Seems Like A Lot Of Snowy, Wet Weather, But Columbia Basin Water Supply Likely To Remain Below Normal; 77 Percent At Dalles Dam
January 18th, 2024
The Columbia River basin began the new year with below average snowpack and below average water supply forecasts
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With Still Developing El Nino, Contrasting Pattern In North Pacific, NOAA Says Signals Mixed For NW Juvenile Salmon Growth, Survival This Year
January 18th, 2024
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.
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Oregon Approves Permit For 290-Mile New Transmission Line From Columbia River To Southwest Idaho; Existing Connections Too Full During Peak Power
September 29th, 2022
Oregon’s Energy Facility Siting Council on Tuesday approved a permit to build the Boardman to Hemingway transmission line across five eastern Oregon counties. The line will move power between the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West, helping meet customer needs during peak seasons. Construction is expected to start in 2023.
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Washington Seeks Comment On Draft EIS For Proposed ‘Pumped Storage’ Project Near John Day Dam; Tribal Resources Would Be Impacted
June 8th, 2022
The Washington Department of Ecology is seeking comment on a draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Goldendale Energy Storage Project adjacent to the Columbia River near the John Day Dam. The document details the project’s negative impacts to tribal cultural areas.
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Whale Watching Boaters Fined For Getting Too Close To Puget Sound’s Endangered Killer Whales; Boats Interrupt Feeding On Salmon
June 3rd, 2022
Two recreational boaters illegally approached endangered Southern Resident killer whales in rented boats last fall. They have agreed to pay fines for violating regulations that protect the whales from vessel traffic and noise.
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Lower Columbia Navigation Channel: Dredged Material Sites Nearing Capacity, Corps Preparing New Placement Plan To Maintain Channel Until 2044
April 20th, 2022
Army planners and Columbia River sponsor ports are hosting five virtual information sessions April 26-28 to update the public on their 20-year plan for managing dredged material from the Lower Columbia River. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ policy requires all federally maintained navigation projects demonstrate there is sufficient dredged material placement capacity for a minimum of 20 years.
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What Happens To Columbia River Basin Salmon In The Ocean? NOAA Researcher Says Need To Ramp Up Marine Science To Inform Management Decisions
March 17th, 2022
In January NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center reported that 2021 had the best ocean conditions off the coasts of Oregon and Washington in 24 years and that those conditions could continue into 2022.
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Columbia Basin Collaborative Says Not The Right Time To Consider Dam Breaching, Reintroducing Salmon To Blocked Areas; Wait For Other Forums
December 2nd, 2021
The four Northwest state representatives leading the Columbia Basin Collaborative told a new group it recently formed that it should not consider breaching lower Snake River dams as a way to recover salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin, nor should it consider reintroducing fish into areas blocked by dams until other forums already looking at those topics complete their work next year.
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White House Nominates Montanan For Director Of U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service
October 28th, 2021
The White House this week announced the intent to nominate Martha Williams as Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service. Williams has been serving as Principal Deputy Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service since January 20, 2021, exercising the delegable authority of the Director. The nomination will now be considered by the U.S. Senate.