Idaho Statesman
October 31, 2007,10:02AM
Federal fisheries officials say operations of the dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of endangered salmon and steelhead in the watershed.
The National Marine Fisheries Service said in a report to be issued this morning, a series of actions away from the dams, including habitat restoration programs, hatchery operation changes and harvest restrictions will offset the impacts of the dams on 12 stocks of salmon and steelhead declared threatened or endangered.
The agency, also known as NOAA Fisheries, will release the document, called a biological opinion, which shows how the federal dams are meeting the Endangered Species Act.
The federal agencies that operate the dams and the hydroelectric power system in the Northwest had submitted their plans to NMFS earlier this year for review. The fisheries agency added several other measures it will require. The Agencies include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Bonneville Power Administration.
This is the sixth biological opinion issued on the Columbia and Snake dams since 1992. It comes after U.S. district Judge James Redden had thrown out the last plan issued by the Bush Administration as inadequate and illegal. This time the agencies analyzed both dams on the Columbia and lower Snake with dams on the Upper Snake in Idaho
It will release two biological opinions today, one for the Upper Snake and one for the Lower Snake and Columbia. As expected the agency will not call for breaching four dams on the Lower Snake River in Washington.
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