The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s biological opinion for Columbia River basin bull trout, listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act in November 1999, was first completed in the year 2000. Some 16 years later a lawsuit was filed to reinitiate consultation with dam operating agencies and 20 years later the Service is now nearing the final update of a new bull trout BiOp, which also includes Kootenai River white sturgeon.
