Symposium Summary: The Columbia River Treaty – Past, Present, and Future

The United States and Canada implemented the Columbia River Treaty in 1964, focused on coordinated flood control and hydropower benefits for both countries from the construction and operation of Mica, Keenleyside, and Duncan dams in Canada and Libby Dam in the United States. The U.S. Entity (Bonneville Power Administration and Corps of Engineers), states, tribes, and regional stakeholders conducted a multi-year treaty review to understand dam operations after 2024, when certain treaty provisions change. In December 2013, the U.S. Entity delivered the “Regional Recommendation on the Future of the Columbia River Treaty after 2024” to the U.S. Department of State. Panelists from Washington, two tribal organizations, and NOAA Fisheries spoke in support of treaty modernization, agreeing the future treaty should place ecosystem-based functions on par with hydropower and flood risk management. Washington and the tribes called for a flood-risk management review to provide flexibility in river flows to enhance ecosystem functions and water supply. All saw treaty modernization as an opportunity to investigate fish passage and reintroduction into Canadian habitat above the Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams in the United States.   —Jim Fodrea, HDR, [email protected] Read the symposium abstracts here.