REDDEN WARNS FEDS ON FLOW AUG LIMITS IN UPPER SNAKE REMAND Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

U.S. District Court Judge James A. Redden on Monday put federal agencies on warning that the survival of threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead stocks must be the ultimate priority, not water allocation plans, as they devise a new biological opinion related to Idaho irrigation projects. Read More...

UPPER SNAKE REMAND ORDER SETS TIMETABLE, REQUIREMENTS Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

A Monday U.S. District Court remand order sets a timetable and reporting requirements for creation of a new upper Snake River biological opinion, but does not dictate what federal agencies must do to assure Idaho irrigation projects don't jeopardize protected salmon and steelhead populations downstream. Read More...

FOUR SITES TO BE STUDIED FOR OFF-CHANNEL WATER STORAGE Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

The Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have narrowed to four a list of potential off-channel mainstem Columbia River storage sites that could help serve the future water needs of the arid eastern part of the state. Read More...

$10 MILLION MONTANA WILDLIFE MITIGATION DEAL COMPLETED Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

A $10.7 million deal to protect 1,761 acres of Plum Creek Timber Co. land in Montana's Swan Valley has been completed. Read More...

YAKIMA FISH SCREEN PROJECT SHOWING RESULTS IN FISH RETURNS Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

Federal, state and tribal officials last Friday (Sept. 22) celebrated the completion of the Yakima Basin Phase II fish screen project, which over the past 14 years has involved modifying or rebuilding and maintaining 31 diversions that help keep fish from dying in irrigation canals and ditches. Read More...

FISH SURGE AT BONNEVILLE INCREASES FALL CHINOOK RUN ESTIMATE Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

A strong pulse of salmon continued passing over Bonneville Dam this week, prompting fishery officials to nudge upwards their estimates of the size of the 2006 upriver fall chinook run. Read More...

IDAHO RESEARCHER SEEKING SOLUTION TO FISH HATCHERY DISEASE Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

The No. 1 disease facing the commercial sector of the Idaho trout industry may soon be better controlled by an improved vaccine being developed by a University of Idaho fisheries scientist. Read More...

GROUP LAUNCHES STUDY ON UPPER YAKIMA WATER STORAGE Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

The Swauk Creek watershed in the Upper Yakima River Basin is the site of a new scientific study to investigate the feasibility of storing excess water during spring run-off for late season agricultural use. Read More...

KEMPTHORNE ANNOUNCES CONSERVATION GRANTS FOR BASIN Posted on Friday, September 29, 2006 (PST)

Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne on Tuesday announced more than $67 million in grants to 27 states to support conservation planning and acquisition of vital habitat for threatened and endangered fish, wildlife and plants. Read More...