Washington State of Salmon Report: ‘Too Many Salmon Remain On Brink Of Extinction, Time Running Out’
January 13th, 2023
Of the seven species of salmon and steelhead that inhabit Washington state’s waters -- and are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act as at risk of extinction-- Hood Canal summer chum salmon and Snake River fall Chinook salmon are approaching their recovery goals, according to a biennial report soon to be released by the Washington Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office.
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Successful Salmon Reintroduction: Sockeye Salmon Repopulating Okanagan Basin In Big Numbers
December 16th, 2022
By anyone’s measure, sockeye salmon runs have skyrocketed since 1997 in the Okanogan River basin when a transboundary workgroup decided to begin efforts to reintroduce the fish into Okanogan Lake in British Columbia, according to tribal biologists speaking at this week’s Northwest Power and Conservation Council meeting.
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BPA 2022 Net Revenues Exceed Target By $792 Million; Proposing Flat Rates For 2023-25, 8 Percent Increase For Salmon Mitigation
November 22nd, 2022
The Bonneville Power Administration plans to capitalize on its strong 2022 fiscal year by holding its rates for electricity and transmission flat during the next rate case cycle, which is FY2023-25. In the same rate case, it is proposing to increase its Columbia River basin fish and wildlife mitigation expenses by 8 percent, the first time the power marketing agency has increased those costs since FY2018-19 when it vowed to keep fish and wildlife spending below the inflation rate.
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Grant PUD Takes Next Steps To Building Modular Nuclear Power Plant, Might Be Online By 2028
November 16th, 2022
Grant Public Utility District is taking the next step with its partner X-energy to build a modular nuclear power plant in Washington. The utility hopes to have the up-to-320 megawatt 4-unit power plant online by as soon as 2028, according to its chief resource officer Kevin Nordt.
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Bonneville Power Administration Having Good Financial Year; More Money Coming For Fish/Wildlife, Fish Accords To Be Extended
September 15th, 2022
An 8.7 percent bump in the Bonneville Power Administration’s Fish and Wildlife budget in fiscal year 2024-25 is the largest increase for fish and wildlife since 2010. The increase will give the power marketing agency, which pays for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, more flexibility to “get things done.”
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NW Power/Conservation Council Taps New Public Affairs Director, Power Division Director
September 8th, 2022
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council has hired Ann E. Gravatt to be its communications and public affairs director. She will join the Council on September 28.
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BPA To Raise Annual Fish/Wildlife Budget By 8.7 Percent Starting 2024; Has Assessed Hatchery, Fish Screen Maintenance Needs
June 16th, 2022
The new head of the Bonneville Power Administration’s Fish and Wildlife Program told Northwest Power and Conservation Council members this week that BPA will raise its fish and wildlife budget by annually 8.7 percent or $21 million beginning in fiscal years 2024-25.
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Without New Spillway Detectors Hard To Know If Higher Spill At Columbia/Snake Dams Is Benefitting Salmon
April 15th, 2022
Entering another spring season of Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead juveniles being moved downriver with much higher spill levels at federal hydropower dams than in the past, the monitoring of results of such operations has become difficult. Higher spill is pushing tagged smolts away from detection facilities, which creates data gaps when measuring the effectiveness of more spill for fish.
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Council Decision Memo To Bonneville Power Administration Calls For Agency To Address Flat-Funding Of Basin Fish/Wildlife Mitigation Projects
April 14th, 2022
Inflation is big news right now. And the Northwest Power and Conservation Council is concerned that rising inflation combined with years-long flat funding for fish and wildlife projects will degrade the region’s Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife program. At the same time, the Council is looking for a new way to review mitigation projects for funding.