Fish and Wildlife Losses and Hydroelectric System Responsibility

1
Fish and Wildlife Losses and Hydroelectric
System Responsibility

• January 2004

2
Purpose of Presentation

• Describe Northwest Power Planning Council process
  to determine losses and hydropower responsibility
• Salmon and steelhead
• Resident fish
• Wildlife
• Assess progress in meeting interim goal

3
Northwest Power Act

• Fish and Wildlife Program measures must
• protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and
  wildlife, including related spawning grounds, and
  habitat, affected by the development and
  operation of any hydroelectric project on the
  Columbia River and its tributaries
  Section 4(h)(2)(A)

4
Northwest Power Act

• Principles
• Consumers of electric power shall bear the cost
  of measures designed to deal with the adverse
  impacts caused by the development and operation
  of electric power facilities and programs only.
  Section 4(h)(8)(B)

5
Northwest Power Act

• BPA implementation
• The Administrator shall use the Bonneville
  Power Administration fund and the authorities
  available to the Administrator under this chapter
  and other laws administered by the Administrator
  to protect, mitigate and enhance fish and
  wildlife to the extent affected by the
  development and operation of any hydroelectric
  project of the Columbia River or its tributaries
  in a manner consistent with the Planadopted by
  the Council. 4(h)(10)(A)

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Background Salmon and Steelhead

• 1985 Council began detailed assessment of the
  causes of salmon and steelhead losses
• Reviewed all available records
• Public debate on nature and limitations of
  information
• 1986 Council published Compilation of
  Information on Salmon and Steelhead Losses in the
  Columbia River Basin
• Extensive public comment
• Council developed Numerical Estimates of
  Hydropower-Related Losses
• Identified alternative ways to estimate hydro
  responsibility
• Extensive public comment
• Council adopted losses estimate and hydro
  responsibility in 1987 Program
• Council also adopted interim goal of doubling the
  runs

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Salmon and Steelhead Losses
8
Salmon and Steelhead Losses

• Net Basin-wide decline of 7 to 14 million salmon
  and steelhead
• Primary causes
• Habitat loss
• Habitat Loss from Grand Coulee and Hells Canyon
• 30 percent of entire Columbia Basin
• 35 percent of Basin above Bonneville Dam
• Did not address habitat loss in reservoirs
• Logging, agriculture, urbanization, etc.
• Adult and juvenile mortality passing through
  mainstem dams and reservoirs
• 15 to 30 percent per dam for juveniles
• 5 to 10 percent per dam for adults
• Mixed stock fishery

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Hydro Related Losses

• Dams responsible for the loss of 5 to 11 million
  adult fish
• About 4 million were produced in blocked areas
  above Grand Coulee and Hells Canyon
• About 4 million caused by mainstem dam operations
  

10
Interim Goal

• Council set interim goal
• Increase from 2.5 million to 5 million returning
  adults
• Double the runs
• Council review
• If 5 million more adult fish are produced as
  a result of this program, the Council may review
  its analysis of the hydropower ratepayers share
  for protecting, mitigating, and enhancing salmon
  and steelhead to judge whether the range can be
  narrowed.
• 1987 Fish and Wildlife Program, page 39

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Progress Toward Interim Goal
12
Annual Returns to Columbia River
Interim Goal
Average 1.5 million
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Resident Fish

• Loss of salmon in areas blocked by dams
• Loss of habitat throughout Basin
• Earlier Programs contained specific actions
• 2000 FW Program
• Complete assessments of resident fish losses,
• Maintain and restore healthy ecosystems and
  watersheds,
• Protect and expand habitat and ecosystem
  functions,
• Achieve population characteristics of these
  species within 100 years that represent on
  average full mitigation for losses of resident
  fish.

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Wildlife

• Loss of wildlife habitat due to construction and
  operation of dams
• Early Programs set objectives for restoring
  equivalent habitat units and allocated funding
• 2000 Program
• Quantify wildlife losses caused by the
  construction, inundation, and operation of the
  hydropower projects.
• Develop and implement habitat acquisition and
  enhancement projects to fully mitigate for
  identified losses.
• Coordinate mitigation activities throughout the
  basin and with fish mitigation and restoration
  efforts, Maintain existing and created habitat
  values.
• Monitor and evaluate habitat and species
  responses to mitigation actions.

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Wildlife Strategies

• Habitat agreements
• Achieve 200 percent of remaining lost habitat
  units
• Allocation of habitat units
• 2000 Program allocates among subbasins
• Enhancement Credit
• Credit BPA when net increase in habitat
• Assessment of operational losses
• Address mitigation in subbasin plans

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Status of Resident Fish and Wildlife

• Resident fish
• Resident fish loss assessments not complete
• Objectives and strategies being addressed in
  Subbasin Planning
• Wildlife
• Progress on initial wildlife losses
• Controversy on whether to achieve 200 percent of
  habitat units lost on remaining projects
• Controversy on crediting
• Wildlife operation and secondary loss assessments
  not complete
• Objectives and strategies being addressed in
  Subbasin Planning
• Resident fish and wildlife project funding
  affected by ESA priorities