CANADIAN COLUMBIA RIVER FORUMCANADIAN COLUMBIA RIVER FORUMBiological Opinion: An overview of Biological Opinion: An overview of The impacts on Water ManagementThe impacts on Water Management

Jim Barton, Chief of Corps of Engineers Columbia Jim Barton, Chief of Corps of Engineers Columbia Basin Water Management Division Basin Water Management Division

CANADIAN COLUMBIA RIVER FORUMCANADIAN COLUMBIA RIVER FORUMBiological Opinion: An overview of Biological Opinion: An overview of The impacts on Water ManagementThe impacts on Water Management

Jim Barton, Chief of Corps of Engineers Columbia Jim Barton, Chief of Corps of Engineers Columbia Basin Water Management Division Basin Water Management Division

Outline• General Overview• Libby and Kootenay RiverSystem Operations• Summary• Questions

Endangered Species Act Operation

Oregon

Idaho

Riv

erW

illam

ette

Washington

Col umbia River

Pacific

Ocean

John Day

The Dalles

McNary

Chief Joseph

Hungry Horse

Ice Harbor

LowerMonumental

Little Goose

Lower Granite

Dworshak

Montana

LibbyAlbeniFalls

Grand Coulee

Bonneville

Hells Canyon

Oxbow

Brownlee

Chum Salmon

Chinook Salmon

Steelhead

Sockeye Salmon

White Sturgeon

Bull Trout

Priest Rapids

Wanapum

Rock IslandRocky Reach

Wells

SEP

OPERATIONS TIMELINE

Winter Draw Down for Flood Control and Chum Flow

Winter Draw Down for Flood Control and Chum Flow

Summer Flow Augmentation and Draft to Draft Limit

Summer Flow Augmentation and Draft to Draft Limit

Winter Drawdown for Flood Control and

Chum Flow

Winter Drawdown for Flood Control and

Chum Flow

Spring Flow Augmentation and Reservoir Refill

Spring Flow Augmentation and Reservoir Refill

S O Y PS ET RE AM T I

O N S

S O Y PS ET RE AM T I

O N S

DECNOVOCTAUGJULJUNMAY A PRMARFEBJAN

10

OPERATIONS TIMELINE

NOVMAY OCT DECSEPAUGJULJUN APRMARFEBJAN

Draft To Winter Flood Control Elevation

Draft To Winter Flood Control Elevation

A FL AB L E LN SI

A FL AB L E LN SI

RefillRefillWinter Flood Control ElevationWinter Flood Control Elevation Full for Summer RecreationFull for Summer Recreation Winter Flood

Control Elevation

Winter Flood

Control Elevation

G CR OA UN LD E E

G CR OA UN LD E E

OPERATE TO CHUMFLOW OBJECTIVESOPERATE TO CHUMFLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO VERNITA BAR FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO VERNITA BAR FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO VERNITA BAR FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO VERNITA BAR FLOW OBJECTIVES

REFILLFOR

KOKANEE

REFILLFOR

KOKANEE

OPERATE TO CHUMFLOW OBJECTIVESOPERATE TO CHUMFLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO PRIEST RAPIDSFLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO PRIEST RAPIDSFLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO MCNARY SPRING

FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO MCNARY SPRING

FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO MCNARY SUMMER

FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO MCNARY SUMMER

FLOW OBJECTIVES

Variable Draft limits(Fish VECC)

Variable Draft limits(Fish VECC)

MINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROLMINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROL

OPERATE TO LOWER GRANITE SPRING

FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO LOWER GRANITE SPRING

FLOW OBJECTIVES

DWORSHAK

DWORSHAK

MINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROLMINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROL

OPERATE TO LOWER GRANITE SUMMER

FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO LOWER GRANITE SUMMER

FLOW OBJECTIVES

MINIMUM FLOW FOR COLUMBIA FALLSMINIMUM FLOW FOR COLUMBIA FALLS

OPERATE TO MCNARYSUMMER FLOW

OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO MCNARYSUMMER FLOW

OBJECTIVES

H HU ON RG SR EY

H HU ON RG SR EY

OPERATE TO MCNARYSPRING FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO MCNARYSPRING FLOW OBJECTIVES

MINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROLMINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROL

Variable Draft Limits(Fish VECC)

Variable Draft Limits(Fish VECC)

BURBOTFLOW

REQUEST

BURBOTFLOW

REQUEST

MINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROLMINIMUM FLOW OR FLOOD CONTROL

BURBOT FLOWREQUEST

BURBOT FLOWREQUEST

OPERATE TO BULL TROUTFLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO BULL TROUTFLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO SALMON

FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO SALMON

FLOW OBJECTIVESPOWER DRAFTPOWER DRAFT

OPERATE TO STURGEON

FLOW OBJECTIVES

OPERATE TO STURGEON

FLOW OBJECTIVESLIBBY

LIBBY

FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY

11

Biological Opinion and Canadian Storage

• ESA requirements have increased interest in Canadian storage for U.S fishery needs

• Canada and U.S. have worked together in recent years to develop mutually agreeable operating agreements to use Treaty and non-Treaty storage to meet non-power requirements in both countries

• Examples include Nonpower Uses Agreement which provides for 1 Maf of flow augmentation storage for U.S. in exchange for improved flows in Canada for whitefish and trout

Libby and Kootenay River Operations

• Libby operates to support multiple fishery requirements including white sturgeon, bull trout, salmon, and burbot

• For example, in 2007 1.17 MAF of water will be released from Libby for endangered sturgeon in the Kootenay River.

• Releases help meet temperature attributes (warmer water) at Bonners Ferry for sturgeon spawning

• Sturgeon operation ends about June 23• Reservoir will likely fill to within 11 feet of full

by end of June• Reservoir potentially drafted in July and August

to 2,439 (20 feet below full) by end of August for flow augmentation for downstream salmon.

Libby DamExpected Operation in Spring-Summer 2007

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug

2007

Flo

w (

kcfs

)

2380

2390

2400

2410

2420

2430

2440

2450

2460

Ele

vati

on

(ft

)

Inflow Outflow Elevation

14.6 kcfs

Summary• Increased demand for water resources for

fisheries and other requirements makes coordination and integrated planning and operation more essential

• Collaboration between U.S. and Canada to maximize benefits of the Columbia River has tremendous value to both countries

• Columbia River Treaty has proven to be a very effective basis for collaboration between the two countries to achieve mutual benefits

Questions?