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A publication of the Federal Caucus, Columbia River Fish and Wildlife Recovery

Citizen Update

Conservation of

Columbia Basin Fish

All-H: Basinwide Salmon Recovery Strategy

Summer 2000 • Issue 4

T he time is fast approaching for important

decisions on fish recovery in the Columbia

River Basin. The National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(USFWS) will soon issue draft biological opinions on

long-term operation of the Federal Columbia River

Power System to avoid further jeopardy to species

listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). At

the same time, the nine-agency Federal Caucus is

nearing completion of its All-H Paper for recovering

salmon and other aquatic species in the basin. The

All-H Paper lays out the overall strategy and specific

actions to be taken in the areas of habitat, harvest,

hatcheries and hydropower to recover the region’s

threatened and endangered species. The biological

opinions provide more details on specific measures

for the hydropower system.

The biological opinions, All-H Paper and other

processes will lay the groundwork for a comprehensive federal recovery plan. While not all of the pieces

are in place yet, it is clear that NMFS and the Federal

Caucus will recommend: 1) measures with immediate

benefits for improving fish passage at dams;

2) performance standards in all of the Hs to ensure

that actions meet recovery goals; and 3) a blueprint

for partnerships among the government agencies,

tribes and citizens of the Northwest

with a stake in species recovery.

Citizen Update #4 presents a preview of where the

federal government is

heading with its approach to

recovering ESA-listed

species. We have also

included an overview of the

extensive public comment

received on the draft All-H

Paper released late last year.

 At the end of July,

NMFS and USFWS released

their draft biological

opinions that govern the operation of the federal

hydropower system, along with a final draft of the

All-H Paper to representatives of Northwest state and

tribal governments for additional technical review.

NMFS and USFWS plan to finalize the biological

opinions in late September. At the same time, the

Caucus plans to finalize the All-H Paper and a proposal for implementing the recommended actions.

An All-H Approach to Recovery

T he All-H Paper addresses multiple species of

fish and other aquatic creatures that inhabit

the Columbia River Basin. Twelve anadromous fish species that spawn and rear in various

parts of the basin have been listed for protection

under the ESA. Each of these stocks is in deep

trouble, and federal scientists believe the Upper

Columbia chinook, Lower Snake chinook, as well as

steelhead throughout the basin are in the greatest

peril. Bull trout, Kootenai River white sturgeon and

five species of aquatic snails in the Snake River are

also listed for protection under ESA. The All-H Paper

This is the fourth Citizen Update on the

Federal Caucus’ Columbia River fish and wildlife

recovery process. The first provided the background and an overall context for federal

actions; the second was a summary of the draft

All-H Paper; and the third announced the public

meetings and summarized other reports and

studies that pertain to the basin’s fish

recovery work. (See the back

page for information on how

to order copies of

previous Updates.)
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Washington

Montana

Idaho

Oregon Wyoming

California

Columbia River

Snake River

Wil al

m

ette

River

Pacific

Ocean

Puget Sound

Canadian Dams

Federal Dams

Non Federal Dams

.

Federal Strategy affects

12 stocks across Columbia

Basin & Pacific Ocean

.

Snake River Dam Removal

affects 4 stocks

.

Columbia River & Snake

River System

.

Blocked Passage

.

Chum Salmon

Chinook Salmon

Steelhead

Sockeye Salmon

Scope of Federal Salmon Recovery Initiatives

The All-H basinwide recovery strategy impacts all 12 listed species.

Lower Snake River dam removal only affects four species.
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recommends a basinwide recovery program that

places priority on actions that can be implemented

quickly, are likely to provide solid and predictable

benefits and will help the broadest range of species. It

will also describe the long-term actions designed to

have significant biological benefits.

At the outset of the All-H process, the Federal

Caucus acknowledged that much of the attention in

the region’s salmon recovery debate has focused on

breaching four federal dams on the Lower Snake

River. Scientific analysis undertaken as part of the

All-H process suggests that the “other Hs” – habitat,

hatcheries and harvest – offer significant potential for

meeting recovery goals and that a comprehensive

approach offers the best hope for recovery of all

listed Columbia Basin fish.

For salmon, NMFS used several analytical tools,

primarily a tool called the Cumulative Risk Initiative

(CRI) to estimate extinction risks and the benefits of

various recovery actions. The analysis helped focus

attention on where in the salmon life cycle the best

opportunities exist for actions that would increase

overall survival and lead to population recovery. The

CRI results suggest that improving survival during the

first year of a salmonid’s life, when the greatest

mortality occurs, will provide the most benefit toward

recovery. That means that restoring riverine and

estuary rearing habitat needs to be a vital part of the

All-H Paper. The CRI also indicates that threatened

and endangered salmon and steelhead are most likely

to recover if conditions are improved in each life

stage – freshwater spawning and rearing, juvenile

migration, ocean transition and upstream adult

migration. On the basis of the scientific analysis, the

Federal Caucus concluded that a successful recovery

effort must cover all of the Hs and cut across all life

stages.

The Caucus is assembling an All-H conceptual

recovery plan that will lead to significant improvements during the next five to 10 years, as well as

provide a path toward long-term recovery. The

Caucus has focused on a sequence of activities that

would have immediate biological benefits for fish. It

also lays out long-term strategies for recovery. In

addition, the All-H Paper aims to balance the burdens

and benefits of recovery between the upper and

lower areas of the Columbia River Basin. In the upper

basin, where anadromous fish passage is blocked by

hydroelectric projects, the interests and concerns of

local residents are different from those in downstream areas, where salmon still exist. The Caucus’

All-H Paper addresses the need to respect Northwest

Indian tribes’ cultural resources on federal hydropower project lands and for keeping reservoir levels

adequate for resident fish species, such as bull trout

and white sturgeon.

 The All-H Paper does not recommend breaching

the Lower Snake River dams at this time. The Caucus

appreciates that dam breaching represents to many

people a highly visible way to demonstrate that the

region is taking ambitious steps toward restoring

salmon. And for some, it has become a litmus test for

whether the Northwest is serious about wanting to

bring back huge runs of salmon. But it is not an

appropriate solution at this time. There is continuing

scientific uncertainty about whether breaching dams

is necessary to achieve recovery. Only Snake River

fish would benefit directly from breaching the four

dams, and there are eight other listed populations

that need serious help as well. Dam removal is still on

the table as an option, but the Caucus concluded it is

not the place to start.

What follows is a general outline of the blueprint

for recovery that is taking shape within the Federal

Caucus.

Hydropower. The federal agencies have been

successful in recent years modifying hydrosystem

operations to enhance salmon

passage. The actions proposed in

the All-H Paper for the hydrosystem

will build on that success. Measures

will focus on providing more natural

river flows in the spring and summer, continuing to transport fish

downriver in barges, improving juvenile passage by

spill and other actions, improving adult passage

through reconfiguring fish ladders and other facilities,

meeting water quality standards, working on

mainstem habitat and managing predators in the

mainstem.

Habitat. The Federal Caucus believes a basinwide

collaborative habitat plan that encompasses land

owned by government – federal,

state, tribal and local – as well as

private citizens is central to any

recovery plan. Many habitat fixes

will take decades to yield results. It

is important to invest in these longterm actions, but it is likewise

critical to do things with immediate benefits. The

federal agencies will fund programs that improve

tributary, mainstem and estuary habitat. The programs will specifically increase in-stream flows,

remove passage barriers, screen diversions, restore

Hydro

Habitat
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* Conserve species

* Conserve ecosystems

* Balance the needs of

 other species

* Protect sensitive 

 cultural resources

* Assure tribal fishing 

 rights and non-tribal 

 fishing opportunities

* Minimize other adverse 

 effects on humans

Objectives

Habitat

* Protect

* Restore

* Increase

 complex- 

 ity

Harvest

* Prevent

 over- 

 harvest

* Sustain-

 able

 fisheries

Hydropower

* Improve

 survival

* Improve

 condi-

 tions

Hatcheries

* Artifical

 Production

 Review 

 reforms

* Conser-

 vation

 reforms

Actions

Strategies

Goals

Measured over time and across all Hs

* Survival = 1

* Number of returning adult fish

 Life Stage or H-specific (Tier 2)

Improve survival and 

avoid harming wild fish

Habitat

* Measure

 improve- 

 ment in

 habitat

 condi-

 tions

Harvest

* Measure

 escape-

 ment 

 rates

Hydropower

* Measure

 cumu-

 lative

 & project

 passage

 survival 

 rates

* Measure 

 flow and

 water 

 condi-

 tions

Hatcheries

* Measure 

 egg

 to smolt

 produc- 

 tivity

* Measure 

 progress 

 in 

 reforms

Results

All-H Framework Performance Standards

* Biological

* Ecological

* Water Quality

* Socio-Economic

* Priorities

* Immediate

* Long Term

 Population Level (Tier 1)

Life Stage or H-specific (Tier 2)

* Habitat = X%

* Hydro = X%

* Harvest = X%

* Hatcheries = X%

* Monitoring and evaluation

* Adaptive management

All-H Approach Summary

This chart shows the comprehensive approach to actions and accountability for basinwide salmon recovery.
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water quality and protect high-quality habitats

through the purchase of land or conservation easements from property owners. The All-H Paper also

supports subbasin planning and setting priorities for

work in specific geographic areas, as well as restoring

thousands of acres of estuary habitat and tidal wetlands and flood plains.

Harvest. The conceptual recovery plan limits harvest

to currently reduced levels, seeks techniques and

opportunities to reduce harvest

impacts on listed fish, and recommends searching out selective

fishing opportunities that would not

affect wild fish. Reductions in

harvest can have immediate effects

on the number of adult spawners,

but harvest rates on most listed stocks have already

been dramatically reduced. Although small additional

gains might be made by curbing harvest, the All-H

Paper recognizes the priority legal standing of tribal

fishing rights and recommends allowing a level of

tribal harvest that respects the federal government’s

trust obligations.

Hatcheries. The conceptual

recovery plan contains two

primary hatchery initiatives.

The first is to

reform all

existing production and

mitigation

hatcheries to eliminate or

minimize their harm to wild fish.

Hatcheries will be required to

ensure that fish they release do

not pose a threat to wild fish.

The second initiative is to use

special hatchery conservation

programs on an interim basis to

avoid extinction while many

recovery actions take effect.

Genetics is the key to reforming

hatchery operations, and the

Caucus recommends that

hatchery operators develop

genetic management plans to

minimize adverse pacts of

hatchery releases on wild fish.

Performance Standards

to Measure Results

Scientifically based performance standards will

underpin NMFS’ biological opinion and the All-H

Paper. Performance standards provide accountability

and will lead more reliably to improved survival in

each salmon life stage – from smolt to adult. Performance standards are central to the All-H Paper

because they provide clear objectives, measurable

results and accountability.

Performance standards describe the contribution

that is needed from each H at each life stage in order

to achieve biological goals and objectives for recovering fish. For example, habitat and hatcheries are

important at the egg and smolt life stage. A performance standard for habitat would specify how many

miles of habitat need to be restored in a specific area

in order to promote a healthy spawning and rearing

population.

Performance standards will help determine if

actions are achieving recovery goals, and if more

aggressive recovery efforts are needed in the future.

HARVEST 

STRATEGIES

HABITAT 

(ESTUARY) 

STRATEGIES

HYDROPOWER 

STRATEGIES

HATCHERY 

STRATEGIES 

HABITAT 

(TRIBUTARY) 

STRATEGIES HYDRO

Mainstream

Columbia/Snake

Rivers

Adult 

OCEAN

HYDRO

Mainsteam

Columbia/Snake

Rivers

FRESHWATER

HABITATTRIBUTARY

Smolt

Eggs

Example of Setting Strategies

Throughout the Life Cycle

Harvest

Hatcheries
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related to Columbia River Basin economics and

ecology.

Many people said that better coordination of

federal responsibilities and activities through the

All-H process is a step in the right direction. Others

said there is still a great deal of confusion over how

Reasonable performance standards can help in

gauging the success of various salmon recovery

measures and be part of a “trigger” mechanism to

signal that other approaches are needed. NMFS’

biological opinion will contain performance standards for the region to target in each of the Hs.

The Federal Caucus recommends a research,

monitoring and evaluation program to reduce scientific uncertainties and bridge the gaps in our knowledge about how to design and implement a successful recovery program. Monitoring and evaluation will

provide a consistent way to report progress.

The Public Speaks Out on the

Draft All-H Paper

The All-H Paper was developed by the Federal

Caucus with the input of thousands of the region’s

citizens. A three-month public comment period on the

draft All-H Paper began Dec. 17, 1999, and the Caucus

hosted a series of 15 public meetings across five

states in February and March 2000 (see map for

locations) to provide an opportunity for citizens to

offer their views on the All-H Paper and on the Army

Corps of Engineers’ draft Lower Snake River Juvenile

Salmon Migration Feasibility Report. During the

comment period, we heard from over 9,000 people

and received over 60,000 individual comments.

There were nearly 150 distinct issues raised

during the comment period, and these were grouped

into categories (see box on page 7).

The comments covered the

range of topics addressed in

the All-H Paper and hit upon a

number of other subjects

Meeting Locations & Attendance

Juneau, 151

Sitka, 130

Ketchikan, 72

Petersburg, 91

Spokane, 800

Pasco, 1,200

Clarkston, 1,800

Missoula, 225

Kalispel, 120

Idaho Falls, 520

Boise, 1,100

Twin Falls, 600 Portland, 1,200

Astoria, 120

Seattle, 550
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Summer 2000

Federal Caucus 

releases final draft 

All-H paper; NMFS 

and USFWS release 

draft Federal 

Columbia River 

Power System 

biological opinions 

to states and tribes 

for technical review.

Fall 2000

Implementation 

begins

Early Fall 2000

Final All-H Paper 

and biological 

opinions expected.

January-March 

2000

Federal Caucus and 

Corps host 15 public 

meetings in five states 

and receive more than 

60,000 public comments.

Spring 2000

Federal Caucus 

consults with states 

and tribes.

Summer-Fall 1999

NMFS Science Center 

hosts series of science 

and policy workshops.

December 1999

Federal Caucus and U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers 

host public information meeting; Federal Caucus releases 

draft All-H Paper; Corps 

releases draft Lower Snake 

River Feasibility Study/EIS.

Spring 1999

Federal Caucus 

announces 

formation and intent.

Summer 1999

Federal Caucus begins 

Cumulative Risk 

Initiative analyses; works 

with Multi-Species 

Framework; hosts series 

of public information 

meetings and briefings.

Development

of the All-H

Paper

The Federal Caucus worked with

state and tribal representatives,

the scientific community and

Northwest citizens to develop a

basinwide approach to salmon

recovery. In late July, the Final

Draft Biological opnions and

All-H Paper will go to states and

tribes for technical review.

the Caucus and a conceptual

recovery plan fit into the

regional salmon recovery

picture. Several commenters

said there is not an adequate

sense of urgency in the All-H

process. Others said the

region still needs a comprehensive salmon recovery plan

that identifies a wider range

of actions than the draft

All-H Paper.

Many people commended

the Federal Caucus for

looking at all of the Hs, but

some said not all of the Hs

were considered equally.

Many of these people felt the

paper had a bias against

hydropower and dams and

that the process had been

reduced to debating the pros

and cons of dam breaching,

rather than saving salmon.

But there were other people

who said the Hs should not

be treated equally because

they have not contributed

equally to the decline of salmon. Several members of

the public expressed the opinion that predation, gillnet fishing and the need to restore spawning areas

and the Columbia River estuary had not been fully

considered in the All-H Paper.

The Caucus appreciated the opportunity to hear

from local residents and communities across the

Columbia River Basin, and is considering the public

comments thoroughly in completing the All-H Paper.

The number of people who attended public meetings

and the fervor with which they expressed their points

of view demonstrated that salmon recovery is an

urgent and highly charged topic in the Northwest and

Alaska.

Fish and wildlife recovery efforts will touch every

community in the

region in one way

or another, and

the Caucus has

not lost sight of

the fact that one

of its goals is to

minimize adverse

effects on humans. The public

Comment Categories

• All-H Life Cycle Approach

• Conservation Goals, Objectives, Performance Measures,

and Monitoring and Evaluation

• Hydropower

• Habitat

• Hatcheries

• Harvest

• Science

• Range of Alternatives

• Economics

• Institutional and Regulatory

Issues

• Relationship to Corps EIS,

John Day Study, BPA EIS,

ICBEMP

• Biological Opinions

• Public Involvement Process

• Native American Issues

• Implementation Issues

• Issues Not Fully Considered

• Other Issues
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The Federal Caucus

In 1998, nine federal agencies formed the

Federal Caucus to examine opportunities the

region has in each of the Hs for recovering listed

salmon, steelhead and resident fish. The intent

was to develop a conceptual recovery plan that

could guide future federal actions. The agencies

of the Federal Caucus are the: Bonneville Power

Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau

of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation,

Environmental Protection Agency, National

Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and

U.S. Forest Service.

has repeatedly called for performance standards

against which to measure the success or failure of

various recovery measures, and the federal agencies

are making standards a crucial ingredient in the draft

All-H conceptual recovery plan.

Summary and Information Contacts

The Federal Caucus’ All-H Paper recognizes and

builds on recovery efforts that are already under way,

and it will call for additional contributions from

governments and individuals throughout the basin.

Stream-by-stream, population-by-population and

watershed-by-watershed, salmon recovery will

demand comprehensive, durable and patient effort

over the next several decades. Federal agency action

alone will not be enough, and an unprecedented level

of cooperation between state, tribal and local governments, as well as private citizens, are a crucial ingredient for success.

If you would like more information on the Federal

Caucus or Columbia Basin fish and wildlife recovery,

copies of the reports summarized in this publication

or previous issues of the Citizen Update, please

contact the Caucus by phone or mail. You may also

visit the Web sites listed on this page for additional

information.

Phone

toll-free 1-888-921-4886

E-mail

federalcaucus@bpa.gov

Mail

Federal Caucus

C/O Jenifer Miller

BPA-P

PO Box 3621

Portland, Or. 97208

Web Sites

• For information on the Federal Caucus All-H

Paper, visit www.bpa.gov/federalcaucus. This

Web site lists other Internet links related to

Federal Caucus activities and issues.

• For information on the Corps’ Draft Lower Snake

River Feasibility Study/EIS, visit

www.nww.usace.army.mil.

• For information on the Corps’ John Day Drawdown Study, visit www.nwp.usace.army.mil.

• For information on the Multi-Species Framework

Project, visit www.nwframework.org.

• For information on the Northwest Power Planning Council’s fish and wildlife activities, visit

www.nwppc.org.

• For information on ICBEMP, visit

www.icbemp.gov.