Northwest Pact Balances Salmon Lives and Hydropower

Disappearing Columbia River salmon and the endangered killer whales that eat them will get a boost under an interim agreement that increases the flow over 14 dams on the river system.

The agreement is intended to give the Bonneville Power Administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation increased flexibility on when and how they increase spill over the dams to help speed the journey of endangered young migratory salmon from spawning grounds to the sea.

This flexibility not only allows Bonneville to help fish passage but also ensures it can reliably deliver electricity at ...