Columbia Salmon returns show progress

Hundreds of millions of dollars are invested annually by federal, public and private operators to mitigate the environmental effects of operating hydroelectric projects. Fish, particularly salmon and steelhead, are the most visible barometer of whether these investments are producing the desired results.

A 2014 Citizen Update issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration points to positive progress for anadromous fish heading up the Columbia and Snake rivers. They report the highest rate of returns of hatchery and wild Chinook, coho and sockeye to Bonneville Dam since counting began in 1938.

Mother Nature, however, made for tough conditions this summer. Low snowpacks, poor stream flows, heat and drought caused severe issues in places. In July, for instance, recorded water temperatures at Bonneville Dam were nearly 5 degrees higher than the 10-year average. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife estimated almost half of the 500,000 sockeye salmon perished before successfully migrating up the Columbia River. This Seattle Times article recounts some of these effects.