On 20-year anniversary of the Mid-Columbia Habitat Conservation Plans, juvenile salmon are exceeding survival goals; “This is obviously a success story: 20 years of habitat conservation,” Cantwell says
WENATCHEE, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined regional leaders at the Rocky Reach Dam to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Mid-Columbia Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs), which established a blueprint on how to preserve vital salmon and steelhead habitat while ensuring the stable production of affordable and emissions-free hydropower along more than 100 miles of the mid-Columbia River.
“This is obviously a success story: 20 years of habitat conservation. A plan that brought diverse stakeholders to figure out how to agree on science, how to preserve vital salmon and steelhead runs, […] all of this while ensuring the stable production of affordable and emission-free hydro. Over the last two decades, this agreement has fostered so much progress along more than 100 miles of the Columbia River. It’s enabled a state-of-the-art bypass, and helped protect juvenile salmon and steelhead, bolstered the hatchery programs with more sustainable fish production, and showed real progress on habitat restoration in the mid-Columbia,” Sen. Cantwell said.
“I’m glad to be here 20 years later to see the progress. To see the measurable results. To see the collaboration and the friendships,” Sen. Cantwell continued. “Trust me — a lot of people could learn from the example set by these agencies, by these organizations, by these people.”
After over a decade of negotiation and collaboration, the nation’s first hydropower HCPs for salmon and steelhead under the Endangered Species Act commenced in June 2004. These HCPs committed Chelan and Douglas Public Utility Districts to a pioneering 50-year program to ensure that the Rocky Reach, Rock Island, and Wells hydro projects have “no net impact” on mid-Columbia salmon and steelhead runs.
This goal has been accomplished through a combination of project specific technologies and practices including a $110 million state-of-the-art downstream juvenile fish bypass system at Rocky Reach, strategic spill over the dams, offsite hatchery programs, and habitat restoration and enhancement in local tributaries.
A November 2023 study found that 93% of juvenile Chinook salmon were able to safely pass through the Rocky Reach Hydroelectric Project, exceeding the survival goals set by the HCPs.
Signatories of the original HCPs included NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Chelan and Douglas PUDs. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation signed on to the HCPs in March 2005.
At the press conference, Sen. Cantwell was joined by U.S. Representative Kim Schrier, M.D. (D, WA-8); Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson; Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation Vice Chairman Christopher Wallahee; Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries West Coast Office Jennifer Quan; U.S. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife and Parks Deputy Assistant Secretary Michael Martinez; Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Region 2 Director Brock Hoenes; Chelan Public Utility District General Manager Kirk Hudson; and Douglas Public Utility District Commissioner Molly Simpson.
Video of Sen. Cantwell’s remarks is HERE; a transcript is HERE; and photos of the event are HERE.