding to a years-long Supreme Court injunction over fish culverts, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking public input on a draft statewide strategy to prioritize the removal of small-scale barriers that prevent salmon and steelhead from swimming upstream.
- [More Invasive Quagga Mussels Found Again In Snake River, Idaho To Respond With Chemical Treatment Plan](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/more-invasive-quagga-mussels-found-again-in-snake-river-idaho-to-respond-with-chemical-treatment-plan/) - The Idaho State Department of Agriculture announced this week the detection of a small number of quagga mussels in the Twin Falls area of the Snake River.
- [Chinook, Steelhead Return Forecasts Rise Again While Coho Booming; Coho, Steelhead Passage At Willamette Falls Way Up](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/chinook-steelhead-return-forecasts-rise-again-while-coho-booming-coho-steelhead-passage-at-willamette-falls-way-up/) - Oregon and Washington opened the entire mainstem Columbia River to fall Chinook and coho salmon fishing from Buoy 10 to the Oregon and Washington state border last week. The change by the two-state Columbia River Compact came at its Sept. 18 hearing and was based on an increase in expected fall Chinook returns, as well as higher than average returns of coho.
- [Canada Looking For A New Columbia River Treaty To Promote Ecosystem Functions, Cultural Values Of B.C., First Nations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/canada-looking-for-a-new-columbia-river-treaty-to-promote-ecosystem-functions-cultural-values-of-b-c-first-nations/) - In a Columbia River Treaty “Agreement in Principle” with the United States, Canada will set aside 4-million-acre-feet of water each year that in the past has been used for power production. This water stored behind Canadian dams instead will be used to promote ecosystem functions and socio-economic and cultural values of British Columbia and its First Nations, according to an information session by B.C. Treaty negotiators last week.
- [Corps Holds Information Sessions To Explain Willamette Dams’ Drawdowns To Aid Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-holds-information-sessions-to-explain-willamette-dams-drawdowns-to-aid-salmon-steelhead/) - Deep drawdowns at Green Peter and Lookout Point reservoirs to improve juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead fish passage on the Willamette River will be explained at virtual public information sessions sponsored by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers.
- [EPA, Conservation Group Reach Agreement To Ensure Cyanide Levels In Washington Waters Not Harming Whales, Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/epa-conservation-group-reach-agreement-to-ensure-cyanide-levels-in-washington-waters-not-harming-whales-fish/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that puts the agency on the path to protecting imperiled fish and southern resident killer whales from toxic cyanide in Washington state’s waters.
- [WDFW Releases New Long-Term Management Plan For Invasive European Green Crabs, More Than One Million Removed Since 2022](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-releases-new-long-term-management-plan-for-invasive-european-green-crabs-more-than-one-million-removed-since-2022/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has published a new long-term management plan for invasive European green crabs (EGC). This harmful shore crab species is a threat to native shellfish, estuary habitats, eelgrass, Washington’s aquaculture industry, and other tribal, cultural, and environmental values.
- [Scientists Upgrade Genetic Research Tool Allowing Researchers To Identify The River An Individual Salmon Comes From](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/scientists-upgrade-genetic-research-tool-allowing-researchers-to-identify-the-river-an-individual-salmon-comes-from/) - NOAA scientists have upgraded a crucial genetic reference tool for Chinook salmon conservation that allows researchers to pinpoint the river system individual fish come from, enabling more precise management and protection of threatened and endangered populations.
- [Twenty Years Of Salmon Habitat Improvements In Columbia River Estuary Detailed, No Net Loss Since 2009](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/twenty-years-of-salmon-habitat-improvements-in-columbia-river-estuary-detailed-no-net-loss-since-2009/) - Twenty years of habitat improvements in the Columbia River estuary have yielded 80 projects and 11,100 acres of reconnected tidally influenced flood plain habitat, according to two presentations by estuary scientists at a recent Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting.
- [WDFW To Use Drones To Survey Seals, Sea Lions To Help Estimate Consumption Of Salmon, Steelhead At Certain Locations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-to-use-drones-to-survey-seals-sea-lions-to-help-estimate-consumption-of-salmon-steelhead-at-certain-locations/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has finalized a drone use plan that authorizes staff to conduct pinniped research and management surveys in the state’s coastal and inland waters. Department staff and researchers will use drones to survey for seals and sea lions in the Department’s Southwest, Coastal, and North Puget Sound regions.
- [Study Measures Impacts Of Harbor Seal Predation On Migrating Steelhead Smolts In Marine Waters](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-measures-impacts-of-harbor-seal-predation-on-migrating-steelhead-smolts-in-marine-waters/) - Harbor seals consume as many as a third of young steelhead smolts migrating out of the Nisqually River’s delta in southern Puget Sound, new research shows.
- [Washington Issues Climate Response Strategy To Deal With Snowpack Loss, Rising Sea Levels, Heat, Flooding, Drought, Wildfires, Ocean Conditions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-issues-climate-response-strategy-to-deal-with-snowpack-loss-rising-sea-levels-heat-flooding-drought-wildfires-ocean-conditions/) - Dwindling snowpack, rising sea levels and dangerous heat events are among climate change challenges Washington state agencies are planning for under the guidance of a new “climate response” strategy.
- [BIA Announces $10 Million To Upgrade Tribal In-Lieu, Treaty Fishing Access Sites Along Columbia River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bia-announces-10-million-to-upgrade-tribal-in-lieu-treaty-fishing-access-sites-along-columbia-river/) - The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs last week announced a nearly $10 million investment to provide critical rehabilitation at Tribal fishing sites along the Columbia River.
- [Independent Scientists Review NPCC’s Basin Fish/Wildlife Program, Recommend More Comprehensive Climate Change Strategy](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/independent-scientists-review-npccs-basin-fish-wildlife-program-recommend-more-comprehensive-climate-change-strategy/) - In a recent review, a panel of scientists said the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program for the Columbia River basin is still changing and progressing after 40 years of implementation, but will need further updates and improvements, including a better strategy for incorporating climate change into the Program and a more comprehensive analysis of the outcome of removing the four lower Snake River dams.
- [2024 Draft Annual Salmon Survival Report: Smolt-To-Adult Return Rates Won’t Meet Regional Goals Under Non-Breach Alternatives](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2024-draft-annual-salmon-survival-report-smolt-to-adult-return-rates-wont-meet-regional-goals-under-non-breach-alternatives/) - The latest draft annual survival study by the Fish Passage Center confirms what the organization has found each year since 2019, that recovery of salmon and steelhead in the Snake River will not occur without breaching the four lower Snake River dams.
- [ODFW Says Uncertified Moss Balls Have Been Shipped To Oregon, Raising Concerns About Zebra Mussel Infestation](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-says-uncertified-moss-balls-have-been-shipped-to-oregon-raising-concerns-about-zebra-mussel-infestation/) - Worried about invasive, destructive zebra mussels coming into the state, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is asking aquarium and pet store shoppers in North Bend and Stayton areas who may have purchased marimo moss ball products in the last six months to contact the agency.
- [All Four Lower Klamath River Dams Removed, Several Years Work Ahead To Restore Formerly Submerged Lands](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/all-four-lower-klamath-river-dams-removed-several-years-work-ahead-to-restore-formerly-submerged-lands/) - All four lower Klamath River hydropower dams have been removed. Kiewit, the dam removal contractor hired by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation to complete the construction elements of the project, finished all work this month in the river.
- [EIS Out For Public Comment On Hatchery Program To Increase Chinook Salmon For Southern Resident Killer Whales](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/eis-out-for-public-comment-on-hatchery-program-to-increase-chinook-salmon-for-southern-resident-killer-whales/) - NOAA Fisheries is asking the public to weigh in on alternatives on how to fund a controversial hatchery-driven prey increase program that it says would provide 4- to 5-percent more Chinook salmon in Puget Sound for endangered Orcas.
- [NOAA Issues New EIS, BiOp To Allow Summer, Winter SE Alaska Chinook Troll Fishery Halted By Federal Judge In May](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-issues-new-eis-biop-to-allow-summer-winter-se-alaska-chinook-troll-fishery-halted-by-federal-judge-in-may/) - Commercial troll fishermen in Southeast Alaska may soon be able to again legally fish for Chinook salmon in waters off the Alaskan shore. The SE Alaska troll fleet was facing a near shutdown of fishing after a District Court judge in May remanded NOAA Fisheries’ 2019 biological opinion and incidental take statement for the fishery.
- [Northwest Power/Conservation Council Issues Draft Annual Report To Congress On Council Progress With Fish, Power](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-power-conservation-council-issues-draft-annual-report-to-congress-on-council-progress-with-fish-power/) - A draft report to Congress briefly outlines progress the Northwest Power and Conservation Council made in fiscal year 2023 on its Power Plan and Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. The draft report was approved to go out for public comment until Dec. 10 by the Council last week at its meeting in Portland.
- [Biden Administration Designates Third Largest National Marine Sanctuary Off California’s Central Coast, 4500 Square Miles](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/biden-administration-designates-third-largest-national-marine-sanctuary-off-californias-central-coast-4500-square-miles/) - The Biden Administration has announced that NOAA is designating 4,543 square miles of coastal and offshore waters along 116 miles of California’s central coast as America’s 17th national marine sanctuary.
- [More Land Added To NE Oregon’s Minam River Wildlife Area, Habitat For ESA-Listed Snake River Salmon, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/more-land-added-to-ne-oregons-minam-river-wildlife-area-habitat-for-esa-listed-salmon-steelhead-bull-trout/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation added an additional 1,073 acres to the Minam River Wildlife Area in northeast Oregon, expanding the protected acreage to 16,646. This collaborative effort, finalized last month, builds upon significant land acquisitions from 2021 and 2023.
- [Oregon’s Crater Lake Newt May Qualify For ESA Protection, Introduced Crayfish Decimating Populations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregons-crater-lake-newt-may-qualify-for-esa-protection-introduced-crayfish-decimating-populations/) - In response to a legal petition from the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced this week that the Crater Lake newt (also known as the Mazama newt) may qualify for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
- [Mixed-Source Reintroductions: Montana Research Shows How Genetic Diversity Affect Health, Viability Of Fish Reintroductions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/mixed-source-reintroductions-montana-research-shows-how-genetic-diversity-affect-health-viability-of-fish-reintroductions/) - New research from University of Montana underscores the critical role of genetic variation in the conservation of threatened fish species.
- [Bonneville Power Announces 13 More Transmission Projects For Expected Future Load Growth, Estimated Cost $3 Billion](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bonneville-power-announces-13-more-transmission-projects-for-expected-future-load-growth-estimated-cost-3-billion/) - The Bonneville Power Administration has identified 13 more transmission substation and line projects necessary to reinforce the Pacific Northwest’s electric grid.
- [‘We Are On The Brink Of Irreversible Climate Disaster:’ OSU Report Says Of 35 Planetary Vital Signs, 25 At Record Extremes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/we-are-on-the-brink-of-irreversible-climate-disaster-osu-report-says-of-35-planetary-vital-signs-25-at-record-extremes/) - An international coalition led by Oregon State University scientists concludes in its annual report published this month that the Earth’s worsening vital signs indicate a “critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis” and that “decisive action is needed, and fast.”
- [Tribal, Federal, State Leaders Celebrate $240 Million In Federal Funding For Maintenance, Upgrades To Tribal Salmon, Steelhead Hatcheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tribal-federal-state-leaders-celebrate-240-million-in-federal-funding-for-maintenance-upgrades-to-tribal-salmon-steelhead-hatcheries/) - Tribal, federal, and state leaders gathered at the Tulalip Reservation earlier this month to celebrate $240 million in federal funding for tribal hatcheries. The Inflation Reduction Act investment will help 27 tribes from Northern California to Southeast Alaska meet maintenance and modernization needs of tribal Pacific salmon and steelhead hatcheries.
- [What’s Happening In North Pacific Between Hatchery, Wild Salmon? Study Stresses More Research To Reduce Unintended Interactions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/whats-happening-in-north-pacific-between-hatchery-wild-salmon-study-stresses-more-research-to-reduce-unintended-interactions/) - There are more salmon in the North Pacific Ocean than at any time in the past 100 years, according to a study released this month. The increase is due to changes in the marine ecosystems caused by warming seas -- changes that mostly benefit pink salmon, industrial-scale hatchery production, and commercial fishing.
- [Pacific Salmon Foundation Report Shows Widespread Declines For Most Salmon In British Columbia, Yukon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pacific-salmon-foundation-report-shows-widespread-declines-for-most-salmon-in-british-columbia-yukon/) - Pacific salmon are in decline across British Columbia and the Yukon, according to a new report from the Pacific Salmon Foundation. More than 70 per cent of salmon are below their long-term average of the 41 combinations of regions and species assessed.
- [First Salmon Since 1912 Spotted In Oregon’s Klamath Basin Months After Dam Removal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/first-salmon-since-1912-spotted-in-oregons-klamath-basin-months-after-dam-removal/) - On October 16, a fall-run Chinook salmon was identified by Oregon Department Fish and Wildlife fish biologists in a tributary to the Klamath River above the former J.C. Boyle Dam, becoming the first anadromous fish to return to the Klamath Basin in Oregon since 1912 when the first of four hydroelectric dams was constructed, blocking migration.
- [Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected In Pig In U.S. For First Time In Oregon’s Crook County; Five Pigs, 70 Birds Euthanized](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-detected-in-pig-in-u-s-for-first-time-in-oregons-crook-county-five-pigs-70-birds-euthanized/) - The National Veterinary Services Laboratories has confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in 1 of 5 pigs living on a small farm in central Oregon’s Crook County.
- [Petition Filed Seeking ESA Protections For Washington State’s Cascade Red Fox](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/petition-filed-seeking-esa-protections-for-washington-states-cascade-red-fox/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a petition urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the Cascade red fox under the Endangered Species Act. The Washington state foxes are threatened by climate change, small population size and a host of other threats.
- [Cougar On Busy Oregon Coast Dock Presented Challenges For ODFW](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/cougar-on-busy-oregon-coast-dock-presented-challenges-for-odfw/) - On Oct. 17 the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife was alerted by Oregon State Police that a young adult male cougar was on a dock at the Embarcadero Resort in Newport. ODFW staff immediately responded and assessed the scene with local law enforcement.
- [Interior Announces $46 Million For Klamath Basin Restoration, Plans $162 Million Over Five Years For Water Reliability, Salmon Post Dam Removal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/interior-announces-46-million-for-klamath-basin-restoration-plans-162-million-over-five-years-for-water-reliability-salmon-post-dam-removal/) - The U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this week announced nearly $46 million in investments from President Biden’s Infrastructure Law for ecosystem restoration activities that “address high-priority Klamath Basin water-related challenges in southern Oregon and northern California.”
- [Corps Awards $657 Million Contract For Fish Passage Facility At Seattle Area Dam, More Spawning Habitat For ESA-Listed Chinook Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-awards-657-million-contract-for-fish-passage-facility-at-seattle-area-dam-more-spawning-habitat-for-esa-listed-chinook-salmon/) - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded to a contractor $657 million for the the “Howard A. Hanson Dam Additional Water Storage Fish Passage Facility Project,” intended to increase the ability of Endangered Species Act - listed Chinook salmon to access substantially more spawning and rearing area – 221 square miles of undeveloped watershed. The earthen dam is on the Green River, 35 miles southeast of Seattle.
- [NOAA Releases ‘West Coast Offshore Wind Energy Strategic Science Plan’ To Guide Research On Impacts To Marine Life](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-releases-west-coast-offshore-wind-energy-strategic-science-plan-to-guide-research-on-impacts-to-marine-life/) - Offshore wind energy may represent the most significant new commercial use of the ocean seen in many decades. As new offshore wind technology emerges off the U.S. West Coast, NOAA Fisheries has developed a strategic science plan identifying both opportunities and challenges for advancing the agency’s research and understanding of offshore wind in the region.
- [Amazon, Energy Northwest Announce Plans To Develop, Build Small Nuclear Reactors On Columbia River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/amazon-energy-northwest-announce-plans-to-develop-build-small-nuclear-reactors-on-columbia-river/) - Amazon and Energy Northwest, a public power agency leading in the development of “next-generation” nuclear technologies, have announced an agreement to fund efforts to move toward development and deployment of small modular reactor (SMR) technology on the Columbia River in Washington state “to advance reliable energy across the Northwest.”
- [Oregon Researchers To Study Whether Feeding Seaweed To Cattle Grazing In Sagebrush Ecosystems Reduces Methane Emissions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-researchers-to-study-whether-feeding-seaweed-to-cattle-grazing-in-sagebrush-ecosystems-reduces-methane-emissions/) - Oregon State University researchers have received a $1 million grant to study the impact of adding seaweed to the diets of beef cattle as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- [How Do Lakes Contribute To Water Cycle In Warming World? Study Says Implications For Freezing Later, Melting Earlier](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/how-do-lakes-contribute-to-water-cycle-in-warming-world-study-says-implications-for-freezing-later-melting-earlier/) - The world’s freshwater lakes are freezing over for shorter periods of time due to climate change. This shift has major implications for human safety, as well as water quality, biodiversity, and global nutrient cycles, according to a new analysis from an international team of researchers.
- [For First Time Scientists Find Japanese Sardines In California Current, Marine Heatwaves May Have Opened Corridor Across North Pacific](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/for-first-time-scientists-find-japanese-sardines-in-california-current-marine-heatwaves-may-have-opened-corridor-across-north-pacific/) - When research scientist Gary Longo first saw the results of his genomic analysis of sardines, he thought he must have mixed up his samples.
- [Nov.-April Operations At Bonneville Dam For ESA-Listed Chum Salmon To Begin; La Nina Coming, Bringing Wet Weather, Possible ‘Drought Removal’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nov-april-operations-at-bonneville-dam-for-esa-listed-chum-salmon-to-begin-la-nina-coming-bringing-wet-weather-possible-drought-removal/) - Threatened Chum salmon are arriving at spawning grounds downstream of Bonneville Dam, prompting the interagency Technical Management Team to begin operations at the dam designed to maintain a certain level of water over the fish as they spawn now and through emergence in April.
- [Walleye Abundance Increasing At Alarming Rate In Snake, Salmon Rivers, Idaho Seeks Angler Help To Slow The Spread](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/walleye-abundance-increasing-at-alarming-rate-in-snake-salmon-rivers-idaho-seeks-angler-help-to-slow-the-spread/) - Walleye are spreading at an alarming rate upstream in the Snake and Salmon rivers and now occupy critical rearing and migratory areas of juvenile salmon and steelhead, says Idaho Fish and Game.
- [Corps Report Recommends Removing 550-Foot Yakima River Delta Causeway Creating Warm Water, Increased Predation On ESA-Listed Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-report-recommends-removing-550-foot-yakima-river-delta-causeway-creating-warm-water-increased-predation-on-esa-listed-salmon/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District has released the results of its Yakima Delta ecological restoration feasibility report, recommending the removal of a causeway to improve conditions for salmon in the Yakima River Delta.
- [Warming Climate To Bring Changes To Columbia River Flow Management; Less Snow, More Rain, Higher Winter-Spring Flows, Low Summer Flows](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/warming-climate-to-bring-changes-to-columbia-river-flow-management-less-snow-more-rain-higher-winter-spring-flows-low-summer-flows/) - Climate change is expected to alter Columbia River basin streamflows in the coming years with higher water and more rain but less snowpack in winter, and more drought and lower water in the summer, which could result in less water for summer spill.
- [NOAA Awards $9.2 Million To Academic Cooperative Institutes For Pacific Salmon Recovery Science](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-awards-9-2-million-to-academic-cooperative-institutes-for-pacific-salmon-recovery-science/) - NOAA Fisheries has awarded more than $9.2 million in grants funded by the Inflation Reduction Act to academic partners that will help recover threatened and endangered Pacific salmon.
- [Saving Sage Grouse: BLM Issues New Proposals For 65 Million Acres In The West, Conservation Groups Say Effort Falls Short](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/saving-sage-grouse-blm-issues-new-proposals-for-65-million-acres-in-the-west-conservation-groups-say-effort-falls-short/) - The Department of the Interior has announced updates by the Bureau of Land Management to “strengthen conservation and management of greater sage-grouse habitat on public lands, informed by the best available science, collaborative work with states, and input from local, Tribal and federal partners.”
- [Oregon Issues For Comment Draft Priority List Of 605 Most Critical Manmade Barriers To Fish Passage, Climate Change Used For Rankings](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-issues-for-comment-draft-priority-list-of-605-most-critical-manmade-barriers-to-fish-passage-climate-change-used-for-rankings/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has developed an update to the Statewide Fish Passage Barrier Priority List, which is revised every five years.
- [Judge Upholds Oregon F/W Commission Decision To End Summer Steelhead Hatchery Releases On North Umpqua River To Protect Wild Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/judge-upholds-oregon-f-w-commission-decision-to-end-summer-steelhead-hatchery-releases-on-north-umpqua-river-to-protect-wild-fish/) - A Marion County Circuit Court in Oregon denied a petition to continue releases of hatchery summer steelhead smolts into Oregon’s North Umpqua River.
- [BPA Releases 2024 Financial Results Showing Net Revenues At Negative $132 Million, Took A Hit With January Cold Snap](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-releases-2024-financial-results-showing-net-revenues-at-negative-132-million-took-a-hit-with-january-cold-snap/) - The Bonneville Power Administration reported its end-of-year financial performance results for fiscal year 2024 at its Quarterly Business Review, showing negative revenues and missed targets.
- [Researchers Find They Can Use E-DNA To Estimate Biomass Of Multiple Alaska Fish Species Simultaneously](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/researchers-find-they-can-use-e-dna-to-estimate-biomass-of-multiple-alaska-fish-species-simultaneously/) - In a new study, NOAA Fisheries scientists, in partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, show that it is possible to estimate fish biomass for more than one species at the same time, using environmental DNA (eDNA).
- [Count Of Mother-Calf Gray Whale Pairs Off West Coast One Of Lowest On Record Due To Reduced Food Availability In Arctic](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/count-of-mother-calf-gray-whale-pairs-off-west-coast-one-of-lowest-on-record-due-to-reduced-food-availability-in-arctic/) - The number of gray whale calves migrating with their mothers along the California Coast this year was one of the lowest on record.
- [Groundbreaking Research: First Time Cloned Endangered Species (Black-Footed Ferret) Produces Offspring](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groundbreaking-research-first-time-cloned-endangered-species-black-footed-ferret-produces-offspring/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and conservation partners have announced a groundbreaking achievement in endangered species research: the first-ever birth of black-footed ferrets produced by a cloned endangered animal.
- [Deschutes River Reintroduction Program This Year Sees Highest Return Yet Of Adult Summer Steelhead; Returns Across The Basin Up Over Recent Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/deschutes-river-reintroduction-program-this-year-sees-highest-return-yet-of-adult-summer-steelhead-returns-across-the-basin-up-over-recent-years/) - Some 262 adult summer steelhead have returned to the Pelton Round Butte hydroelectric project’s trap on Oregon’s Deschutes River as of November 7 and all have been or will be released into Lake Billy Chinook.
- [Corps/Washington State Sign Agreement To Study Impacts Of Snake River Dam Breaching To Transportation, Recreation](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-washington-state-sign-agreement-to-study-impacts-of-snake-river-dam-breaching-to-transportation-recreation/) - An agreement to study transportation and recreational services that would need mitigation if the four lower Snake River dams were breached to recover the river’s threatened salmon and steelhead was signed early last week by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Washington’s Department of Transportation.
- [Center For Biological Diversity Report Says Water Reservoirs Significant Source Of Climate Warming Emissions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/center-for-biological-diversity-report-says-water-reservoirs-significant-source-of-climate-warming-emissions/) - Reservoirs, a major component of California’s water storage system, are a significant source of climate-warming emissions, releasing more greenhouse gases across the state than 300,000 gas-powered cars in a year, says a report by the Center for Biological Diversity.
- [Carbon Budget: CO2 Emissions Grow In 2023, Continue To Increase 2024, No Sign Burning Fossil Fuels Has Peaked](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/carbon-budget-co2-emissions-grow-in-2023-continue-to-increase-2024-no-sign-burning-fossil-fuels-has-peaked/) - Emissions of carbon caused by fossil fuel pollution continued to grow slightly in 2023 to 36.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide, setting yet another new record despite increasingly urgent warnings from scientists about the need for steep and immediate decreases.
- [Forest Service Proposing Changes To Northwest Forest Plan Guiding Land Management Of 24.5 Million Acres, Could Boost Harvest In Some Areas](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/forest-service-proposing-changes-to-northwest-forest-plan-guiding-land-management-of-24-5-million-acres-could-boost-harvest-in-some-areas/) - The U.S. Forest Service is proposing an amendment to the land management plans guiding parts or all of 17 national forests within the Northwest Forest Plan areas of Oregon, Washington and Northern California.
- [Groundwater Declines: Oregon Study Links Farm Irrigation Decisions, Groundwater Levels To Find Potential Solutions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/groundwater-declines-oregon-study-links-farm-irrigation-decisions-groundwater-levels-to-find-potential-solutions/) - Sustainable rates of groundwater withdrawal in southeast Oregon’s Harney Basin were surpassed 20 years prior to the time declining groundwater levels were generally recognized, a new analysis found.
- [Montana Approves New Fishing Regulations To Reduce Pressure On ESA-Listed Bull Trout, Record Low Numbers South Fork Flathead River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-approves-new-fishing-regulations-to-reduce-pressure-on-esa-listed-bull-trout-record-low-numbers-south-fork-flathead-river/) - The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission has approved additional protections –less fishing pressure-- for bull trout in Hungry Horse Reservoir and the South Fork of the Flathead River in northwest Montana.
- [Alaska 2024 Salmon Harvest Summary Shows Third Lowest On Record For Total Fish Harvested, Sockeye 42 Percent of Harvest](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-2024-salmon-harvest-summary-shows-third-lowest-on-record-for-total-fish-harvested-sockeye-42-percent-of-harvest/) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has published preliminary harvest and value figures for the 2024 Alaska Commercial Salmon Fishery that show a dramatic decline compared to last year.
- [Yakama Nation Tells FERC If Pumped Storage Project Approved Near John Day Dam, Mitigation Cost No Less Than $40 Million Required](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/yakama-nation-tells-ferc-if-pumped-storage-project-approved-near-john-day-dam-mitigation-cost-no-less-than-40-million-required/) - In a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation suggest that if a pumped storage project near the Columbia River’s John Day Dam moves forward, the Yakama Nation should receive no less than $40 million in mitigation for damage to tribal resources. The money would be used for the preservation and management of sacred and sensitive properties to the Yakama Nation.
- [EPA Gives Notice Of Developing New Rule To Protect Salmon, Steelhead From Lethal Tire Chemical; ‘Unreasonable Threat To Water, Fish Resources’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/epa-gives-notice-of-developing-new-rule-to-protect-salmon-steelhead-from-lethal-tire-chemical-unreasonable-threat-to-water-fish-resources/) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is acting on its commitment to three Northwest tribes by issuing an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) to collect information on the risks of 6PPD quinone in tires, known to be toxic in stormwater runoff to coho salmon and steelhead in Puget Sound.
- [2024 Survival Rate Of Migrating Juvenile Salmon In Columbia/Snake Rivers? Hard To Say With Yet Another Year Of Low Detection, Tagging Rates](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/2024-survival-rate-of-migrating-juvenile-salmon-in-columbia-snake-rivers-hard-to-say-with-yet-another-year-of-low-detection-tagging-rates/) - Increased spill levels at Snake and Columbia river dams, along with lower water flow in the rivers, hampered the ability of scientists to tag and detect juvenile salmon and steelhead as they migrated downstream in 2024.
- [Feedback: CBB Article On 2024 Juvenile Survival Rate Inaccurate](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/feedback-cbb-article-on-2024-juvenile-survival-rate-inaccurate/) - Comment Re: CBB article of November 26, 2024, entitled "2024 Survival Rate Of Migrating Juvenile Salmon In Columbia/Snake Rivers? Hard To Say With Yet Another Year Of Low Detection, Tagging Rates.”
- [Northwest Power/Conservation Council Executive Director Plans To Leave In Spring](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-power-conservation-council-executive-director-plans-to-leave-in-spring/) - Just the third executive director of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council in 45 years is about to leave. After nearly five years in the position, Executive Director Bill Edmonds is planning to step down in spring 2025.
- [Group Seeks ESA Protections For Two Snails In Southeast Oregon’s Owyhee River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/group-seeks-esa-protections-for-two-snails-in-southeast-oregons-owyhee-river/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has filed petitions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeking Endangered Species Act protections for the Owyhee hot springsnail and Owyhee upland pyrg.
- [USFW Releases Final Recovery Plan, Proposed Critical Habitat Revisions For Canada Lynx, Listed Under ESA 24 Years Ago](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfw-releases-final-recovery-plan-proposed-critical-habitat-revisions-for-canada-lynx-listed-under-esa-24-years-ago/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says it is taking two significant steps to support the conservation and recovery of the threatened Canada lynx population in the lower 48 states.
- [Washington State Industrial Sites Have New Requirements To Protect Water Quality; Must Sample For PFAS, Tire Chemicals Lethal To Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-state-industrial-sites-have-new-requirements-to-protect-water-quality-must-sample-for-pfas-tire-chemicals-lethal-to-salmon/) - Washington's Industrial Stormwater General Permit, which covers nearly 1,200 facilities, has new requirements to ensure cleaner stormwater is flowing into local waterways, and is less harmful to salmon.
- [Court-Ordered Drawdown In Willamette Valley To Aid Salmon Halted Early Due To Downstream Water Quality Issues](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/court-ordered-drawdown-in-willamette-valley-to-aid-salmon-halted-early-due-to-downstream-water-quality-issues/) - In just its second year of court-ordered drawdowns at two Willamette River dams to aid passage of threatened spring Chinook salmon and winter steelhead, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced just prior to Thanksgiving that it halted the drawdown at one of the dams due to water quality issues at three municipalities downstream.
- [BPA Planning Budget For Next Year For Columbia Basin Fish/Wildlife Projects Set At $302 Million, An Increase Over Last Two Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-planning-budget-for-next-year-for-columbia-basin-fish-wildlife-projects-set-at-302-million-an-increase-over-last-two-years/) - The Bonneville Power Administration plans to spend next year $41 million more in fish and wildlife projects in the Columbia River basin than it actually spent in 2023, and five million more than what was budgeted for 2024, for which actual spending is not yet available.
- [Washington Governor Joins Oregon Governor In Affirming State Commitments To Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative Aimed At Restoring Salmon Runs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-governor-joins-oregon-governor-in-affirming-state-commitments-to-columbia-basin-restoration-initiative-aimed-at-restoring-salmon-runs/) - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has directed Washington state agencies to take all actions necessary, in cooperation with the state of Oregon and four lower Columbia Basin treaty tribes, to fulfill the State of Washington’s commitments to the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative.
- [Shifting Currents In Columbia/Snake River Salmon Recovery: Efforts To Save Snake River Fish Runs Likely To Look Different Under Trump](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shifting-currents-in-columbia-snake-river-salmon-recovery-efforts-to-save-snake-river-fish-runs-likely-to-look-different-under-trump/) - The change from the Biden to the Trump administration is primed to alter the trajectory of salmon recovery in the Snake and Columbia river basins. By Eric Barker, Lewiston Tribune
- [6-Year Study Details Salmon Injuries From Hooks, Landing Nets, Handling As Key Factors In Post-Release Mortality, Reduced Survival Up To 20 Percent](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/6-year-study-details-salmon-injuries-from-hooks-landing-nets-handling-as-key-factors-in-post-release-mortality-reduced-survival-up-to-20-percent/) - Using smaller hooks, avoiding landing nets, and de-hooking and measuring fish in water are three of 15 solutions University of British Columbia researchers recommend to help released salmon thrive.
- [Historic Dam Removal: ESA-Listed Coho Return To Upper Klamath Basin First Time In 60 Years, CDFW Releases 270,000 Hatchery Fall Chinook Yearlings](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/historic-dam-removal-esa-listed-coho-return-to-upper-klamath-basin-first-time-in-60-years-cdfw-releases-270000-hatchery-fall-chinook-yearlings/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has seen the first returns of threatened coho salmon to the upper Klamath River Basin in more than 60 years following historic dam removal completed last month.
- [New NOAA Status Review Shows Olympic Peninsula Wild Steelhead Numbers In Steep Decline, Now At Moderate Risk Of Extinction](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-noaa-status-review-shows-olympic-peninsula-wild-steelhead-numbers-in-steep-decline-now-at-moderate-risk-of-extinction/) - A NOAA Fisheries biological status review team has determined that the summer and winter Olympic Peninsula steelhead are at moderate risk of extinction, a reversal of the previous status review in the 1990s that had determined the fish were not at risk of becoming threatened or endangered then or in the future.
- [Despite Habitat Improvements Over 20 Years, Spring Chinook In Washington’s Tucannon River Still At Risk Of Extinction, Steelhead Doing Better](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/despite-habitat-improvements-over-20-years-spring-chinook-in-washingtons-tucannon-river-still-at-risk-of-extinction-steelhead-doing-better/) - Twenty years of habitat improvements on southeast Washington’s Tucannon River are resulting in a mix of outcomes for adult anadromous fish returning to the river, especially over the past few years. Steelhead returns have grown significantly, while spring Chinook salmon returns are far below project objectives and the fish continue to be at serious risk of extinction.
- [USFWS Proposes ESA-Listing For Monarch Butterfly, Western Population Down 95 Percent Since 1980s](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-proposes-esa-listing-for-monarch-butterfly-western-population-down-95-percent-since-1980s/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing protection for one of the nation’s most beloved species -- the monarch butterfly -- and is encouraging the public to be part of its recovery.
- [NOAA Status Review Of Four Northern California/Southern Oregon Salmon/Steelhead Species Says All Should Remain ESA-Listed](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-status-review-of-four-northern-california-southern-oregon-salmon-steelhead-species-says-all-should-remain-esa-listed/) - NOAA Fisheries has completed 5-year status reviews of the recovery progress and prospects of four salmon and steelhead species in Northern California and Southern Oregon and found that all four should remain threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
- [This Year’s Ocean Indicators Show Low Prey Numbers For Pacific Juvenile Salmon, Suggest Moderate-To-Poor Conditions For Young Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/this-years-ocean-indicators-show-low-prey-numbers-for-pacific-juvenile-salmon-suggest-moderate-to-poor-conditions-for-young-salmon/) - How did climate change impact ocean waters off the U.S. West Coast this past year? What does that tell us about the growth and survival of juvenile salmon for the years to come?
- [Agencies Explain How New Columbia River Treaty ‘Agreement In Principle’ Will Alter Flood Control Operations; Less Pre-Planned Storage In Canada](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/agencies-explain-how-new-columbia-river-treaty-agreement-in-principle-will-alter-flood-control-operations-less-pre-planned-storage-in-canada/) - Canada will store several million-acre-feet of water that can be used in 2025 and for the next 20 years to help prevent floods in the Columbia River basin downstream in the United States, according to a virtual briefing earlier this month by federal dam operators on the Columbia River Treaty Agreement in Principle’s flood risk management protections.
- [USFWS Proposes To List Suckley’s Cuckoo Bumble Bee As Endangered; Once Broadly Distributed In West, Last Sighting In 2016](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-proposes-to-list-suckleys-cuckoo-bumble-bee-as-endangered-once-broadly-distributed-in-west-last-sighting-in-2016/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is opening a 60-day public comment period on a proposed rule to list Suckley’s cuckoo bumble bee as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This determination also serves as the 12-month finding on a petition to list the bee.
- [USFWS Releases Final Recovery Plan For Oregon Spotted Frog, Inhabits Small Portions Of Habitat From Canada To Southern Oregon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-releases-final-recovery-plan-for-oregon-spotted-frog-inhabits-small-portions-of-habitat-from-canada-to-southern-oregon/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has published a final recovery plan for the Oregon spotted frog, a threatened species living in the Pacific Northwest. The plan provides a road map to help recover the frog so it can thrive and ultimately be delisted from the Endangered Species Act.
- [NOAA Fisheries Accepting Project Applications From States, Tribes For Up To $99 Million Through Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-fisheries-accepting-project-applications-from-states-tribes-for-up-to-99-million-through-pacific-coastal-salmon-recovery-fund/) - The Department of Commerce and NOAA Fisheries has announced up to $99 million in funding through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund for conservation and recovery projects focusing on Pacific salmon and steelhead. The funding — which includes $34.4 million from the Infrastructure Law — is aimed at advancing state and tribal efforts to restore salmon populations and habitats.
- [Council Shows Total Salmon/Steelhead Return Numbers To Columbia River Through The Years Short Of Goal; ESA-Listed Fish Continue To Struggle](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-shows-total-salmon-steelhead-return-numbers-to-columbia-river-through-the-years-short-of-goal-esa-listed-fish-continue-to-struggle/) - The average number of salmon and steelhead returning to the Columbia River each year has remained mostly constant over the last twenty years. While today’s returns of the fish have improved dramatically since the 1990s at a time when many of the species were being listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, today’s combined returns are still only half of the 2025 goal of 5 million fish set by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
- [Agencies Taking Another Look At 2020 EIS Detailing Impacts Of Columbia/Snake River Federal Hydrosystem On Imperiled Salmonids](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/agencies-taking-another-look-at-2020-eis-detailing-impacts-of-columbia-snake-river-federal-hydrosystem-on-imperiled-salmonidsagencies-taking-another-look-at-2020-eis-detailing-impacts-of-columbia-snak/) - Citing new information and changed circumstances, two federal agencies are reopening this week their 2020 final environmental impact study for operations at 14 Columbia/Snake river federal hydroelectric dams and are now seeking public input. The final EIS guides the dams’ impacts on salmon and steelhead listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Study Says Reduced Irrigation For Livestock Feed Needed To Save Great Salt Lake](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-says-reduced-irrigation-for-livestock-feed-needed-to-save-great-salt-lake/) - The Great Salt Lake has lost more than 15 billion cubic yards of water over the past three decades, is getting shallower at the rate of 4 inches a year, and an analysis of its water budget suggests reducing irrigation is necessary for saving it.
- [Decision On Delisting Grizzlies In Northern Rockies Coming; Montana Scientists Discuss Implications Of Living With The Bears](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/decision-on-delisting-grizzlies-in-northern-rockies-coming-montana-scientists-discuss-implications-of-living-with-the-bears/) - In early 2025, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide whether to delist some populations of grizzly bears in the U.S. Northern Rockies. As Montanans consider their future with grizzly bears, University of Montana scientists are helping inform the social, ecological and policy aspects of the dialogue.
- [Illegal Wolf Killings, Rewards For Information On The Rise In Oregon, Washington, Colorado](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/illegal-wolf-killings-rewards-for-information-on-the-rise-in-oregon-washington-colorado/) - The US Fish and Wildlife Service has announced a $10,000 cash reward for information regarding a wolf poaching incident on private property in eastern Oregon’s Morrow County. The Oregon Wildlife Coalition has a standing reward of $10,000 for wolf poaching in that area, raising the reward total to $20,000.
- [Study Details Salmonid Response To Columbia River Basin Habitat Restoration Projects, Shows Large Benefits For Coho, Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-details-salmonid-response-to-columbia-river-basin-habitat-restoration-projects-shows-large-benefits-for-coho-steelhead/) - Floodplain restoration projects designed to improve instream habitat conditions for anadromous fish resulted in an increase in the numbers of juvenile salmon and steelhead, according to a recent study that examined segments of 17 habitat restoration projects in the Columbia River basin.
- [Latest Oregon Climate Assessment: Precipitation Below Average 18 Of Last 24 Years, Snowfall To Decrease By 50 Percent By 2100](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/latest-oregon-climate-assessment-precipitation-below-average-18-of-last-24-years-snowfall-to-decrease-by-50-percent-by-2100/) - Oregon is becoming warmer and more prone to drought and will see less snow due to climate change, but people and businesses are also adapting to the challenges of a warming planet, the latest Oregon Climate Assessment indicates.
- [Columbia River Spring Chinook 2025 Forecast About Same As Last Year’s Actual Return; Lower For Summer Chinook, Sockeye](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-spring-chinook-2025-forecast-about-same-as-last-years-actual-return-lower-for-summer-chinook-sockeye/) - Fisheries managers this year are forecasting a spring Chinook salmon run into the upper Columbia River that is slightly higher than last year’s run, while predicting a slightly lower number of the Chinook than last year returning to the Snake River.
- [Chum Salmon Pass Bonneville Dam In Record Numbers, Operations Under Way To Ensure Redds Remain Watered Downstream](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/chum-salmon-pass-bonneville-dam-in-record-numbers-operations-under-way-to-ensure-redds-remain-watered-downstream/) - A record number of threatened chum salmon passed Bonneville Dam late in 2024, with over 1,100 of the salmon passing the dam on their way upstream, the largest passage by chum at the dam since 1954. These are in addition to the chum that spawn annually downstream near the dam’s tailrace and are the subjects of an effort to restore the Columbia River run that at one time was near 1 million fish.
- [Record Number Of Anglers In Bonneville Dam Pool Jan. 1 Shuts Down Sturgeon Fishing After One Day; Blew Through Harvest Guideline](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/record-number-of-anglers-in-bonneville-dam-pool-jan-1-shuts-down-sturgeon-fishing-after-one-day-blew-through-harvest-guideline/) - A record number of anglers fishing for white sturgeon in the Bonneville Dam pool shot through the harvest guideline of 675 fish in record time on New Year’s Day, resulting in the immediate closure of the pool to sturgeon retention. Catch and release angling for sturgeon will still be allowed.
- [Washington State, Agencies Finalize Agreement On Future Radioactive Tank Waste Cleanup At Hanford Site; 56 Million Gallons, 177 Underground Tanks](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-state-agencies-finalize-agreement-on-future-radioactive-tank-waste-cleanup-at-hanford-site-56-million-gallons-177-underground-tanks/) - The U.S. Department of Energy, Washington State Department of Ecology, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have finalized an agreement that outlines a course for cleaning up millions of gallons of radioactive and chemical waste from large, underground tanks at the Hanford Site near the Columbia River.
- [Researchers Spot Killer Whale ‘Tahlequah’ Carrying Her Deceased Calf Near Seattle; Of 73 JPod Whales, 11 Under 5-Years-Old](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/researchers-spot-killer-whale-tahlequah-carrying-her-deceased-calf-near-seattle-of-73-jpod-whales-11-under-5-years-old/) - The new year came with both joy and sadness for endangered Southern Resident killer whales. Researchers first spotted J35, also known as Tahlequah, carrying her deceased calf off Alki Point in West Seattle on December 31. Tahlequah is the same whale that garnered international headlines and concern in 2018 when she carried another deceased newborn calf for 17 days.
- [Boaters In Washington State Waters Must Now Stay 1,000 Yards (Half-Mile) Away From Killer Whales At All Times](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/boaters-in-washington-state-waters-must-now-stay-1000-yards-half-mile-away-from-killer-whales-at-all-times/) - As of Jan. 1, 2025, boaters in Washington waters must stay 1,000 yards away from Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) at all times.
- [Washington State Formally Bans Net Pen Aquaculture Seven Years After Net Pen Collapse Released Atlantic Salmon Into Puget Sound](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-state-formally-bans-net-pen-aquaculture-seven-years-after-net-pen-collapse-released-atlantic-salmon-into-puget-sound/) - Commercial net pen aquaculture was outlawed last week in Washington state, some seven years after a net pen collapsed, releasing thousands of Atlantic Salmon into Puget Sound, and two years after the last commercial net pens in the Sound lost their leases and were removed.
- [USFWS Proposed Rule Rejects Delisting Grizzly Bear, Establishes Single Distinct Population Segment In Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/usfws-proposed-rule-rejects-delisting-grizzly-bear-establishes-single-distinct-population-segment-in-idaho-montana-washington-and-wyoming/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has denied petitions to remove Endangered Species Act protections from grizzly bears, finding that the imperiled animals still need federal protection.
- [Northwest Power/Conservation Council Seeks Recommendations For Amendments To Columbia Basin Fish/Wildlife Program](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-power-conservation-council-seeks-recommendations-for-amendments-to-columbia-basin-fish-wildlife-program/) - The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has released a letter requesting recommendations from the region on how to amend its Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, with submissions due by April 17.
- [Council Panel Hears Details On $1 Billion ‘Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement,’ Extent Of ‘Collaboration’ Questioned](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-panel-hears-details-on-1-billion-resilient-columbia-basin-agreement-extent-of-collaboration-questioned/) - A December, 2023 agreement among six Northwest sovereigns and the U.S. government to restore Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead runs to “healthy and abundant levels” and touted by advocates as a collaborative effort to restore salmon runs in the basin, was questioned this week at the Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting in Portland.
- [Agencies’ Draft ‘Lower Snake River Water Supply Replacement Study’ Out For Review, Four Reservoirs Irrigate Over 55,000 Acres](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/agencies-draft-lower-snake-river-water-supply-replacement-study-out-for-review-four-reservoirs-irrigate-over-55000-acres/) - A federal agency and a state agency have jointly completed a study on the impacts that breaching the four lower Snake River dams would have on water supplies and irrigation.
- [Columbia River Basin Snowpack A Mixed Bag So Far, Water Supply Forecast At Dalles Dam (April-August) Now 89 Percent Of Normal](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-basin-snowpack-a-mixed-bag-so-far-water-supply-forecast-at-dalles-dam-april-august-now-89-percent-of-normal/) - Although the snowpack in the western and southern portions of the Columbia River basin are higher than normal, other areas to the north and to the east are near- to lower-than-normal, and, as a result, January water supplies at key dams are being reported as below or slightly below normal.
- [Voracious Juvenile Sablefish Spreading Into Warming Northwest Coastal Waters Compete With Young Salmon For Prey](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/voracious-juvenile-sablefish-spreading-into-warming-northwest-coastal-waters-compete-with-young-salmon-for-prey/) - There is a new mouth to feed in the coastal waters of the Northwest where juvenile salmon first enter the ocean, and it’s a hungry one.
- [‘Killing Salmon To Lose Money’: A Costly, Questionable Plan On Oregon’s Willamette River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/killing-salmon-to-lose-money-a-costly-questionable-plan-on-oregons-willamette-river/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said it could make hydroelectric dams on Oregon’s Willamette River safe for endangered salmon by building gigantic mechanical traps and hauling baby fish downstream in tanker trucks. The Corps started pressing forward over objections from fish advocates and power users who said the plan was costly and untested.
- [Wild Vs. Hatchery: Court Rules Willamette Hatchery Summer Steelhead Harm Wild Winter Steelhead, Seeks Remedies](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wild-vs-hatchery-court-rules-willamette-hatchery-summer-steelhead-harm-wild-winter-steelhead-seeks-remedies/) - A federal judge in Oregon has ruled that releasing hatchery-raised, non-native summer steelhead into the North and South Santiam rivers in the Willamette River system harms the river’s wild winter steelhead and violates the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Alaska Researchers Discover For First Time Invasive Northern Pike Moving Through Salt Water (Estuaries) To Invade Freshwater Habitats](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/alaska-researchers-discover-for-first-time-invasive-northern-pike-moving-through-salt-water-estuaries-to-invade-freshwater-habitats/) - Northern pike are moving through salt water to invade freshwater habitats in Southcentral Alaska, according to a new study.
- [4-Month Survey Offers Most Thorough Data Ever Of Marine Mammals, Seabirds Off West Coast, Some Species Shifting North](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/4-month-survey-offers-most-thorough-data-ever-of-marine-mammals-seabirds-off-west-coast-some-species-shifting-north/) - NOAA Fisheries scientists have completed a 4-month, roughly 4,500-nautical-mile, survey of marine mammals and seabirds off the U.S. West Coast.
- [Conservation Groups File Lawsuit Calling For NOAA Fisheries To Speed Up ESA Listing Of Olympic Peninsula Summer, Winter Steelhead](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/conservation-groups-file-lawsuit-calling-for-noaa-fisheries-to-speed-up-esa-listing-of-olympic-peninsula-summer-winter-steelhead/) - Western Washington’s Olympic Peninsula summer and winter steelhead were found by NOAA Fisheries in November 2024 to be at moderate risk of extinction, but the federal agency has yet to list the fish as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act, according to a new complaint filed Jan. 17 in federal court by The Conservation Angler and the Wild Fish Conservancy.
- [Though Doesn’t Feel Like It Right Now, Columbia Basin Water Supply Forecast For April-September Still Dropping](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-doesnt-feel-like-it-right-now-columbia-basin-water-supply-forecast-for-april-september-still-dropping/) - A drier than normal January is contributing to February’s lower Columbia River basin water supply forecasts for the months ahead.
- [PSU Study Provides Evidence Microplastics Widespread In Edible Tissues Of The Fish People Eat On West Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/psu-study-provides-evidence-microplastics-widespread-in-edible-tissues-of-the-fish-people-eat-on-west-coast/) - The tiny particles that shed from clothing, packaging and other plastic products are winding up in the fish that people eat, according to a new study from Portland State researchers, highlighting a need for technologies and strategies to reduce microfiber pollution entering the environment.
- [Study Shows Hunting Greater Numbers Of Male Deer Can Slow Spread Of Lethal Chronic Wasting Disease](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-hunting-greater-numbers-of-male-deer-can-slow-spread-of-lethal-chronic-wasting-disease/) - Hunting greater numbers of male deer can slow the spread of chronic wasting disease, a lethal wildlife disease, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
- [California Awards $15 Million For Salmon, Steelhead Restoration Projects](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-awards-15-million-for-salmon-steelhead-restoration-projects/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced the selection of 15 projects that will receive funding for the restoration, enhancement and protection of salmon and steelhead (anadromous salmonid) habitat in California watersheds.
- [Agencies Extend Public Scoping Period As Part Of Effort To Supplement 2020 Columbia River System Operations (Salmon, Steelhead) EIS](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/agencies-extend-public-scoping-period-as-part-of-effort-to-supplement-2020-columbia-river-system-operations-salmon-steelhead-eis/) - Two federal agencies are extending the public scoping period for the Columbia River System Operations Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS.)
- [Earthwise Knowledge Initiative Acquires Columbia Basin Bulletin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/earthwise-knowledge-initiative-acquires-columbia-basin-bulletin/) - Earthwise Knowledge Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to advancing public understanding of environmental and sustainability issues, has acquired the Columbia Basin Bulletin.
- [WDFW Seeking Public Input On 2025-2026 State-Managed Salmon Seasons, Forecast Meeting Feb. 28](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-seeking-public-input-on-2025-2026-state-managed-salmon-seasons-forecast-meeting-feb-28/) - Fishery managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife have scheduled opportunities for the public to provide input in 2025-2026 state-managed salmon seasons, beginning with a hybrid statewide forecast meeting on Friday, Feb. 28 in Olympia.
- [Grasshopper Size Changes Offer Clues To Predicting Winners, Losers Under Climate Change](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/grasshopper-size-changes-offer-clues-to-predicting-winners-losers-under-climate-change/) - As insect populations decrease worldwide — in what some have called an “insect apocalypse” — biologists seek to understand how the six-legged creatures are responding to a warming world and to predict the long-term winners and losers.
- [Montana Researchers Show How Increasing Wildfires, Hotter Temperatures Limiting Forest Regeneration, Needs Could Triple By 2050](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-researchers-show-how-increasing-wildfires-hotter-temperatures-limiting-forest-regeneration-needs-could-triple-by-2050/) - Two recent University of Montana studies are demystifying how increasing wildfires and hotter annual temperatures limit forest regeneration in the Western U.S., revealing that our capacity to plant trees can’t keep pace with reforestation needs.
- [Research Shows Raptors Perched On Power Poles More Likely To Be Shot Than Electrocuted, Leading Cause Of Death For Golden Eagles](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/research-shows-raptors-perched-on-power-poles-more-likely-to-be-shot-than-electrocuted-leading-cause-of-death-for-golden-eagles/) - New research from wildlife biologists shows that poachers play a bigger role in the deaths of eagles, hawks, and other birds of prey in the West than previously thought.
- [After The Palisades Fire: California Agencies Rescue The Last Known Population Of Steelhead In Santa Monica Mountains, 271 Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/after-the-palisades-fire-california-agencies-rescue-the-last-known-population-of-steelhead-in-santa-monica-mountains-271-fish/) - As part of statewide efforts to help Californians and wildlife recover from the Southern California fires, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and its partners last month rescued 271 endangered Southern California steelhead trout from Topanga Creek, the last known population of this species in the Santa Monica Mountains.
- [UW Study Indicates That Before Whales Hunted To Near Extinction Their Excrement May Have Provided Key Fertilizer to Marine Ecosystems](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/uw-study-indicates-that-before-whales-hunted-to-near-extinction-their-excrement-may-have-provided-key-fertilizer-to-marine-ecosystems/) - The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet. It consumes enormous quantities of tiny, shrimp-like animals known as krill to support a body of up to 100 feet (30 meters) long. Blue whales and other baleen whales, which filter seawater through their mouths to feed on small marine life, once teemed in Earth’s oceans. Then over the past century they were hunted almost to extinction for their energy-dense blubber.
- [Less Water, Dry Weather Hitting Bonneville Power’s Bottom Line, First Quarter Review Forecasting Revenue Loss](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/less-water-dry-weather-hitting-bonneville-powers-bottom-line-first-quarter-review-forecasting-revenue-loss/) - Higher power purchase expenses due to low stream flows and dry winter weather have resulted in the Bonneville Power Administration forecasting agency net revenues of negative $44 million, $114 million below the agency target of $70 million.
- [Climate Change Adaptation: California Using Diversified Salmon Hatchery Releases, Innovative ‘Parental Based Tagging’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/climate-change-adaptation-california-using-diversified-salmon-hatchery-releases-innovative-parental-based-tagging/) - In a collaborative effort to increase the sustainability of California's salmon populations, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has partnered with the Department of Water Resources, as well as ocean and inland fishing groups to continue a pilot project aimed at diversifying salmon hatchery release strategies.
- [Oregon Senators Demand Answers From Trump On BPA Cuts, Impact On Electric Reliability](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-senators-demand-answers-from-trump-on-bpa-cuts-impact-on-electric-reliability/) - U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both Oregon Democrats, said this week they are demanding President Trump answer questions about his administration’s deep job cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration and “how those reckless and financially ludicrous decisions add up to undermine the dependability of the electric grid for Oregon and the entire Pacific Northwest.”
- [Lawsuit Challenges Proposed Massive Gold Mine On Idaho’s South Fork Salmon River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-challenges-proposed-massive-gold-mine-on-idahos-south-fork-salmon-river/) - Local and national conservation groups have sued the U.S. Forest Service to challenge its approval of the Stibnite Gold Project, an open-pit cyanide leach gold mine in Idaho’s Salmon River Mountains. The groups say the mine would jeopardize public health and clean water, harm threatened plants and animals, and permanently scar thousands of acres of public land in the headwaters of the South Fork Salmon River.
- [Corps Still Determining How To Implement Changes At Willamette Valley Dams With Funding Still Uncertain](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-still-determining-how-to-implement-changes-at-willamette-valley-dams-with-funding-still-uncertain/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is still determining “how to proceed” in implementing actions directed by the 2024 Water Resources Development Act and a new jeopardy biological opinion for its 13 Willamette River projects completed by NOAA Fisheries Dec. 26. The Corps says that it still needs funds from Congress that it could get
- [Columbia River Harvest Managers Set Early Season Spring Chinook Fishing Dates For Run Expected To Be Below Average](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-harvest-managers-set-early-season-spring-chinook-fishing-dates-for-run-expected-to-be-below-average/) - At a joint Columbia River Compact hearing this week (Feb. 20), Oregon and Washington fisheries managers set the 2025 early season recreational harvest dates for spring Chinook salmon in the mainstem Columbia River. Angling downstream of Bonneville Dam will begin March 1 and it will begin April 1 upstream of the dam to the Oregon/Washington border.
- [Columbia River Sockeye Return This Year Forecasted To Drop More Than 50 Percent From 2024 Run, Wild Winter Steelhead To Drop 31 Percent](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-sockeye-return-this-year-forecasted-to-drop-more-than-50-percent-from-2024-run-wild-winter-steelhead-to-drop-31-percent/) - Forecasted returns of salmon and steelhead to the Columbia River this year are showing small changes in run size from the returns of 2024, with the exceptions of sockeye salmon with a run size predicted to drop by more than 50 percent of 2024’s record run and wild winter steelhead forecasted to drop 31 percent, according to an annual staff report by Oregon, Washington and Tribal fish and wildlife agencies.
- [Study Shows How Record Abundance Of Pink Salmon In North Pacific Creating Adverse Impacts On Puget Sound Chinook, Killer Whales](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-shows-how-record-abundance-of-pink-salmon-in-north-pacific-creating-adverse-impacts-on-puget-sound-chinook-killer-whales/) - Since the 1990s, the decline in numbers of southern resident killer whales in Puget Sound has followed a biennial pattern; births decline and deaths rise in even-numbered years. That biennial pattern matches the decline of Chinook salmon spawner abundance while abundance of pink salmon in the North Pacific and in Puget Sound rivers has risen, according to a study published this month.
- [Pacific Salmon Commission Announces Funding For 83 Projects Aligning With Pacific Salmon Treaty](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pacific-salmon-commission-announces-funding-for-83-projects-aligning-with-pacific-salmon-treaty/) - The Pacific Salmon Commission’s Northern and Southern Funds have selected 83 projects to receive a total of $9.5M USD in funding for 2025.
- [Fisheries Society Gives Lifetime Achievement Award To Northwest Fisheries Science Center Scientist Weitkamp](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fisheries-society-gives-lifetime-achievement-award-to-northwest-fisheries-science-center-scientist-weitkamp/) - From the Columbia River Estuary to the farthest reaches of the stormy Gulf of Alaska in the middle of winter, Dr. Laurie Weitkamp has gone far and wide to study and better understand the salmon and steelhead that are the lifeblood of Northwest rivers and cultures. Last month the Oregon Chapter of the American Fisheries Society presented Weitkamp with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
- [Washington State Gathers Info For Implementation Of TMDL Plan To Address High Water Temperatures In Columbia, Lower Snake Rivers](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-state-gathers-info-for-implementation-of-tmdl-plan-to-address-high-water-temperatures-in-columbia-lower-snake-rivers/) - The Washington Department of Ecology is hosting a public meeting March 17 to discuss how it will implement a long-awaited Total Maximum Daily Load plan for temperature in the Columbia and lower Snake rivers. The two rivers are included in Washington’s 303(d) list of impaired bodies of water due to their persistent high water temperatures
- [University Of Idaho Researchers Develop Model To Better Understand Glacier Behavior, Climate Change Implications](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/university-of-idaho-researchers-develop-model-to-better-understand-glacier-behavior-climate-change-implications/) - University of Idaho researchers have developed a mathematical model that simplifies the way scientists understand changes in glacier movement. This new approach demonstrates that diverse patterns of ice flow — ranging from short-term fluctuations to multiyear trends — can be explained using a single set of fundamental equations.
- [Columbia-Snake River Navigation System Closed For Two Weeks For Annual Lock Maintenance](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-snake-river-navigation-system-closed-for-two-weeks-for-annual-lock-maintenance/) - The Columbia-Snake River System, a critical trade corridor supporting $24 billion in commerce annually, will pause operations for two weeks beginning March 9, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, conducts its annual navigation lock maintenance.
- [Montana Seeks Public Comment On Proposed Conservation Easement For 53,000 Acres Of Timberland, Habitat For Fish, Wildlife](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-seeks-public-comment-on-proposed-conservation-easement-for-53000-acres-of-timberland-habitat-for-fish-wildlife/) - Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on a potential project that would place nearly 53,000 acres of private timberland in northwest Montana under a conservation easement and protect working lands, public recreation access, and wildlife habitat.
- [Study Reveals Older Trees Retain Memory Of Past Water Conditions; As Climate Warms, Mature Trees May Struggle](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-reveals-older-trees-retain-memory-of-past-water-conditions-as-climate-warms-mature-trees-may-struggle/) - As climate change accelerates, mature forests may struggle to survive. A recent study reveals that older trees retain a ‘memory’ of past water conditions, making it harder for them to adapt to drier environments.
- [California Wolf Report Show Stable Population With 7 Packs, About 50 Wolves](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-wolf-report-show-stable-population-with-7-packs-about-50-wolves/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife reports that the state currently has seven known wolf families amid changing pack dynamics and areas of new wolf activity. California now has around 50 known wolves, according to the state wolf coordinator — up from around 49 at the end of 2023. That modest increase comes despite
- [Lawsuit Filed In Effort To Stop Musk’s DOGE From Taking Further Actions Against Multiple Environmental Agencies](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-filed-in-effort-to-stop-musks-doge-from-taking-further-actions-against-multiple-environmental-agencies/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has sued five cabinet-level agencies seeking to stop the so-called Department of Government Efficiency and its DOGE teams from taking further actions against multiple environmental agencies until each team fully complies with the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
- [Hydraulic Egg Injection: Pilot Project Uses Man-Made Salmon Redds To Bring Back Salmon In California River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/hydraulic-egg-injection-pilot-project-uses-man-made-salmon-redds-to-bring-back-salmon-in-california-river/) - Salmon are swimming again in California’s North Yuba River for the first time in close to a century. The fish are part of an innovative pilot project to study the feasibility of returning spring-run Chinook salmon to their historical spawning and rearing habitat in the mountains of Sierra County.
- [Oregon Study Shows Bird Flu Markers In Wastewater Comes Can Come From Wild Birds, Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Human, Poultry Or Dairy Cases](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-study-shows-bird-flu-markers-in-wastewater-comes-can-come-from-wild-birds-doesnt-necessarily-mean-human-poultry-or-dairy-cases/) - New research shows that wild birds can account for much of the avian influenza virus evidence found in wastewater in Oregon, suggesting wastewater detections of the virus do not automatically signal human, poultry or dairy cattle cases of bird flu.
- [Work Continues To Improve Lamprey Passage At Columbia/Snake Dams, Corp Completing Changes To Bonneville Dam Fish Ladder](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/work-continues-to-improve-lamprey-passage-at-columbia-snake-dams-corp-completing-changes-to-bonneville-dam-fish-ladder/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in the process of revamping the dam’s northern-most fish ladder near the Washington shore at a cost of some $8 million. According to the Corps, the project is changing out a portion of the fish ladder, which spans 800 feet from top to bottom, that was originally a serpentine passage of concrete walls, called baffles, with a newer baffle design more friendly to lamprey.
- [ODFW Studies Hatchery Economic Costs, Benefits; Trout Stocking The Highest Benefit, Summer Steelhead Not So Much](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-studies-hatchery-economic-costs-benefits-trout-stocking-the-highest-benefit-summer-steelhead-not-so-much/) - An economic study of its fish hatcheries that was funded over the past year by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife found that trout are by far the least expensive fish to produce at less than $10 per fish harvested, while summer steelhead costs the state nearly $500 per fish harvested, according to a presentation by ODFW before the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission in February.
- [Fishery Managers Close John Day Pool For Sturgeon Retention As Anglers Reach Harvest Guideline, No Lower River Retention This Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fishery-managers-close-john-day-pool-for-sturgeon-retention-as-anglers-reach-harvest-guideline-no-lower-river-retention-this-year/) - Oregon and Washington fishery managers on March 13 closed the only area where recreational anglers can currently catch and keep white sturgeon on the mainstem Columbia River – the John Day Dam pool up to The Dalles Dam.
- [ESA-Listed Tucannon Spring Chinook Close To Extinction; ‘Safety Net Offsite Strategy’ A Last Ditch Effort To Save Them](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/esa-listed-tucannon-spring-chinook-close-to-extinction-safety-net-offsite-strategy-a-last-ditch-effort-to-save-them/) - Tribal and Washington fishery managers are doubling down on recovering threatened spring Chinook salmon in the Tucannon River in Eastern Washington by raising juveniles originating from the river at a hatchery 300 miles downstream.
- [Upland Operable Unit Engineering Evaluation and Cost Analysis Report  Public Comment Period](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/upland-operable-unit-engineering-evaluation-and-cost-analysis-report-public-comment-period/) - Portland District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) invites the public to comment on the Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) Report for the Upland Operable Unit (OU) of Bradford Island in Cascade Locks, Oregon.
- [Joseph Y. Oatman Appointed as Manager of Nez Perce Tribe’s Fisheries Department](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/joseph-y-oatman-appointed-as-manager-of-nez-perce-tribes-fisheries-department/) - On March 18, 2025, the Nez Perce Tribe announced the appointment of Joseph Y. Oatman as Manager of the Nez Perce Tribe Department of Fisheries Resources Management (“DFRM”).
- [Northwest Power/Conservation Council Gets Two New Oregon Members](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-power-conservation-council-gets-two-new-oregon-members/) - The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has two new Oregon Members. Gov. Tina Kotek appointed Margaret Hoffmann and Chuck Sams, and the Oregon Senate has confirmed their appointments to the Council.
- [Harmful Algae Blooming Off Southern California Coast Poisoning Sea Lions, Dolphins; Stranding In Large Numbers On Beaches](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/harmful-algae-blooming-off-southern-california-coast-poisoning-sea-lions-dolphins-stranding-in-large-numbers-on-beaches/) - West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network partners are reporting upwards of 100 calls a day reporting sea lions and dolphins affected by the algal toxin, domoic acid.
- [Columbia River Smelt Return High Enough For A Few Hours Of Dipnetting On Sandy River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-smelt-return-high-enough-for-a-few-hours-of-dipnetting-on-sandy-river/) - Recreational harvest of eulachon smelt on Oregon’s Sandy River took place Thursday, March 27 from noon to 7 p.m.
- [ODFW Deploying Large Nets On Wallowa Lake To Monitor Fish Populations, Assess Invasive Lake Trout Impacts](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-deploying-large-nets-on-wallowa-lake-to-monitor-fish-populations-assess-invasive-lake-trout-impacts/) - This spring, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff deployed large nets in northeast Oregon’s Wallowa Lake to monitor fish population trends and assess the impact of lake trout on other species.
- [Trump Administration Pauses Columbia River Treaty Negotiations As It Reviews International Engagements](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/trump-administration-pauses-columbia-river-treaty-negotiations-as-it-reviews-international-engagements/) - The U.S. has paused negotiations with British Columbia on a modernized Columbia River Treaty that was nearly complete after both the U.S. and Canada reached an Agreement in Principle in 2024.
- [Corps Says No Deep Drawdown For Oregon’s Detroit Reservoir This Year, Needs To Analyze Impacts For 2026 EIS](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-says-no-deep-drawdown-for-oregons-detroit-reservoir-this-year-needs-to-analyze-impacts-for-2026-eis/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District says it will not perform a deep drawdown at the Willamette Valley’s Detroit Reservoir in the fall of 2025.
- [Sacramento River: Feds Announce Another $134 Million For Second Largest Off-Stream Reservoir In Nation, Now Up To $780 Million](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/sacramento-river-feds-announce-another-134-million-for-second-largest-off-stream-reservoir-in-nation-now-up-to-780-million/) - The Bureau of Reclamation today announced a $134 million award for the proposed Sites Reservoir Project. This new water storage project would be the second largest off-stream reservoir in the nation and would increase Northern California’s water storage capacity by up to 15 percent.
- [Forest Service Ordered To Increase Logging In Pacific Northwest National Forests By 25 Percent, Remove NEPA Processes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/forest-service-ordered-to-increase-logging-in-pacific-northwest-national-forests-by-25-percent-remove-nepa-processes/) - U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins issued a Secretarial Memo to establish an “Emergency Situation Determination” on 112,646,000 acres of National Forestry System (NFS) land, including the national forests of the Pacific Northwest.
- [With Fishing Slow So Far, Six Days Added For Lower Columbia Spring Chinook Fishing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/with-fishing-slow-so-far-six-days-added-for-lower-columbia-spring-chinook-fishing/) - Fishery managers from Oregon and Washington took joint state action Wednesday (April 9) to add another six days of recreational spring Chinook salmon fishing in the mainstem Columbia River downstream of Bonneville Dam. This fishery had closed on Monday April 7 per the preseason schedule adopted in February.
- [Study Looks At How Double Whammy Of Climate Change (Reduced Habitat), Non-Native Predators Could Imperil Native Salmonids](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-looks-at-how-double-whammy-of-climate-change-reduced-habitat-non-native-predators-could-imperil-native-salmonids/) - Climate change could pose a dual threat to native species by reducing their suitable habitats and increasing predation pressure from non-native species, a new study by Oregon State University researchers finds.
- [Washington’s Annual Wolf Report For 2024 Shows Increase In Gray Wolf Packs, Decrease In Overall Minimum Count](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washingtons-annual-wolf-report-for-2024-shows-increase-in-gray-wolf-packs-decrease-in-overall-minimum-count/) - The number of gray wolf packs in Washington increased slightly in 2024, according to the Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management 2024 Annual Report, released by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, while the state’s wolf count declined overall. Based on wolf biology and long-term population trajectory, WDFW wolf biologists do not believe wolf recovery is threatened at this time.
- [Corps/BOR Scoping Meetings On Changes To Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead EIS To Be Rescheduled ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-bor-scoping-meetings-on-changes-to-columbia-river-salmon-steelhead-eis-to-be-rescheduled/) - Scoping meetings to explore possible changes to the 2020 Columbia River salmon/steelhead environmental impact statement have been delayed again.
- [Some Melting In March But Columbia Basin Water Supply Forecast Improves, 90 Percent Of Average At Dalles Dam (April-Sept)](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/some-melting-in-march-but-columbia-basin-water-supply-forecast-improves-90-percent-of-average-at-dalles-dam-april-sept/) - Warmer temperatures with some snowmelt and near- or wetter-than-normal precipitation in much of the Columbia River basin in March led to some early runoff but overall resulted in higher April-Sept. water supply forecasts and a better outlook for stream flows in the basin that will aid juvenile and adult salmon and steelhead migrations this summer, according to a NOAA water supply briefing last week.
- [Report Documents 2024 Sea Lion Predation At Bonneville Dam, With Removal Program Fewer Animals Showing Up](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/report-documents-2024-sea-lion-predation-at-bonneville-dam-with-removal-program-fewer-animals-showing-up/) - Predacious sea lions in Bonneville Dam’s tailwaters took a bite out of the spring Chinook salmon and steelhead runs during the spring of 2024. Some 2.8 percent of the number of salmon counted at the dam last spring and 3.8 percent of the number of steelhead counted were snagged and eaten by Steller and California sea lions, according to a recently-released annual report by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- [Thanks To Reintroduction Program More Summer Steelhead Spawning In Oregon’s Upper Deschutes Since 1960s; 950 Returning Fish ](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/thanks-to-reintroduction-program-more-summer-steelhead-spawning-in-oregons-upper-deschutes-since-1960s-950-returning-fish/) - There are more summer steelhead spawning this year in waters upstream of the Pelton-Round Butte Complex of dams on central Oregon’s Deschutes River than at anytime since the 1960s, according to Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, which co-own the dams.
- [Commerce Secretary Names New Administrator To Lead NOAA Fisheries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/commerce-secretary-names-new-administrator-to-lead-noaa-fisheries/) - Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has named Eugenio Piñeiro Soler as Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries. Piñeiro Soler has assumed his new position, taking the helm from Acting Assistant Administrator Emily Menashes, who will return to her previous position as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Operations.
- [American Rivers Lists Clearwater River Basin As Nation’s Seventh Most Endangered River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/american-rivers-lists-clearwater-river-basin-as-nations-seventh-most-endangered-river/) - American Rivers this week announced America’s Most Endangered Rivers in its 40th annual listing, with Idaho’s Clearwater River Basin ranked the seventh most endangered.
- [California Salmon Still In Trouble: PFMC Offers Limited Rec Fishing First Time Since 2022, Repeat Closure Of Commercial Fishing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-salmon-still-in-trouble-pfmc-offers-limited-rec-fishing-first-time-since-2022-repeat-closure-of-commercial-fishing/) - The Pacific Fishery Management Council this week recommended limited fishing opportunities for California’s recreational ocean salmon fisheries through the end of 2025. This decision will allow for the first recreational salmon fishing in California since 2022. The PFMC also recommended a repeat year of closure for California’s commercial salmon fisheries, the third year in a row.
- [PFMC Tentatively Sets 2025-2026 Salmon Fishing Seasons For Oregon, Washington; Need NMFS Approval](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pfmc-tentatively-sets-2025-2026-salmon-fishing-seasons-for-oregon-washington-need-nmfs-approval/) - Anglers in Washington can expect similar salmon fishing opportunities in 2025-2026 compared to last season, that also includes a strong Puget Sound pink forecast, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife fishery managers announced this week.
- [Oregon Wolf Population Rises 15 Percent in 2024 But Ongoing Illegal Killings A Threat To Pack Stability](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-wolf-population-rises-15-percent-in-2024-but-ongoing-illegal-killings-a-threat-to-pack-stability/) - Oregon’s wolf population grew by 15% in 2024, marking the first year of double-digit growth since 2019, according to a report released by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. In addition, twenty-six wolf mortalities were documented during the year, including 22 that were human caused.
- [Spring Spill To Aid Salmon, Steelhead Passage Now Going Full Blast At Eight Columbia/Snake River Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/spring-spill-to-aid-salmon-steelhead-passage-now-going-full-blast-at-eight-columbia-snake-river-dams/) - Spring spill at Columbia/Snake River dams to aid juvenile salmon and steelhead in their migration through the hydro projects and out to the ocean is in full motion with all of the lower eight dams on the two rivers initiating full spill by April 10.
- [Mixed Ocean Conditions When Columbia River Salmonid Juveniles Hit Salt Water In 2023, Average Numbers Returning This Year](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/mixed-ocean-conditions-when-columbia-river-salmonid-juveniles-hit-salt-water-in-2023-average-numbers-returning-this-year/) - Mixed ocean conditions for Columbia River salmon and steelhead juveniles entering the ocean in 2023 translate to average runs of spring and fall Chinook when they return as adults in 2025, according to information from NOAA Fisheries presented to a changing Northwest Power and Conservation Council last week.
- [Corps Final EIS For Willamette Valley’s 13 Dams Selects Alternative Best For ESA-Listed Fish, Next Comes Supplemental EIS](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-final-eis-for-willamette-valleys-13-dams-selects-alternative-best-for-esa-listed-fish-next-comes-supplemental-eis/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has released the first environmental impact statement since 1980 for its Willamette Valley system of 13 dams. The final EIS analyzes several alternatives and selects the preferred alternative the Corps says will be best for spring Chinook and winter steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act. The Corps expects to release its Record of Decision in May.
- [ODFW Investigating Cause Of Sick, Dead Brown Pelicans Along Oregon Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-investigating-cause-of-sick-dead-brown-pelicans-along-oregon-coast/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is investigating reports of sick and dead brown pelicans along the Oregon coast.
- [Lawsuit Urging ESA Protection For Central Oregon’s Crater Lake Newt; Introduced Signal Crayfish Causing Population Crash](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lawsuit-urging-esa-protection-for-central-oregons-crater-lake-newt-introduced-signal-crayfish-causing-population-crash/) - The Center for Biological Diversity has notified the Trump administration that it intends to sue over what it says is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s failure to protect the imperiled Crater Lake newt under the Endangered Species Act. The newts live only in central Oregon’s Crater Lake, and their population has collapsed in recent years because of the expansion of introduced signal crayfish and warming lake temperatures from climate change.
- [Administration’s Proposed Rule Would Alter Definition Of ‘Take’ For ESA Species, Critics Fear Less Habitat Protections](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/administrations-proposed-rule-would-alter-definition-of-take-for-esa-species-critics-fear-less-habitat-protections/) - President Donald Trump, in an April proposed rule, has directed the Secretary of Commerce, NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to rescind the long-standing definition of “harm” to species covered by the federal Endangered Species Act. The existing definition of harm as the ESA is currently written, the Administration says, is contrary to the “best meaning” of the term “take.”
- [New Research Shows Juvenile Salmon Swim Downriver To Ocean, Then Back Up Other Rivers; ‘Salmon Still Surprise Us’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-research-shows-juvenile-salmon-swim-downriver-to-ocean-then-back-up-other-rivers-salmon-still-surprise-us/) - Stretches of coasts and their rivers form enormous salmon nurseries for the exploring juveniles, the scientists said. The researchers documented coho salmon, steelhead, and cutthroat trout using coastal rivers separated by salt water, and suspect other species may do the same.
- [Corps Increases Controlled Water Releases In Willamette Valley: Atmospheric River, Melting Snow](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-increases-controlled-water-releases-in-willamette-valley-atmospheric-river-melting-snow/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Portland District is increasing controlled water releases at most Willamette Valley dams as rain and melting snows are projected to fill reservoirs to near 100 percent capacity in the coming days.
- [Washington Wolf Report: 126 Wolves, 27 Packs; First Pack West Of Cascade Crest Documented](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-wolf-report-126-wolves-27-packs-first-pack-west-of-cascade-crest-documented/) - The recovery of Washington's wolf population continued in 2018 as numbers of individual wolves, packs, and successful breeding pairs reached their highest levels since wolves were virtually eliminated from the state in the 1930s.
- [Washington State, Feds Sign Partnership To Improve Forests, Water, Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-state-feds-sign-partnership-to-improve-forests-water-habitat/) - Washington state and the Forest Service signed an agreement this week to work collaboratively to improve forest health.
- [Fish/Wildlife Habitat In Oregon’s Middle Fork John Day River Transferred To Warm Springs Tribes](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fish-wildlife-habitat-in-oregons-middle-fork-john-day-river-transferred-to-warm-springs-tribes/) - The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon are now the custodians of 1,200 additional acres of critical habitat along the Middle Fork John Day River, thanks to a recent land transaction with The Nature Conservancy.
- [Columbia River Springer Fishing Allowed This Weekend;Passage Numbers Low At Bonneville But Improving](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-springer-fishing-allowed-this-weekendpassage-numbers-low-at-bonneville-but-improving/) - High flows and low visibility during last weekend’s limited spring chinook salmon two-day salmon opening resulted in just 20 fish caught by a limited number of anglers braving the poor conditions, prompting the two-state Columbia River Compact this week to add two more days of fishing this weekend, April 20 and 21.
- [ODFW Releases Third Edition Of Draft Wolf Management Plan, Commission To Vote June 7](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/odfw-releases-third-edition-of-draft-wolf-management-plan-commission-to-vote-june-7/) - The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released its draft proposed Wolf Conservation and Management Plan Monday at www.odfw.com/wolves
- [Oregon Wolf Report: Documents Minimum Count Of 137 Wolves, 16 Packs](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-wolf-report-documents-minimum-count-of-137-wolves-16-packs/) - Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists counted 137 wolves in Oregon this past winter, a 10 percent increase over last year’s count of 124, according to the Oregon Wolf Conservation and Management 2018 Annual Report released today.
- [Study Looks At Rate, Impacts Of Hatchery Steelhead ‘Residualism’ On Methow River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-looks-at-rate-impacts-of-hatchery-steelhead-residualism-on-methow-river/) - A major focus of hatchery reform is the genetic management of broodstocks, but a recent study shows that how hatchery juveniles are raised is equally important.
- [Univ. Of Idaho Study: Regional Estimates Of Wildfire Carbon Emissions Higher Than Data Shows; Better Numbers Would Help Mitigate Climate Change](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/univ-of-idaho-study-regional-estimates-of-wildfire-carbon-emissions-higher-than-data-shows-better-numbers-would-help-mitigate-climate-change/) - Wildfires spew smoke and harm overall air quality, but they contribute a lot less carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than many people assume — and that many scientific models predict — according to a University of Idaho study.
- [Washington Implements Stricter Regulations On Suction Dredging To Protect Fish, Reduce Invasive Species](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-implements-stricter-regulations-on-suction-dredging-to-protect-fish-reduce-invasive-species/) - Mineral prospectors will now need to get a Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) to suction dredge in Washington. The new HPA requirement, effective Nov. 1, will help protect fish and reduce the risk of spreading invasive species.
- [Editor’s Notebook: Draft EIS Alternatives Show Breadth, Scope Of Salmon Recovery; Yes, The Pike Are Coming; Barbed, Barbless](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/editors-notebook-draft-eis-alternatives-show-breadth-scope-of-salmon-recovery-yes-the-pike-are-coming/) - Restoring native salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia River basin is the largest ecological restoration effort in the United States. Yet, after nearly 30 years and the spending of billions in public dollars, salmon and steelhead that spawn in the drainage of the nation’s second largest river remain in peril.
- [Bristol Bay Salmon: UW Study Shows How Productivity ‘Hot Spots’ Change Year To Year, Fish Need Entire Watershed](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bristol-bay-salmon-uw-study-shows-how-productivity-hot-spots-change-year-to-year-fish-need-entire-watershed/) - Chemical signatures imprinted on tiny stones that form inside the ears of fish show that two of Alaska's most productive salmon populations, and the fisheries they support, depend on the entire watershed.
- [Notice: From Nile Delta To Columbia Basin, OSU Science Pub To Look At Navigating Difficult Issues Across Cultural, Political Boundaries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/notice-from-nile-delta-to-columbia-basin-osu-science-pub-to-look-at-navigating-difficult-issues-across-cultural-political-boundaries/) - Hassan Latif, Egyptologist and a former curator at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo, and Aaron Wolf, a geography professor at Oregon State University, will discuss how the movement and availability of water change cultures and influence politics at the June 3 Science Pub Corvallis.
- [Whitefish Lake Watershed Project Earns International Honors For Conservation, Collaboration](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/whitefish-lake-watershed-project-earns-international-honors-for-conservation-collaboration/) - A collaborative effort between state and federal agencies, conservation groups, timber and energy companies, and a public land trust to acquire and conserve 13,398 in northwest Montana has received international recognition and accolades.
- [Columbia River Summer/Fall Salmon Fishing Will See Reduced Seasons, Bag Limits, Some Closures](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-summer-fall-salmon-fishing-will-see-reduced-seasons-bag-limits-some-closures-2/) - Runs of Columbia River summer and fall chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and upriver steelhead are predicted to again have a poor year, but the forecasted run of coho will be higher than recent runs of the fish.
- [Columbia River Summer/Fall Salmon Fishing Will See Reduced Seasons, Bag Limits, Some Closures](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-summer-fall-salmon-fishing-will-see-reduced-seasons-bag-limits-some-closures/) - Runs of Columbia River summer and fall chinook salmon, sockeye salmon and upriver steelhead are predicted to again have a poor year, but the forecasted run of coho will be higher than recent runs of the fish.
- [Limiting Factors For Columbia River Smelt? Climate Change, Ocean By-Catch, Smaller Ocean Plume](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/limiting-factors-for-columbia-river-smelt-climate-change-ocean-by-catch-smaller-ocean-plume-3/) - Biologists know that the number of eulochon entering the Columbia River this year, as well as over the last few years, is relatively low. But harvest management of the fish, better known as smelt, suffers from a deficiency of run size and run timing data, according to a recent report to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
- [Portland Harbor Superfund Agreement ‘In Principle’ Considered By State, City, EPA](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/portland-harbor-superfund-agreement-in-principle-considered-by-state-city-epa/) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Friday announced an agreement in principle with the city of Portland and state of Oregon to help fund cleanup plans for the 10-mile Portland Harbor Superfund.
- [SHORTS: No Herbicides In Wallowa Lake; Lake Koocanusa Low Inflow; Willamette Reservoirs At 72 Percent; Emergency Reg On Pike Found In Montana Lake; Unsafe Natural Toxin Level At Rufus Wood Lake; Eradicating Flowering Rush; New Director Of OSU’s Marine Mammal Institute](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shorts-lake-koocanusa-low-inflow-willamette-reservoirs-at-72-percent-emergency-reg-on-pike-found-in-montana-lake-unsafe-natural-toxin-level-at-rufus-wood-lake-eradicating-flowering-rush-new-dire/) - In one of the driest years recorded for the Kootenai River Basin, extremely low spring precipitation combined with well below average winter snowpack and runoff will keep Lake Koocanusa significantly lower than normal this summer.
- [NOAA Fisheries Adopts New Plan For West Coast Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-fisheries-adopts-new-plan-for-west-coast-ecosystem-based-fisheries-management/) - When an unusually strong marine heat wave warmed the ocean off the West Coast from late 2014 to 2016, the effects reverberated through the marine ecosystem. One of the telltale changes was in copepods, tiny crustaceans that provide essential food for juvenile salmon as they first enter the ocean. Instead of energy-rich copepods that help the fish grow quickly, leaner copepods with less energy began to dominate. That left young salmon facing tougher odds in the ocean.
- [EPA, DEQ Conclude On-Site Investigation At Wallowa Lake; Find 74 Drums, One With Herbicide Label](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/epa-deq-conclude-on-site-investigation-at-wallowa-lake-find-74-drums-one-with-herbicide-label/) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality concluded the on-site investigation this week into reports of drums at the bottom of Wallowa Lake labeled with the herbicides "2,4-D or 2,4,5-T."
- [Idaho Governor’s Salmon Workgroup Sets First Meeting This Month; Seeking Unified Salmon Recovery Policy](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-governors-salmon-workgroup-sets-first-meeting-this-month-seeking-unified-salmon-recovery-policy/) - Idaho Gov. Brad Little’s Salmon Workgroup, formed to help shape the state’s salmon recovery policies, will hold its first meeting June 28 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Idaho Room at the Idaho State Museum in Boise.
- [GUEST COLUMN: Washington State Needs More Stringent Regulations On Suction Dredge Mining To Protect Fish Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/guest-column-washington-state-needs-more-stringent-regulations-on-suction-dredge-mining-to-protect-fish-habitat/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recently released a statement essentially patting themselves on the back for maintaining the status quo in response to a growing problem on Washington’s salmon and steelhead streams.
- [Restoration Plans To Aid Juvenile Salmon In Columbia River Estuary Out For Review](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/restoration-plans-to-aid-juvenile-salmon-in-columbia-river-estuary-out-for-review/) - Mitigation plans that will benefit juvenile salmon on a large urban island in the Columbia River are out for review.
- [EPA, Oregon DEQ To Remove Drums Containing Herbicides Found At Bottom Of Wallowa Lake; Markings Show 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T (Combined, Agent Orange)](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/epa-odeq-to-remove-drums-containing-herbicides-found-at-bottom-of-wallowa-lake-markings-show-24-d-245-t-combined-agent-orange/) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality are working to remove this summer drums containing herbicides at the bottom of Wallowa Lake in northeast Oregon.
- [Washington State Sues Trump Administration Over EPA’s Move To Revise State’s Water Quality Standards](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-state-sues-trump-administration-over-epas-move-to-revise-states-water-quality-standards/) - Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has filed a lawsuit challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to revise Washington’s water quality standards. The lawsuit asks the court to block the EPA from revising the standards.
- [Education, Research Water Cycle Diagrams Leave Out Humans; ‘Stuck In 17th Century’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/education-research-water-cycle-diagrams-leave-out-humans-stuck-in-17th-century/) - Pictures of the earth's water cycle used in education and research throughout the world are in urgent need of updating to show the effects of human interference, according to new analysis by an international team of hydrology experts.
- [U.S. DOE To Change Classification of Hanford’s High-Level Nuclear Waste, State Officials Say Abandons Cleanup Obligations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/u-s-doe-to-change-classification-of-hanfords-high-level-nuclear-waste-state-officials-say-abandons-cleanup-obligations/) - The Trump Administration Thursday said it will change the definition of high-level waste stored at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and other nuclear waste sites across the country, “opening the door for the federal government to walk away from its obligation to clean up millions of gallons of toxic, radioactive waste at Hanford,” say Washington State officials.
- [Editor’s Notebook: Dreading The Dreissenids. What Will It Take To Keep Invasive Mussels Out Of The Basin?](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/editors-notebook-dreading-the-dreissenids-what-will-it-take-to-keep-invasive-mussels-out-of-the-basin/) - That destructive, invasive zebra and quagga mussels – dreissenids -- have not found a new home in the Columbia River basin is a success story.
- [Nez Perce Tribe, Pacific Rivers, Idaho Rivers United File Challenge To Oregon Water Quality Certification For Hells Canyon Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pacific-rivers-idaho-rivers-united-file-challenge-to-oregon-water-quality-certification-for-hells-canyon-dams/) - Pacific Rivers and Idaho Rivers United filed a petition in Multnomah County circuit court Tuesday challenging the issuance of the water quality certification by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for the Hells Canyon Complex. The Nez Perce Tribe filed a challenge in Oregon’s Marion County circuit court.
- [Idaho Deploys Hundreds Of Game Cameras To Improve Counting Of Wolves](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-deploys-hundreds-of-game-cameras-to-improve-counting-of-wolves/) - How many wolves are on the landscape in Idaho? That’s an often-asked question that Idaho Fish and Game is aiming to answer using game cameras during a new statewide population monitoring program.
- [Montana Removing Non-Native Trout From Upper Swan River Tributary To Aid Native Westslope Cutthroat, Bull Trout](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/montana-removing-non-native-trout-from-upper-swan-river-tributary-to-aid-native-westslope-cutthroat-bull-trout/) - In an effort to boost native westslope cutthroat and bull trout populations, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing to remove non-native trout species in Cooney Creek, a tributary of the upper Swan River in northwest Montana.
- [SHORTS: Poor Wild Chinook Returns For Oregon Coast; Award For Former IDFG Director; Kootenai Forestlands Easement; New Assistant Secretary For Fish, Wildlife; NOAA Draft Research Plan; UW Environmental Law Gift](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shorts-poor-wild-chinook-returns-for-oregon-coast-award-for-former-idfg-director-kootenai-forestlands-easement-new-assistant-secretary-for-fish-wildlife-noaa-draft-research-plan-uw-environmenta/) - For the second year in a row, fishing for wild fall chinook salmon will be restricted in coastal rivers, due to poor escapement in 2018 and poor forecasted returns this year.
- [WDFW Director Authorizes Lethal Removal Of Wolves From Northeast Washington Pack; 20 Livestock Depredations](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-director-authorizes-lethal-removal-of-wolves-from-northeast-washington-pack-20-livestock-depredations/) - Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind reauthorized WDFW staff to lethally remove wolves from the Old Profanity Territory pack in northeast Washington.
- [Editor’s Notebook: Salmon, Steelhead Will Need Plenty Of Help To Survive Regional Climate Warming](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/editors-notebook-salmon-steelhead-will-need-plenty-of-help-to-survive-regional-climate-warming/) - Right now, early summer 2019, half the rivers in Washington State are in the bottom 10 percent of average flows measured for this time of year. Five percent of rivers show record low flows. Many of these waterways bear spawning salmon and steelhead, including those listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.
- [Oregon-Washington Continue Policy Talks On Jointly Managed Columbia River Fishery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-washington-continue-policy-talks-on-jointly-managed-columbia-river-fishery/) - The Oregon and Washington fish and wildlife commissions will meet together Aug. 1 to continue their discussions of the joint state Columbia River salmon management policy. Although the public is invited to attend the nearly all day meeting in Salem, public testimony will not be taken.
- [Columbia River Treaty Town Hall Set For Next Week In Boise](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/columbia-river-treaty-town-hall-set-for-next-week-in-boise/) - The U.S. State Department has set a Columbia River Treaty town hall in Boise, Idaho next week.
- [New Report Confirms 46 Whale Entanglements In Fishing Gear Off West Coast In 2018; Humpbacks Top List](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-report-confirms-46-whale-entanglements-in-fishing-gear-off-west-coast-in-2018-humpbacks-top-list/) - A total of 46 whales were confirmed as entangled in fishing gear off the West Coast in 2018, more than the previous year, but slightly lower than the historic highs of 2015 and 2016. The number of entanglements remained above levels prior to 2014, when the average number was less than 10.
- [Lake Roosevelt Sturgeon Fishery: 20 Year Hatchery Program More Successful Than Expected](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lake-roosevelt-sturgeon-fishery-20-year-hatchery-program-more-successful-than-expected/) - Three years ago was the first time in 20 years a white sturgeon fishery in Lake Roosevelt was open to the public. That year more than 17,000 anglers took to the water to bag a prehistoric fish that can grow to more than 12 feet long and weigh hundreds of pounds.
- [Editor’s Notebook: Don’t Wait For More Reports To Gear Up For Intensive Pike Suppression, Rapid Detection](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/editors-notebook-dont-wait-for-more-reports-to-gear-up-for-intensive-pike-suppression-rapid-detection/) - What’s the economic cost to the region if invasive, voracious northern pike find their way out of Lake Roosevelt and downstream into the Columbia River mainstem, and into salmon and steelhead spawning beds in its tributaries?
- [SHORTS: New Montana Council Member; White-Nose Syndrome East Of Cascades; Boise’s Salmon/Steelhead Days; Montana Fisheries Projects; ShakeAlert For West Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shorts-new-montana-council-member-white-nose-syndrome-east-of-cascades-boises-salmon-steelhead-days-montana-fisheries-projects-shakealert-for-west-coast/) - Montana Governor Steve Bullock has appointed Bo Downen, director, environmental and regional affairs at the Public Power Council, a regional association of consumer-owned electric utilities, to replace Tim Baker as a Montana member of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council.
- [WDFW, Quinault Nation Reach Agreement To Boost Coho, Steelhead Populations in Wynoochee River Basin](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-quinault-nation-reach-agreement-to-boost-coho-steelhead-populations-in-wynoochee-river-basin/) - State and tribal leaders in Washington State have agreed to a plan that will enhance coho salmon and steelhead populations diminished by the Wynoochee Dam in Grays Harbor County.
- [California Seeking Information For Proposed Listing Of Northern California Summer Steelhead Under State ESA](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/california-seeking-information-for-proposed-listing-of-northern-california-summer-steelhead-under-state-esa/) - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking information relevant to the proposed listing of Northern California Summer Steelhead as an endangered species.
- [To Avoid ‘Disruption,’ Unsafe Environment, WDFW Cancels Wolf Post-Recovery Open Houses; Will Schedule Online Webinars](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/to-avoid-disruption-unsafe-environment-wdfw-cancels-wolf-post-recovery-open-houses-will-schedule-online-webinars/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is canceling a series of in-person wolf post-recovery planning open houses and will schedule online, interactive webinars this September and October.
- [WDFW To Use Drone To Count Spawning Nests In Central Washington](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-to-use-drone-to-count-spawning-tests-in-central-washington/) - Starting in September and going through November of 2019, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will partner with Washington State University on a research project to use drone technology to advance conservation efforts for summer chinook salmon.
- [New Lawsuit Seeks Whale Protection Zone For Endangered Puget Sound Orcas](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-lawsuit-seeks-whale-protection-zone-for-endangered-puget-sound-orcas/) - A new U.S. lawsuit filed Monday seeks to establish a whale protection zone for endangered orcas in the Pacific Northwest.
- [Oregon Study Shows How Increasing Abundance Of ESA-Listed Salmon Can Translate Into A Dollar Value, Deliver Economic Benefits](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-study-shows-how-increasing-abundance-of-esa-listed-salmon-can-translate-into-a-dollar-value-deliver-economic-benefits/) - A new study provides evidence that increasing the abundance of a threatened or endangered species can deliver large benefits to the citizens of the Pacific Northwest.
- [Meetings Set To Discuss How To Improve Columbia River Harvest Policy Concurrence Between Washington, Oregon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/meetings-set-to-discuss-how-to-improve-columbia-river-harvest-policy-concurrence-between-washington-oregon/) - The public is invited to attend a series of committee meetings comprised of members of the Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife commissions to discuss next steps in the review of salmon management on the Columbia River.
- [New State Of The Climate Report Details 2018 As Fourth Warmest Year On Record, Greenhouse Gases Highest On Record](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-state-of-the-climate-report-details-2018-as-fourth-warmest-year-on-record-greenhouse-gases-highest-on-record/) - A new State of the Climate report confirmed that 2018 was the fourth warmest year in records dating to the mid-1800s, and Alaska reported its second warmest in its 94-year record.
- [Climate Change: Can We Talk? That Can Be Difficult For Both Skeptics, Environmentalists](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/climate-change-can-we-talk-that-can-be-difficult-for-both-skeptics-environmentalists/) - Having productive conversations about climate change isn't only challenging when dealing with skeptics, it can also be difficult for environmentalists, according to two studies presented at the recent annual convention of the American Psychological Association.
- [First Bumble Bee Species In The West (Oregon/N.Calif) Proposed For ESA Listing By USFWS](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/first-bumble-bee-species-in-the-west-oregon-n-calif-proposed-for-esa-listing-by-usfws/) - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Monday announced a proposal to list the Pacific Northwest’s Franklin’s bumble bee as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
- [Washington Fish/Wildlife Commission Approves Request To Seek Increased Funding From Legislature To Avoid Cuts](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-fish-wildlife-commission-approves-request-to-seek-increased-funding-from-legislature-to-avoid-cuts/) - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission last week approved moving forward on a request to the State Legislature to increase Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife funding.
- [Oregon DEQ Draft Water Quality Report Says 44 Percent Of Oregon River Miles Impaired](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-deq-draft-water-quality-report-says-44-percent-of-oregon-river-miles-impaired/) - A draft report that, among other things, lists Oregon’s water quality impaired waters has been released by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for review until December 2.
- [Invasive European Green Crabs Found Near Washington-Canadian Border; High Number Trapped Raises Concern Of Established Population](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/invasive-european-green-crabs-found-near-washington-canadian-border-high-number-trapped-raises-concern-of-established-population/) - As part of an early-detection partnership, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Sea Grant Crab Team found evidence of European green crabs in Drayton Harbor near the Canadian border during regular monitoring, and then trapped 17 green crabs during a two-day rapid response in late September. This is the highest number of green crabs trapped in such a short period of time from any one area along Washington’s inland shoreline.
- [Believing In Climate Change Doesn’t Mean Coastal Homeowners Prepare For Climate Change, Says Study](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/believing-in-climate-change-doesnt-mean-coastal-homeowners-prepare-for-climate-change-says-study/) - Believing in climate change has no effect on whether or not coastal homeowners are protecting their homes from climate change-related hazards, according to a new study from the University of Notre Dame.
- [WDFW Seeks Comments On Cooke Aquaculture Proposal For Farming Sterile Steelhead In Puget Sound](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-seeks-comments-on-cooke-aquaculture-proposal-for-farming-sterile-steelhead-in-puget-sound/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has begun a 21-day public comment period regarding Cooke Aquaculture’s proposal to farm sterile (triploid) rainbow trout/steelhead in Puget Sound.
- [IDFG Moves Two Giant 25-Year-Old Sturgeon From Hatchery To Snake River At Idaho Falls](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idfg-moves-two-giant-25-year-old-sturgeon-from-hatchery-to-snake-river-at-idaho-falls/) - Two 7-foot long sturgeon were transported 190 miles from the Hagerman Fish Hatchery to the Snake River in Idaho Falls after spending the first 25 years of their life in a IDFG display pond, but these long-lived giants still have a long life ahead of them.
- [Invasive New Zealand Mud Snails Found In Private Montana Hatchery, Now Under Quarantine Until Eradicated](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/invasive-new-zealand-mud-snails-found-in-private-montana-hatchery-now-under-quarantine-until-eradicated/) - Last month Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks discovered an established population of New Zealand mud snails at a private commercial fish hatchery south of Hamilton.
- [SHORTS: Colville River Fishing Proposal; Skokomish River Ecosystem Restoration; 2019 Hottest Summer In N. Hemisphere; Okanogan River Flows Boosted](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shorts-colville-river-fishing-proposal-skokomish-river-ecosystem-restoration-2019-hottest-summer-in-n-hemisphere-okanogan-river-flows-boosted/) - Fisheries managers are seeking public comments through Oct. 17 on a state proposal to reinstate a year-round fishing season on the Colville River in northeast Washington.
- [OSU Study Identifies Actions Transnational Corporations Can Take For Global Resource Management; ‘These Leaders Should Be At The Table’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-identifies-actions-transnational-corporations-can-take-for-global-resource-management-these-leaders-should-be-at-the-table/) - Researchers have identified six corporate actions that, combined with effective public policy and improved governmental regulations, could help large transnational corporations steer environmental stewardship efforts around the world, a new paper suggests.
- [Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership, Tillamook Estuaries Receive $1.2 Million In EPA Funding Under National Estuary Program](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/lower-columbia-estuary-partnership-tillamook-estuaries-receive-1-2-million-in-epa-funding-under-national-estuary-program/) - The Environmental Protection Agency announced Thursday that the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership and the Tillamook Estuaries Partnership will share $1.2 million in funding under the EPA National Estuary Program.
- [SHORTS: Removing Sunken Tug; Reward Offered For Pelican Shootings; Online Seminars Set For Wolf Post-Recovery Planning](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shorts-removing-sunken-tug-reward-offered-for-pelican-shootings-online-seminars-set-for-wolf-post-recovery-planning/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving will begin removal of the sunken Tug DIANE this Friday, September 13, 2019.
- [New Marine Heat Wave Resembling ‘The Blob’ Emerges Off West Coast: Will It Last Long Enough To Effect Marine Ecosystem?](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-marine-heat-wave-resembling-the-blob-emerges-off-west-coast-will-it-last-long-enough-to-effect-marine-ecosystem/) - About five years ago “the Blob” of warm ocean water disrupted the West Coast marine ecosystem and depressed salmon returns. Now, a new expanse of unusually warm water has quickly grown in much the same way, in the same area, to almost the same size.
- [Oregon State Scientists Lead Effort Declaring Climate Emergency, 6 Immediate Steps To Slow Global Warming](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregon-state-scientists-lead-effort-declaring-climate-emergency-6-immediate-steps-to-slow-global-warming/) - A global coalition of scientists led by William J. Ripple and Christopher Wolf of Oregon State University says “untold human suffering” is unavoidable without deep and lasting shifts in human activities that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and other factors related to climate change.
- [Study Suggests Conservatives Who Experience Harm From Extreme Weather More Likely To Support Climate Change Mitigation Policies](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-suggests-conservatives-who-experience-harm-from-extreme-weather-more-likely-to-support-climate-change-mitigation-policies/) - People who identify as politically conservative are more like to support climate change mitigation policies if they have report experiencing personal harm from an extreme weather event such as a wildfire, flood or tornado, a new study indicates.
- [Tags, Antennas Tracking Juvenile Salmon In Lemhi, Salmon Rivers To Estimate Travel Times, Survival](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/tags-antennas-tracking-juvenile-salmon-in-lemhi-salmon-rivers-to-estimate-travel-times-survival/) - Anglers fishing the upper Salmon River this fall and winter may notice large antennas in various locations near the riverbank.
- [OSU Study Shows Tensions Reduced Between Private Rangeland Fire Groups, Agencies In Protecting 25 Million Acres In PNW](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-shows-tensions-reduced-between-private-rangeland-fire-groups-agencies-in-protecting-25-million-acres-in-pnw/) - The first responders to wildfires in the remote areas of the Great Basin of Oregon and Idaho are increasingly volunteer groups of private landowners that have been authorized and trained in partnership with federal and state agencies.
- [Washington Governor Asks For Changes In Wolf Program; Says Wolf Plan Not Working In NE Washington](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-governor-asks-for-changes-in-wolf-program-says-wolf-plan-not-working-in-ne-washington/) - Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has sent a letter to the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife asking for changes to the gray wolf recovery program.
- [Agencies, Tribes To Hold First On-The-Ground Practice Exercise For Emergency Response To Infestation Of Invasive Mussels](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/agencies-tribes-to-hold-first-on-the-ground-practice-exercise-for-emergency-response-to-infestation-of-invasive-mussels/) - State, federal, and tribal governments will come together Oct. 23 at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area for the first on-the-ground exercise in the Columbia River basin to prepare for an infestation of quagga and zebra mussels.
- [Council Reports On The Key Takeaways Of Columbia Basin Transboundary Conference](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-reports-on-the-key-takeaways-of-columbia-basin-transboundary-conference/) - Every five years since 1998, the Council and its closest counterpart agency in British Columbia, the Columbia Basin Trust, have co-sponsored a conference on the international Columbia River. This year, the conference was in Kimberley, British Columbia from September 12 through 14. A total of 288 people from Canada and the United States attended.
- [PNW Waterways Association Releases Consultants’ Study On Costs Of Lower Snake Dam Removal And No Barging](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pnw-waterways-association-releases-consultants-study-on-costs-of-lower-snake-dam-removal-and-no-barging/) - A study commissioned by the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association says the removal of four lower Snake River dams would cost the U.S. over $2.3 billion over the next 30 years.
- [New Fish Detection System At Lower Granite Dam Tracks PIT-Tagged Juvenile Salmon/Steelhead Through Spillways](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-fish-detection-system-at-lower-granite-dam-tracks-pit-tagged-juvenile-salmon-steelhead-through-spillways/) - The most powerful low-frequency PIT tag detection system in the world was installed last month at Lower Granite Dam -- the first system capable of detecting fish rushing with water through the spillway at one of the federal dams.
- [Washington Cites 2019 Efforts To Prevent Aquatic Invasive Species; 31 Percent Increase In Watercraft Inspections](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-cites-2019-efforts-to-prevent-aquatic-invasive-species-31-percent-increase-in-watercraft-inspections/) - Boaters helped the state celebrate a record year for efforts to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species into Washington’s waterways, including zebra and quagga mussels, aquatic plants, and fish and amphibian diseases.
- [Legislation To Compensate Spokane Tribe For Lands Lost With Construction Of Grand Coulee Dam Clears Congress](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/legislation-to-compensate-spokane-tribe-for-lands-lost-with-construction-of-grand-coulee-dam-clears-congress/) - The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation Monday to provide the Spokane Tribe of Indians compensation for the lands taken by the United States as part of building Grand Coulee Dam in the 1930s and 1940s.
- [Town Hall On Columbia River Treaty Negotiations Set For Tri-Cities Next Week](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/town-hall-on-columbia-river-treaty-negotiations-set-for-tri-cities-next-week/) - U.S. Columbia River Treaty Negotiator Jill Smail will lead a town hall on December 16 in Richland, Washington, on the modernization of the Columbia River Treaty regime.
- [OSU Study Identifies Forests In Western US Should Be Preserved To Mitigate Climate Change; Pacific Coast, Cascade Range](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-identifies-forests-in-western-us-should-be-preserved-to-mitigate-climate-change-pacific-coast-cascade-range/) - A study by Oregon State University researchers has identified forests in the western United States that should be preserved for their potential to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, as well as to enhance biodiversity.
- [Oregon’s North Coast Closed To Salmon Fishing As Excessive Pre-Spawn Mortality Of Fall Chinook Continues](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/oregons-north-coast-closed-to-salmon-fishing-as-excessive-pre-spawn-mortality-of-fall-chinook-continues/) - Following a recent die-off of fall chinook salmon in the Wilson River, excessive pre-spawn mortality of fall chinook in other nearby rivers has prompted fishery managers to close the entire North Coast to all salmon angling, effective Dec. 13 – 31.
- [SHORTS: Fall Chinook Die-Off In Oregon River; NOAA Fines Farmer For Killing Steelhead; WDOE Director Resigns; Rapid Arctic Warming; Indo-Pacific Ocean Warming, Less Rainfall West Coast](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/shorts-fall-chinook-die-off-in-oregon-river-noaa-fines-farmer-for-killing-steelhead-wdoe-director-resigns-rapid-arctic-warming-indo-pacific-ocean-warming-less-rainfall-west-coast/) - A recent die-off of fall Chinook salmon in the Wilson River on the Oregon coast near Tillamook has prompted fishery managers to close the river to all salmon angling, effective Dec. 7 – 31.
- [Idaho Fish And Game Staff Honored For Research On Effects Of Catch-Release On Fish](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-fish-and-game-staff-honored-for-research-on-effects-of-catch-release-on-fish/) - The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies recently honored Idaho Fish and Game with the Ernest Thompson Seton Award for the agency’s research on the effects of air exposure on caught-and-released fish.
- [Draft Plan Released To Restore Washington’s Chehalis River Basin For Salmon, Aquatic Species](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/draft-plan-released-to-restore-washingtons-chehalis-river-basin-for-salmon-aquatic-species/) - During the past 30 years, salmon runs have declined 80% in southwest Washington's Chehalis River basin due to habitat degradation, development, and climate change. By the end of the century, the basin’s spring chinook salmon could become functionally extinct, with fish numbers dropping too low to sustain the population.
- [Study: Laundered Clothes Bringing Microplastics To Oysters, Clams On Oregon Coast Through Wastewater](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/study-laundered-clothes-bringing-microplastics-to-oysters-clams-on-oregon-coast-through-wastewater/) - Tiny threads of plastics are showing up in Pacific oysters and razor clams along the Oregon coast -- and the yoga pants, fleece jackets, and sweat-wicking clothing that Pacific Northwesterners love to wear are a source of that pollution, according to a new Portland State University study.
- [NW Power/Conservation Council Appoints O’Toole Fish/Wildlife Director](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/nw-power-conservation-council-appoints-otoole-fish-wildlife-director/) - The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has appointed Patty O’Toole to the position of Fish and Wildlife Division Director. She had been the division’s acting director since August 15, 2019.
- [WDFW Approves Permit To Cooke Aquaculture To Farm Sterile Rainbow Trout/Steelhead In Nets Once Used For Atlantic Salmon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/wdfw-approves-permit-to-cooke-aquaculture-to-farm-sterile-rainbow-trout-steelhead-in-nets-once-used-for-atlantic-salmon/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife this week approved an application from Cooke Aquaculture to farm all-female, sterile (triploid) rainbow trout/steelhead in Puget Sound.
- [Research Indicates Native Americans Did Not Make Large-Scale Changes To Environment Prior To European Contact](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/research-indicates-native-americans-did-not-make-large-scale-changes-to-environment-prior-to-european-contact/) - Four hundred years ago, the Pilgrims sailed to New England and encountered Native Americans. The historical narrative from that point tells of Native Americans clearing forests with fire for thousands of years before Europeans arrived in America.
- [Council Elects New Officers, Appoints New Members To Independent Science Review Panel](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-elects-new-officers-appoints-new-members-to-independent-science-review-panel/) - As it does every year at its January meeting, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council elected a new chair and vice-chair to serve in 2020. It elected Richard Devlin of Oregon as Chair, replacing outgoing chair Jennifer Anders of Montana at its Portland meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 14. Devlin had served as the Council’s Vice Chair since Jan. 16, 2019.
- [Empty Net Pen Structure In Columbia River Washed To Sea; Pieces Being Found On Shore](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/empty-net-pen-structure-in-columbia-river-washed-to-sea-pieces-being-found-on-shore/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife last Friday (Jan. 10) was working to locate and retrieve an empty net pen structure that came unmoored along the Columbia River one day earlier, but severe weather hampered search efforts.
- [Report Released Detailing Climate Change Implications For Washington State: Snowpack To Decline By 38-46 Percent By 2050](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/report-released-detailing-climate-change-implications-for-washington-state-snowpack-to-decline-by-38-46-percent-by-2050/) - The University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group has released “Shifting Snowlines and Shorelines: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere and Implications for Washington State.”
- [BPA Begins Work On Large Estuary Floodplain Habitat Project To Create Juvenile Fish Nursery](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/bpa-begins-work-on-large-estuary-floodplain-habitat-project-to-create-juvenile-fish-nursery/) - The Bonneville Power Administration, with several federal, state and local partners, is embarking on a project that will reconnect vital floodplain habitat to the Columbia River. The Steigerwald Floodplain Restoration Project is the largest estuary restoration project BPA has sponsored.
- [NOAA Study Indicates Most Years In Next Decade Likely To Rank As Top 10 Warmest Years](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-study-indicates-most-years-in-next-decade-likely-to-rank-as-top-10-warmest-years/) - Using data from tens of thousands of stations worldwide, NOAA scientists have developed a method to estimate how the average global temperature may rank year-to-year in subsequent years. The method indicates a strong probability that future years will continue to be among the hottest on record.
- [Low 2020 Ocean/River Salmon Forecasts Likely To Restrict Fisheries; Very Weak Coho Return, Low Chinook Run](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/low-2020-ocean-river-salmon-forecasts-likely-to-restrict-fisheries-very-weak-coho-return-low-chinook-run/) - Fishery managers say the coming year may be another tough one for anglers in Washington, with low salmon returns expected again in 2020.
- [New Rules In Effect For Washington Sturgeon Fisheries; Expands Spawning Sanctuaries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/new-rules-in-effect-for-washington-sturgeon-fisheries-expands-spawning-sanctuaries/) - A number of rule changes affecting Washington sturgeon fisheries went into effect beginning Monday (March 9), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced.
- [NOAA Ocean Status Report Shows Ocean Conditions Off West Coast Remain Unusually Variable; Lingering Heat Hurt Salmon In 2019](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/noaa-ocean-status-report-shows-ocean-conditions-off-west-coast-remain-unusually-variable-lingering-heat-hurt-salmon-in-2019/) - Lingering offshore heat worked against recovery of salmon stocks and reduced fishing success off the West Coast, a new analysis reports.
- [COVID-19 Forces Federal Agencies To Adjust Procedures For Commenting On Draft EIS For Columbia/Snake River Dams](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/covid-19-forces-federal-agencies-to-adjust-procedures-for-commenting-on-draft-eis-for-columbia-snake-river-dams/) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration, that agencies which operate the Columbia and Snake River dams, sent out this notice by email this morning, March 12:
- [Pike Removal To Continue In Lake Coeur d’Alene To Reduce Predation On Native Cutthroat; Netting Has Shown Positive Results](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pike-removal-to-continue-in-lake-coeur-dalene-to-reduce-predation-on-native-cutthroat-netting-has-shown-positive-results/) - Biologists with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, in cooperation with Idaho Department of Fish And Game, were to resume gill netting efforts this week in Lake Coeur d’Alene to reduce pike predation on native, lake-run cutthroat trout in select areas.
- [Idaho Biologist Describes Golden Eagle’s Journey From Alaska Arctic To Salmon River](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/idaho-biologist-describes-golden-eagles-journey-from-alaska-arctic-to-salmon-river/) - Many wildlife species need large landscapes to survive and thrive. Elk often summer at higher elevations and move 10-50 miles to find winter ranges at lower elevations. Songbirds that summer in Idaho can winter in the Southwest US, Mexico, or even further abroad. Wildlife make these movements without compass or GPS, just using the instincts they were born with. While we know these facts in our heads, we get jaded to them over time, because that is just the nature of our busy lives. But every once in while we get an opportunity to see them again for the first time, and we should be amazed.
- [Though Boating Visitors Aren’t Encouraged, Oregon Stresses All Watercraft Entering Oregon Need Inspection For Invasive Species; Seasonal Stations Open May 12](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/though-boating-visitors-arent-encouraged-oregon-stresses-all-watercraft-entering-oregon-need-inspection-for-invasive-species-seasonal-stations-open-may-12/) - While the state of Oregon is currently not recommending out-of-state residents visit the state for recreation due to the Governor’s Stay Home, Save Lives order, all watercraft entering Oregon are still required to be inspected at an aquatic invasive species station when the stations are open. This includes commercial watercraft, which, will account for most of the inspections while the stay-at-home order remains in effect.
- [Interior Signs Final Decision To Create 11,000 Miles Of Fuel Breaks In 223-Million Acre Area, Includes Idaho, Oregon](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/interior-signs-final-decision-to-create-11000-miles-of-fuel-breaks-in-223-million-acre-area-includes-idaho-oregon/) - Last week, U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt signed a final decision to construct and maintain a system of up to 11,000 miles of strategically placed fuel breaks to control wildfires within a 223 million- acre area in portions of California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
- [Retired Judge James Redden, Landmark Figure In Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery Litigation, Dies At Age 92](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/retired-judge-james-redden-landmark-figure-in-columbia-basin-salmon-recovery-litigation-dies-at-age-92/) - One of the most recognizable names in Columbia River basin salmon recovery circles, retired U.S. District Court Judge James A. Redden, died last week (March 31) at age 92.
- [Call Volume Crashes California Fish And Game Commission Webinar On Proposed Emergency Covid-19 Fishing Closures, Will Try Again Next Week](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/call-volume-crashes-california-fish-and-game-commission-webinar-on-proposed-emergency-covid-19-fishing-closures-will-try-again-next-week/) - On Tuesday, April 7, the California Fish and Game Commission announced that it would meet remotely Thursday in an emergency meeting to discuss “delegating temporary authority to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to delay, suspend or restrict sport or recreational fishing if the director of CDFW, in consultation with the president of the Commission, finds that such action is necessary to protect against the threat from COVID-19 based on state, federal, local, and tribal public health guidance and public safety needs.”
- [Council Blasts Trump Administration Proposal To Force BPA To Sell At Market Rates, Sell Transmission System; ‘Detrimental Schemes’](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/council-blasts-trump-administration-proposal-to-force-bpa-to-sell-at-market-rates-sell-transmission-system-detrimental-schemes/) - The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has written a letter to the Northwest congressional delegation objecting to proposals by the Trump administration to force the Bonneville Power Administration to sell electricity at market rates rather than its cost of generation and also sell the federal high-voltage transmission system, which BPA operates.
- [Covid-19: 13 Northwest Members Of Congress Seek Extension Of Comment Period On Draft EIS For Columbia/Snake River Dams; Corps Concludes Phone Comment Meetings](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/covid-19-13-northwest-members-of-congress-seek-extension-of-comment-period-on-draft-eis-for-columbia-snake-river-dams-corps-concludes-phone-comment-meetings/) - Thirteen members of the Northwest congressional delegation, all Democrats from Washington and Oregon, asked the federal government this week to extend the comment period on the draft environmental impact statement on Columbia/Snake River dams until 30 days after the Covid-19 public health emergency is over.
- [Covid-19: Idaho Fishing Continues With Social Distancing; Montana Closes Fishing Piers, Group Sites; Corps, USFWS Issue Closures; NOAA Looks At Impacts On Fishing Industries](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/covid-19-idaho-fishing-continues-with-social-distancing-montana-closes-fishing-piers-group-sites-corps-usfws-issue-closures/) - As of this week, Idaho Fish and Game has not closed any fishing or hunting seasons in response to Covid-19, and the department is providing guidelines in accordance with Gov. Brad Little’s orders for social distancing at least six feet apart, including while fishing and at access sites and boat ramps.
- [Covid-19: Montana Watercraft Inspection Station Sees Rush Of Canadian Boaters Heading North; Already 3 Mussel-Fouled Boats Intercepted](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/covid-19-montana-watercraft-inspection-station-sees-rush-of-canadian-boaters-heading-north-already-3-mussel-fouled-boats-intercepted/) - Inspectors at the Dillon, Montana watercraft inspection station had a busy start to early season boat inspections, with Covid-19 news prompting Canadian boaters in the United States heading north for the border.
- [Northwest States To Receive $14 Million From Interior’s Land And Water Conservation Fund; Can Be Used For ESA Habitat](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/northwest-states-to-receive-14-million-from-interiors-land-and-water-conservation-fund-can-be-used-for-esa-habitat/) - The Interior Department this week announced $227,125,000 will be distributed from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to states and territories for park and outdoor recreation and conservation projects.
- [OSU Study Shows Increasing Number Of Bison In Yellowstone Harming Ecosystem; Trampling Riparian Streambanks](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/osu-study-shows-increasing-number-of-bison-in-yellowstone-harming-ecosystem-trampling-riparian-streambanks/) - Increasing numbers of bison in Yellowstone National Park in recent years have become a barrier to ecosystem recovery in the iconic Lamar Valley in the northern part of the park, according to a study by Oregon State University scientists.
- [COVID-19: Washington Closes Recreational Fishing Statewide, Oregon Shuts Down Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead Fishing](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/covid-19-washington-closes-recreational-fishing-statewide-oregon-shuts-down-columbia-river-salmon-steelhead-fishing/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Wednesday temporarily closed recreational fishing and shellfishing statewide in the wake of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s order directing Washingtonians to stay home to limit the spread of coronavirus/COVID-19. A few hours later the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that it will close recreational angling for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River, effective Thursday, March 26 at 11:59 p.m.
- [Corps Begins Refill Of 13 Willamette Valley Reservoirs Now Lower Than Normal; Need Significant Rain Events](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/corps-begins-refill-of-13-willamette-valley-reservoirs-now-lower-than-normal-need-significant-rain-events/) - With warm, dry weather forecasted, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, is refilling its 13 Willamette Valley Project reservoirs and two Rogue River Basin Project reservoirs to prepare for the spring and summer conservation seasons.
- [UW Study Finds Dramatic Increase In ‘Herring Worm’ In Raw, Undercooked Seafood, May Have Impact On Marine Mammals](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/uw-study-finds-dramatic-increase-in-herring-worm-in-raw-undercooked-seafood-may-have-impact-on-marine-mammals/) - A new study led by the University of Washington finds dramatic increases in the abundance of a worm that can be transmitted to humans who eat raw or undercooked seafood. Its 283-fold increase in abundance since the 1970s could have implications for the health of humans and marine mammals, which both can inadvertently eat the worm.
- [Fishing Reopens Across Washington State, Lower Snake River Open For Springers; Corps Relaxes Recreation Site Restrictions](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/fishing-reopens-across-washington-state-lower-snake-river-open-for-springers-corps-relaxes-recreation-site-restrictions/) - With fishing reopened under standard rules on May 5, following a statewide closure to help combat the spread of COVID-19, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife reminds anglers that a number of emergency rules remain in effect for state waters.
- [Washington To Open Some Recreational Fishing Tuesday, Asks People Do So Locally; Crowding Could Lead To Reclosures; Oregon Opens To Non-Residents](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-to-open-some-recreational-fishing-tuesday-asks-people-do-so-locally-crowding-could-lead-to-reclosures/) - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced this week it will reopen some recreational fishing and hunting in a phased approach following the state’s efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus. The department is asking hunters and anglers to enjoy these outdoor activities only if they can do so locally, while also practicing physical distancing.
- [SIMMS Donates Repurposed Waders As PPE For Montana Fish, Wildlife, Parks Staff](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/simms-donates-repurposed-waders-as-ppe-for-montana-fish-wildlife-parks-staff/) - COVID-19 is requiring new solutions for fish and wildlife managers. One such solution is being implemented to help Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks continue providing recreation opportunities across the state.
- [Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Final Southern Resident Killer Whale Risk Assessment Due In June](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/pacific-fishery-management-councils-final-southern-resident-killer-whale-risk-assessment-due-in-june/) - In March the Pacific Fishery Management Council approved the ad hoc Southern Resident Killer Whale Workgroup’s draft risk assessment. A final version, incorporating an executive summary and minor edits, is expected by June.
- [Washington Wolf Report: Overall Numbers Up Compared To 2018, Packs, Breeding Pairs Lower](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/washington-wolf-report-overall-numbers-up-compared-to-2018-packs-breeding-pairs-lower/) - Washington's wolf population continued to grow in 2019 as the minimum count of wolves reached their highest levels since wolves were essentially eliminated from the state in the 1930s.
- [To Limit Out-Of-Towners During COVID-19 Restrictions, California Delays Trout Fishing Opener In Three Counties, Some Closures In Another](https://columbiabasinbulletin.org/to-limit-out-of-towners-during-covid-19-restrictions-california-delays-trout-fishing-opener-in-three-counties-some-closures-in-another/) - As requested by county officials, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham, in consultation with California Fish and Game Commission President Eric Sklar, delayed the start of the trout opener in Alpine, Inyo and Mono counties.

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