Science, Service, Stewardship

NOAA

Middle Columbia River 

Steelhead: 

A Blueprint for Recovery

LEARNING OVER TIME & ADAPTIVE 

MANAGEMENT

Monitoring and research will be needed to support adaptive 

management and allow managers to make sound decisions for 

the future. As actions are taken and the results monitored, new 

information will help us learn what works best for the fish. 

MANAGEMENT UNITS

In each domain, NMFS worked with state, tribal, local and other 

Federal entities to develop planning forums that build ongoing, 

locally led recovery efforts. NMFS defined “management units” 

based on jurisdictional boundaries as well as areas where 

local planning efforts were underway. The Mid-Columbia 

management units are (1) Oregon; (2) Washington Gorge, 

which, in turn, is subdivided into three planning areas, White 

Salmon, Klickitat, and Rock Creek; (3) Yakima subbasin; and (4) 

Southeast Washington. 

CONTACTS

NOAA Fisheries Service, Northwest Region:

Scott Rumsey, 503-872-2791, 

scott.rumsey@noaa.gov

Washington Gorge Management Unit

NOAA Fisheries:

Nora Berwick, 503.231.6887,

nora.berwick@noaa.gov

Oregon Management Unit

Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife:

Rich Carmichael (technical) 541.962.3777,

rcarmich@eou.edu

Tom Stahl (policy) 503.947.6228,

thomas.stahl@state.or.us

NOAA Fisheries: 

Rosemary Furfey, 503.231.2149,

rosemary.furfey@noaa.gov

Yakima Management Unit

Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board:

Alex Conley 509.453.4104,

aconley@ybfwrb.org

NOAA Fisheries: 

Lynn Hatcher, 509.962.8911, x-223,

lynn.hatcher@noaa.gov

SE Washington Management Unit

Snake River Salmon Recovery Board:

Steve Martin 509.382.4115,

steve@snakeriverboard.org

NOAA Fisheries: 

Lynn Hatcher, 509.962.8911, x-223,

lynn.hatcher@noaa.gov

noaa

fisheries

service

Yakima 

Basin

Umatilla

Walla Walla

John Day 

Basin

Cascades 

Eastern 

Slope 

Tributaries 

Contacts:

Lynn Hatcher - NOAA Fisheries

304 S Water Street, Suite 201

Ellensburg, WA 98926

Phone: 509.962.8911, ex 223

Fax: 509.962.8544

Lynn.Hatcher@noaa.gov

Scott Rumsey - NOAA Fisheries

1201 Lloyd Blvd, Suite 1100

Portland, OR 97232

Phone: 503.872.2791 

Fax: 503.872.2737

Scott.Rumsey@noaa.gov

The Middle Columbia River Steelhead Recovery Plan 

and Federal Register notice are available for download: 

http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/Salmon-Recovery-Planning/

Recovery-Domains/Interior-Columbia/Mid-Columbia/

Mid-Col-Plan.cfm

U.S. Department of Commerce - National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service
Recovery Planning

Salmon and steelhead are a treasured icon of the Pacific 

Northwest. They are important to our environment, economy, 

and culture. Eighteen species of Pacific Northwest salmon and 

steelhead are currently listed under the Endangered Species 

Act (ESA).

The ESA requires recovery plans to be developed for all listed 

species. For the ESA, recovery means that the species is again 

naturally self-sustaining over the long term, no longer needs 

the protection of the ESA, and can be “delisted.”

A recovery plan provides a roadmap for communities seeking 

to secure the long-term benefits of healthy watersheds and 

rivers for salmon and steelhead. It helps organize people, 

processes, and resources for more effective action. 

A Recovery Plan: 

•	 Contains an explanation of steelhead biology

•	 Indicates recovery goals & viability criteria

•	 Includes an assessment of current status, 	 	

limiting factors & threats 

•	 Presents recovery strategies & site-specific actions

•	 Holds estimates of time & costs to implement actions

•	 Includes research, monitoring & evaluation to

track progress

OREGON

WASHINGTON

S.E. Washington Unit

Washington Gorge Unit

Oregon Unit

Yakima Unit

. . . . . . . . 

. . . . . . . . 

. . . . . . . . 

. . . . . . . 

Middle Columbia River Steelhead 

Status

The Middle Columbia steelhead is listed as 

"threatened" under the ESA. The steelhead spawn 

and rear in freshwater tributaries, then migrate to 

the ocean. Of the 17 extant populations of Middle 

Columbia steelhead, five are considered at high risk 

of extinction over the next 100 years, nine are at 

moderate risk, and three populations are currently 

considered viable. Reintroduction efforts are underway 

for two of the three extirpated populations. For the 

species to be viable in the long term, we need to 

improve survival conditions for most of the populations.

Factors Limiting Steelhead Survival

The major factors currently limiting the viability of 

Middle Columbia River steelhead 

populations are:

• Degraded tributary habitats

• Impaired fish passage in the mainstem Columbia

River & tributaries

• Hatchery-related effects

• Predation/competition/disease

Strategies for Recovery

The recovery plan proposes actions to reduce or 

mitigate the limiting factors and threats to steelhead 

survival throughout the life cycle:

Tributary Habitat: Protect highest quality habitats, 

maintain existing unimpaired healthy watersheds, and 

restore habitat conditions through passive and active 

measures.

Hydrosystem: Improve juvenile and adult steelhead 

migratory passage and survival in the Federal Columbia 

River Power System.

Hatcheries: Improve hatchery management to 

minimize impacts of hatchery fish on naturally 

produced steelhead. Supplement natural production 

where appropriate. 

Predation: Reduce predation on steelhead in the 

Columbia River and estuary.

Harvest: Maintain low-impact fisheries, increase 

harvest of hatchery strays.

Coordination: Coordinate research and planning 

within the range of the Middle Columbia River 

steelhead.

Major Population Group Boundary 

Extirpated Population

Reintroduction Underway

Habitat, Hydro, Hatcheries & 

Harvest

This plan addresses steelhead status and 

recovery in terms of the “four Hs” that affect 

the species’ survival: habitat, the hydropower 

system, hatcheries, and harvest. The plan 

summarizes information from four locally 

developed recovery plans encompassing Middle 

Columbia River tributaries in Washington and 

Oregon. 

The plan also uses information from two 

“modules” developed by NMFS to address 

conditions in the Columbia River mainstem 

and estuary that affect all the Middle Columbia 

steelhead: the Hydro Module, which summarizes 

effects of the mainstem hydropower dams, and 

the Estuary Module. 

For hatchery effects, the plan relies upon 

Hatchery & Genetic Management Plans and 

Artificial Production for Pacific Salmon (Appendix 

C of Supplemental Comprehensive Analysis, NMFS 2008 FCRPS 

Biological Opinion). For fishery management planning, it refers 

to the U.S. v. Oregon process for mainstem fisheries, and 

Fisheries Management Evaluation Plans for tributaries. 

Middle Columbia 

River Steelhead 

Populations & 

Major Population

Groups