Lake Roosevelt Forum - Intermountain Province Fish & Wildlife Symposium

Project Goal

Encourage and facilitate innovative coordination, planning and assessment of resident fish and related programs in the Intermountain Province by improving and enhancing the quality and quantity of information exchange among fish managers, policy makers, agency and tribal representatives, and the public.

Background

Over half of the Columbia Basin area that originally served as habitat for salmon and steelhead is blocked by mainstem and tributary dams. The largest losses of habitat resulted from the construction of the dams within Hells Canyon, and the construction of Grand Coulee Dam (1939), and Chief Joseph Dam (1958).

In the Intermountain Province, anadromous fish migrations are blocked to the Lake Roosevelt, Lake Rufus Woods, San Poil and Spokane Subbasins by Chief Joseph and/or Grand Coulee dams. Prior to the development of hydropower in the Columbia Basin, the Upper Columbia River is estimated to have supported a broad variety of fish, including as many as 11 anadromous salmonid stocks. Historical harvest of salmon at Kettle Falls (now submerged under Lake Roosevelt) is estimated to have approximated 1.7 million pounds.

Within the Intermountain Province, hydropower development has resulted in the loss of both riparian habitat and wetlands. For instance, when Grand Coulee Dam's gates closed in 1942 and the Columbia River backed up behind the dam for some 151 miles, Lake Roosevelt was created, inundating approximately 70,500 acres of land, including riparian habitat.

Hydropower development has also transformed much of the Upper Columbia River and lower reaches of the San Poil and Spokane Rivers from natural river environments to manipulated lake environments. The creation of Lake Roosevelt transformed a large section of the Columbia River from a shallow, free-flowing river to a deep reservoir. As a result, two water quality issues occur that also significantly affect fisheries. These are total dissolved gas and water temperature.

During years when high spring freshet is anticipated, drawdowns can amount to as much as 80 feet of water elevation over the course of three to five months. Similarly, operational needs associated with drought conditions can also dramatically reduce reservoir levels.

As articulated in the Intermountain Province Subbasin summaries, extensive wildlife and resident fishery programs are used to address the myriad of issues described. Coordination and articulation among these and related programs that cross federal, state, tribal, and local jurisdictional and advocacy lines are lacking. The goal of this project is to address needs for improved coordination, planning and articulation.

Location of Project

The Lake Roosevelt Forum is headquartered in Spokane, WA. Direction and support for the project will come from this office. The symposium will take place in hotel/conference facilities located in Spokane, WA.

BPA Furnished Property

None