such as the Columbia River Compact, the U.S. v Oregon Management Agreement, and the Pacific Salmon Treaty. Applicable federal and state laws. The Council recognizes that the agencies that participate in and implement the Council’s program under the Act must also comply with and implement a range of federal and state laws. Relevant federal laws include the federal Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the authorizing legislation for particular projects within the Federal Columbia River Power System, and the Federal Power Act and licenses issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for non-federal projects. The Council designs the program with the intent to complement these authorities and legal requirements and even assist other entities in their compliance through opportunities presented under the program. Natural resources management. The Council is a planning agency that does not have management authority over natural resources, whether lands, waters, or fish and wildlife. These responsibilities lie with the federal, state, and tribal natural resources agencies. The Council’s program encourages collaboration and coordination so that program actions work in concert with, and do not conflict with fish and wildlife and other natural resources managers’ activities and authority. Water rights. As provided by the Act, nothing in this program shall affect the rights or jurisdictions of the United States, the states, the Indian tribes, or other entities over waters of any river or stream or any groundwater resources. Nor shall anything in this program be construed to alter or establish the respective rights of the United States, the states, Indian tribes, or any person with respect to any water or water-related right. Assuring the Pacific Northwest an adequate, efficient, economic and reliable power supply Section of the Northwest Power Act requires that the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program consist of measures that protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife affected by the development, operation and management of the Columbia River hydroelectric facilities “while assuring the Pacific Northwest an adequate, efficient, economical, and reliable power supply.” At the conclusion of a program amendment process, the Council signifies in some manner that (1) it has considered the fish and wildlife measures to be adopted as part of the program and their potential effect on the region’s power supply, and (2) has an appropriate level of confidence that the region may implement the revised fish
Wild fish - Fish that have maintained successful natural reproduction with little or no hatchery influence. Wildlife - Animals living in a natural state, unimpeded and undomesticated by humans. Wildlife management - The application of scientific or technical principles to the practice of manipulating wildlife populations, either directly through regulating the numbers, ages, and sex ratios harvested, or indirectly by providing favorable habitat conditions and alleviating limiting factors. Estimates of hydropower-related losses “Compilation of Information on Salmon and Steelhead Losses in the Columbia River Basin” and “Numerical Estimates of Hydropower-Related Losses” from the 1987 Fish and Wildlife Program. http://www.nwcouncil.org/media/115927/AppendixDLosses.pdf Wildlife mitigation priorities, construction and inundation loss assessments, and dam licensing considerations Mitigation priorities Bonneville and wildlife agencies and tribes Ensure that wildlife mitigation projects implemented in fulfillment of this program are consistent with the basinwide implementation priorities described in Tables C-1, C-2 and C-3, below. Table C-1 Wildlife Mitigation Priorities Habitat Types--Target Species Priority Riparian/Riverine Great Blue Heron High Northern Spotted Owl High
Table C-4 Estimated Losses and Gains Due to Hydropower Construction and Inundation (losses are preceded by a “-”, gains by a “+”) Species Total Habitat Units Mallard Duck -5,985 Canada Goose -4,699 Redhead Duck -3,379 Breeding Bald Eagle -4,508 Wintering Bald Eagle -4,365 Black-Capped Chickadee -2,286 White-tailed Deer -1,680 Muskrat -1,756 Yellow Warbler +171 Lower Snake Projects Downy Woodpecker -364.9 Song Sparrow -287.6 Yellow Warbler -927.0 California Quail -20,508.0 Ring-necked Pheasant -2,646.8 Canada Goose -2,039.8 Ranch Mallard -1,048 Mink -1,732 Yellow Warbler -361 Black Capped Chickadee -890 Ruffed Grouse -919 Blue Grouse -1,980 Mule Deer -2,689 Peregrine Falcon -1,222 acres* * Acres of riparian habitat lost. Does not require purchase of any lands. Mallard -270 Mink -652 Canada Goose -214 Ring-necked Pheasant -260 Sharp-tailed Grouse -532 Mule Deer -242 Yellow Warbler +8 Black-capped Chickadee +68 Deadwood Mule Deer -2080 Mink -987 Spruce Grouse -1411 Yellow Warbler -309
Table C-4 (cont.) Estimated Losses and Gains Due to Hydropower Construction (losses are preceded by a “-”, gains by a “+”) Species Total Habitat Units McNary Mallard (wintering) + 13,744 Mallard (nesting) -6,959 Western Meadowlark -3,469 Canada Goose -3,484 Spotted Sandpiper -1,363 Yellow Warbler -329 Downy Woodpecker -377 Mink -1,250 California Quail -6,314 Lesser Scaup +14,398 Great Blue Heron -3,186 Canada Goose -8,010 Spotted Sandpiper -3,186 Yellow Warbler -1,085 Black-capped Chickadee -869 Western Meadowlark -5,059 California Quail -6,324 Mallard -7,399 Mink -1,437 Lesser Scaup +2,068 Great Blue Heron -427 Canada Goose -439 Spotted Sandpiper -534 Yellow Warbler -170 Black-capped Chickadee -183 Western Meadowlark -247 Mink -330 Bonneville Lesser Scaup +2,671 Great Blue Heron -4,300 Canada Goose -2,443 Spotted Sandpiper -2,767 Yellow Warbler -163 Black-capped Chickadee -1,022 Mink -1,622 Dworshak Canada Goose-(breeding) -16 Black-capped Chickadee -91 River Otter -4,312 Pileated Woodpecker -3,524 Elk -11,603 White-tailed Deer -8,906
Goal: Achieve anadromous fish inriver migration and passage survival that approximates natural survival during inriver migration Objective: Achieve the four juvenile and adult fish passage performance standards consistent with the most recent NOAA Fisheries FCRPS Biological Opinion. As of 2009 these consist of: Annually achieve juvenile fish dam passage performance standards at each Snake River (SR) and lower Columbia River dam: ESU Juvenile Standard spring Chinook and steelhead (spring migrants) Achieve at least 96 percent dam passage survival Snake River fall Chinook subyearlings (summer migrants) Achieve at least 93 percent dam passage survival Annually achieve the adult fish performance standards for each of the salmon and steelhead evolutionarily significant units (ESU) listed below for the specified reaches between Bonneville Dam (BON), Lower Granite Dam (LGR), and McNary Dam (MCN): ESU Adult Standard Reach SR Fall Chinook 81.2% BON to LGR SR Spring – Summer Chinook 91.0% BON to LGR SR Sockeye Use SR spring/summer Chinook salmon and steelhead as surrogate until a standard is developed. BON to LGR SR steelhead 90.1% BON to LGR UCR spring Chinook 90.1% BON to MCN UCR steelhead 84.5% BON to MCN MCR steelhead Use SR steelhead as surrogate until a standard is developed. Variable CR chum None, assume survival is adequate if SR fall Chinook BON to LGR standard is met None LCR Chinook None, assume that survival for spring and fall populations is adequate if SR spring/summer Chinook and SR fall Chinook standards are met. None LCR coho None, assume that survival is adequate if SR fall Chinook BON to None
power from, grant billing credits for, or otherwise support any hydroelectric development in the Columbia River Basin without specifically providing for these development conditions: Consulting with fish and wildlife agencies and tribes and the Council throughout study, design, construction and operation of the project Avoiding inundation of wildlife habitat, insofar as practical Timing construction activities, insofar as practical, to reduce adverse effects on nesting and wintering grounds Locating temporary access roads in areas to be inundated Constructing sub-impoundments and using all suitable excavated material to create islands, if appropriate, before the reservoir is filled Avoiding all unnecessary or premature clearing of land before filling the reservoir Providing artificial nest structures when appropriate Avoiding construction, insofar as practical, within 250 meters of active raptor nests Avoiding critical riparian habitat (as designated in consultation with the fish and wildlife agencies and tribes) when clearing, rip-rapping, dredging, disposing of spoils and wastes, constructing diversions, and relocating structures and facilities Replacing riparian vegetation if natural revegetation is inadequate Creating sub-impoundments by diking backwater slough areas, creating islands and nesting areas Regulating water levels to reduce adverse effects on wildlife during critical wildlife periods (as defined in consultation with the fish and wildlife agencies and tribes) Improving the wildlife capacity of undisturbed portions of new project areas (through such activities as managing vegetation, reducing disturbance, and supplying food, cover and water) as compensation for otherwise unmitigated harm to wildlife and wildlife habitat in other parts of the project area Acquiring land or management rights, such as conservation easements, where necessary to compensate for lost wildlife habitat at the same time other project land is acquired and including the associated costs in project cost estimates Funding operation and management of the acquired wildlife land for the life of the project Granting management easement rights on the acquired wildlife lands to appropriate management entities Collecting data needed to monitor and evaluate the results of the wildlife protection efforts