Habitat Assessment in Blocked Areas

The Council is working with Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) to scope actions and make funds available to implement projects to address what the Council identified as the 2014 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program’s emerging priorities during fiscal years 2016-2017. We are inviting proposals to specifically address one of the emerging priorities:

As one element of blocked-area mitigation, the Council seeks proposals to “investigate the availability, suitability and salmon survival potential in habitats above Grand Coulee Dam” (that is, between river mile 545.1 and river mile 745 at the Canadian Border), including in any tributaries in this area that have the potential to support anadromous fish.

Newest documents

• Project 2016-003-00 (Habitat Assessment in Blocked Areas) at cbfish.org
• Council decision memo (April 2016)

Background

In response to the Council’s December 16, 2015 request, the ISRP reviewed the Spokane Tribe of Indians’ proposal to assess the potential availability and suitability of habitat for anadromous salmon and steelhead survival in the U.S. portion of the Columbia River and its tributaries above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams, from river mile 545.1 to river mile 745. The Spokane Tribe of Indians developed this proposal and proposes to implement it in collaboration with its other regional co-managers: the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Coeur d’Alene Tribe of Indians, and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The U.S. Geological Survey Columbia River Research Laboratory and NOAA Fisheries are also part of the collaborative group and would provide technical support.

This collaborative proposal was the only proposal submitted in response to the Council’s request for proposals (RFP) to address part of Phase 1 of a multifaceted approach to investigate reintroduction of anadromous fish in the blocked waters of the upper Columbia River as called for in the Anadromous Fish Mitigation in Blocked Areas Strategy in the Council’s 2014 Fish and Wildlife Program.

Public comment on the ISRP review was received through February 12, 2016. The Spokane Tribe of Indians submitted a response to the ISRP review, and the Coeur d’Alene Tribe and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife submitted letters of support. Council staff will present the staff recommendation to the Fish and Wildlife Committee at the March committee meeting.

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