BIOP PLAINTIFFS WON’T PURSUE SPILL/FLOW INJUNCTION FOR 2007 Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

Fishing and conservation groups informed federal court today that they will not seek a court injunction to impose Columbia River hydrosystem measures they feel would improve survival of protected salmon and steelhead during the 2007 migration season. Read More...

FEDS/TRIBES RIVER OPERATONS, PROJECT FUNDING AGREEMENT FILED Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

A signed agreement filed Tuesday in federal court promises the support of five Columbia River tribes for a specific set of 2007 federal dam operations designed to improve salmon and steelhead survival in exchange for the promise of funding for more than $5 million worth of fish and wildlife projects. Read More...

TOO FEW FISH FOR LARGER SCALE FALL CHINOOK TRANSPORT STUDY Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

A larger scale evaluation of the survival of transported juvenile Snake River fall chinook salmon compared to those that migrate in-river is in jeopardy due to a lack of available fish this year to launch the experiment. Read More...

REPORT: BLACK ROCK COULD GENERATE $5.8 BILLION OVER 20 YEARS Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

Building the envisioned Black Rock water storage facility in eastern Washington would do more than assure more stable water supplies for fish, irrigators and municipalities. Read More...

IMPLICATIONS OF STRICT ‘VARQ’ ON FLOW AUGMENTATION DISCUSSED Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

A decision to operate Libby Dam under "strict VARQ" flood control operations this year will likely mean less water will be available than in recent years from the dam's reservoir to augment flows in the lower Columbia River this summer for migrating salmon, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Read More...

STUDY DETAILS CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON WASHINGTON STATE Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

Climate change is already affecting Washington's economy, according to a study requested by the departments of Ecology and Community Trade and Economic Development that was released this week. Read More...

WORK ON BASIN ZEBRA MUSSEL ACTION PLAN LIKELY TO PICK UP Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

The sudden realization that infrastructure-damaging zebra mussels can literally leapfrog across the country could well reinvigorate Columbia River basin officials in their effort to build a defense against such an invasion. Read More...

REPORT URGES STRONG STANDARDS FOR MARINE AQUACULTURE Posted on Friday, January 12, 2007 (PST)

Congress should enact legislation to ensure that strong environmental standards are in place to regulate the siting and conduct of offshore marine aquaculture, according to an independent panel of leaders from scientific, policymaking, business, and conservation institutions. Read More...