This page contains a series of documents that provide additional detailed information on a range of topics concerning wild salmon and steelhead population status and restoration activities, Southern Resident Orcas, Columbia and Snake river conditions and management regimes and options, dam removal, commercial transportation, energy replacement, and more.

Additional information and resources can be found under each SOS Project in the form of media stories, guest opinions, news releases, reports, etc. If you have questions about these documents or topics, or others that aren’t listed below, please contact Joseph Bogaard at joseph@wildsalmon.org // 206-300-1003

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 

1. USG AGREEMENT AND COLUMBIA BASIN RESTORATION INITIATIVE

2. SCIENCE


3. ECONOMICS OF DAMS, DAM REMOVAL, ECOSYSTEM BENEFITS, AND MORE


4. ENERGY REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS


5. CONGRESS, TRIBES, AGENCIES, GOVERNORS, AND OTHER SOVEREIGNS & POLICYMAKERS


6. COLUMBIA RIVER TREATY


(1) USG AGREEMENT AND COLUMBIA BASIN RESTORATION INITIATIVE:

— A. Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and Factsheets:

• Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (December 2023) PDF
• Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative: A New Opportunity to Restore Salmon, Honor Treaties, and Invest in the Northwest (2024) PDF

—B. USG Agreement:

• Department of Interior: Tribal Circumstances Analysis: Historic and Ongoing impacts of Federal Dams on the Columbia River Basin Tribes (June 2024) PDF
• Earthjustice: Factsheet: New Federal Commitments to Fight Salmon Extinction in the Columbia River Basin (December 2023) PDF
• Snake River Litigation Memorandum of Understanding (December 2023) PDF
• Court document: Litigation Stay (December 2023) PDF
• Court document: Federal commitments (December 2023) PDF

—C. Statements From Northwest Tribes:

• Nez Perce Tribe: United States Government’s Analysis of the Impacts of Federal Dams on Columbia Basin Tribes Restores the Rule of Law and Supports Immediate Action to Prevent Salmon Extinction, Nez Perce Tribe Says (June 2024) PDF
• Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation: CTUIR Lauds Report on U.S. Dams Negatively Impacting PNW Tribes (June 2024) PDF

—D. White House Statements and Factsheet:

• White House: Press Release: Recognizing the History and Harms of Federal Dams in the Columbia River Basin (June 2024) PDF
• White House: Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Launches Task Force to Advance Historic Commitment to Restore Wild Salmon, Other Native Fish in the Columbia River Basin (June 2024) PDF
• Department of Interior: Press Release: Biden-Harris Administration Releases Report Highlighting Historic and Ongoing Negative Impacts of Federal Columbia River Dams on Tribal Communities (June 2024) PDF
• White House Press Release: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Ten-Year Partnership with Tribes & States to Restore Wild Salmon, Expand Clean Energy Production, Increase Resilience, and Provide Energy Stability in the Columbia River Basin (December 2023) PDF
• White House Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Announces Ten-Year Partnership with Tribes & States to Restore Wild Salmon, Expand Clean Energy Production, Increase Resilience, and Provide Energy Stability in the Columbia River Basin (December 2023) PDF

—E. Governors, Senators, and Congress Members’ Statements:

• Senator Ron Wyden: Wyden Applauds Biden Administration Launch of Columbia River Task Force (June 2024) PDF
• Senator Patty Murray: Statement on Columbia-Snake River System Agreement Between Federal Government and Six Sovereigns (December 2023) PDF
• Washington Governor Jay Inslee: Six Sovereigns and Biden Administration partner in historic fashion to find solutions that benefit salmon and the Pacific Northwest (December 2023) PDF
• Oregon Governor Tina Kotek: Biden Administration Announces Historic Commitments with Six Sovereigns (December 2023) PDF

(2) SCIENCE:

— A. Salmon Science incl. lower Snake River dam removal, spill, barging, etc:

Factsheets, Reports, and Studies:

• National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration: Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead; National Marine Fisheries Service (Sept. 30, 2022) PDF
• Water Biology and Security Journal: A review of potential conservation and fisheries benefits of breaching four dams in the Lower Snake River (March 2022) PDF
• Nez Perce Tribe and the Nez Perce Fisheries Department: Snake Basin Chinook and Steelhead Quasi-Extinction Threshold Alarm and Call to Action (May 2021)
• Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force of the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee: A Vision for Salmon and Steelhead. Goal to Restore Thriving Salmon and Steelhead to the Columbia River Basin Phase 2 Report (October 2020)
• Fish Passage Center’s analysis of the federal agencies’ CRSO Draft EIS Alternatives including high spill and dam breaching (March 2020)  PDF
• Scientists' White Letter: Southern Resident Killer Whales & Columbia/Snake River Chinook: A Review of the Available Scientific Evidence (Feb. 2020)  PDF
• Fish Passage Center - An excellent source of science documents, articles and memos re: Columbia-Snake River Basin salmon and steelhead survival.
• Trout Unlimited - Visit TU's "The scientific case for the Lower Snake" resource page to learn more about salmon and steelhead recovery, lower Snake River dam removal, and why the smolt-to-adult ratio is important.

Statements and Letters:

• Statement of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) and the Western Division AFS (WDAFS) about the need to breach the four dams on the Lower Snake River (January 2023) PDF
• Letter from 68 scientists to Northwest policymakers on the need for lower Snake River dam removal to protect salmon and steelhead from extinction (Feb. 2021) PDF
• Letter from fifty-five scientists to Northwest policymakers documents how federal dams and climate impacts are increasing water temperatures in the lower Snake River and harming salmon survival and recovery (Oct. 2019)  PDF

— B. Southern Resident Orca:

• Orca Study: Endangered predators and endangered prey: Seasonal diet of Southern Resident killer whales (March 2021) PDF
• Orca Scientist, Dr. Sam Wasser's power point presentation explaining the connection between Columbia and Snake River Basin chinook salmon and Southern Resident orca (Oct 2020) PDF
• Scientists' White Letter: Southern Resident Killer Whales & Columbia/Snake River Chinook: A Review of the Available Scientific Evidence (Feb. 2020)  PDF

— C. Climate Change

Reports and Studies:

• Tribal Energy Vision for the Columbia Basin (2022) One-page factsheet
• Tribal Energy Vision for the Columbia Basin (2022) Full Report
• Columbia Riverkeeper White Paper: Computer modeling shows that Lower Snake River dams caused dangerously hot water for salmon in 2015.  (Shultz and Johnson, 2017)  PDF

Statements and Letters: 

• Letter from fifty-five scientists to Northwest policymakers documents how federal dams and climate impacts are increasing water temperatures in the lower Snake River and harming salmon survival and recovery (Oct. 2019)  PDF

(3) ECONOMICS OF DAMS, DAM REMOVAL, ECOSYSTEM BENEFITS, AND MORE:

Factsheets, Reports, and Studies:

• Sportfishing fact sheet assembled by the Northwest Steelheaders, NW Guides and Anglers Association, and the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association (Jan. 2020)  PDF
• The Importance of Commercial & Recreational Fishing in Washington State (Jan. 2020)  PDF
• Factsheet that goes over the errors and omissions found in the study conducted by the Pacific Northwest Waterway Association's on Snake River restoration (Jan. 2020) PDF
• ECONorthwest Economic Study on Lower Snake River Dams: Economics Tradeoff of Removal Executive Summary (July 2019) Executive Summary and Full Report

Statements and Letters:

• Letter from 40 recreation businesses/organizations to Northwest policymakers asking for the restoration of the lower Snake River (Feb 2021) PDF

(4) ENERGY REPLACEMENT OF THE LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS:

Factsheet, Reports and Studies:

• Tribal Energy Vision for the Columbia Basin (2022) One-page factsheet
• Tribal Energy Vision for the Columbia Basin (2022) Full Report
• Energy Strategies: Lower Snake River Dam Replacement Study: A study investigating the cost and feasibility of optimized clean-energy replacement portfolios (May 2022)  PDF
• NW Energy Coalition's White Paper: Addressing the Lower Snake River Dams Peaking Capacity (April 2022) PDF
• NW Energy Coalition's White Paper and Factsheet: Smart planning will drive replacing the power from the lower Snake River dams (Feb 2022) PDF

Statements and Letters:

• Save Our wild Salmon Coalition public comments to Bonneville Power Administration re: Draft Provider of Choice Contract Policy (Oct 2023) PDF
• NW Energy Coalition-led public comment letter to Bonneville Power Administration re: Draft Provider of Choice Contract Policy (Oct. 2023) PDF

(5) CONGRESS, TRIBES, AGENCIES, GOVERNORS AND OTHER SOVEREIGNS & POLICYMAKERS:

— A. Resolutions, Reports, Letters, and Statements From Northwest Tribes:

• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Resolution: “Supporting And Thanking All The Leaders Who Have Heard The Voices Of The ATNI Tribes, Especially The Biden-Harris Administration, Senators Cantwell And Murray, Governor Inslee, Congressman Simpson, Former Oregon Governor Brown, And Congressman Blumenauer, For Steps They Are Taking Toward Salmon And River Restoration In The Pacific Northwest, And Toward Long-Ignored Tribal Justice For Our Peoples And Homelands” (January 2023) PDF
• Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians' Resolution: Supporting and thanking all the Leaders who have Heard the ATNI Tribes’ Voices, and Especially the Biden-Harris Administration, and Senator Murray and Governor Inslee, for Steps they are taking toward Salmon and River Restoration in the Pacific Northwest, and toward Long-Ignored Tribal Justice for our Peoples and Homelands (May 2022)  PDF

— B. Reports, Letters, Statements From Administration, Congress, Governors, and Policymakers:

• Biden Administration's Memorandum on Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin (Sept. 2023) PDF
• FACT SHEET: President Biden Takes Action to Restore Healthy and Abundant Wild Salmon and Steelhead in the Columbia River Basin (Sept. 2023) PDF
• Sen. Murray / Gov. Inslee: Lower Snake River Dam Benefits Replacement Final Report (August, 2022) PDF
• Sen. Murray / Gov. Inslee: Pacific Northwest Salmon Recovery Recommendations (August, 2022) PDF
• Biden Administration Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery Commitment Document (August, 2022) PDF
• Letter from Governor Kate Brown (OR) to Governor Jay Inslee (WA) seeking a partnership to craft a comprehensive regional solution to recover endangered Columbia Basin salmon that includes restoring the lower Snake River and investing in vital, affected communities (Feb. 2020)  PDF
• Washington State Legislator sign-on letter thanking Gov. Inslee for his leadership on the Lower Snake River Stakeholder Process (Feb. 2020)  PDF
• Agreement between the four Northwest states to establish a collaborative framework for achieving abundance of salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia-Snake River Basin (October 2020)  PDF

— C. Factsheets, Letters, and Resolutions From Local and National NGOs, Businesses, PUDs, individuals and constituents:

• Snake River Restoration Factsheet (January 2023) PDF
• Save Our wild Salmon Coalition: Washington State Legislature Salmon Recovery Factsheets (March 2023) PDF
• Save Our wild Salmon Coalition: NW Salmon Restoration Campaign Factsheet (March 2023) PDF
• NGO letter signed by 27 organizations for BPA's Reserves Distribution Clause public comment period PDF
• NGO Sign-on Letter to Northwest Senators and Representatives re: salmon recovery and the Biden Administration’s Presidential Memorandum; signed by 53 conservation, fishing, faith and clean energy NGOs (October 2023) PDF
• Save Our wild Salmon Coalition public comments to Bonneville Power Administration re: Draft Provider of Choice Contract Policy (October 2023) PDF
• NW Energy Coalition-led public comment letter to Bonneville Power Administration re: Draft Provider of Choice Contract Policy (October 2023) PDF
• Letter to the House Natural Resources Subcomittee on Oversight and Investigations signed by 32 NGOs in support of a comprehensive solution for salmon recovery in the Columbia Basin that includes restoring a free-flowing lower Snake River (Sept. 2023) PDF
• Letter to Council on Environmental Quality by American Fisheries Society supporting removal of Snake River dams (August. 2023) PDF
• Save Our wild Salmon Coalition public comment to the Council on Environmental Quality (July 2023) PDF
• Resolution Supporting Breaching the Lower Snake River Dams (LSRD) to Aid Recovery of Threatened and Endangered Salmon, Steelhead and Southern Resident Orca, Provide Justice to Northwest Tribes and Invest in a Sustainable, Equitable Future from Board of Commissioners of Public Utility District No. 1 of Clallam County, Washington (April 2023) PDF
• NGO Sign-on Letter to Washington State Senate and House Budget Leadership re: funding request for lower Snake River dams’ services replacement planning; signed by 55 conservation, fishing, faith and clean energy NGOs (Feb. 2023) PDF
• Port Angeles City Council letter to Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee on restoring the lower Snake River and replacing the services currently provided by the four lower Snake River (July 2022) PDF
• Letter from 96 NGOs to Biden Administration / Council on Environmental Quality (November, 2022) PDF
• Letter from 60+ NGOs to Senator Murray and Governor Inslee (August, 2022) PDF
• Letter from 60+ NGOs to Senator Cantwell (August, 2022) PDF
• Food Professional Sign-on letter to Senator Murray and Governor Inslee (March 2022) PDF
• Letter from 40+ Northwest-based Outdoor Recreational Businesses to Govs. Brown (OR) and Inslee (WA) in support of restoring the lower Snake River and investing in Northwest businesses and communities (June 2020)  PDF
• Letter to Rep. Derek Kilmer signed by Lutheran Bishop Richard Jaech and 76 other clergy and lay leaders in the 6th Congressional District (August 2020) PDF
• Letter from 6th Congressional District community leaders to Rep. Derek Kilmer urging his leadership to protect/recover salmon, orca and communities (August 2020). PDF
• Letter from 17 utility, port and conservation leaders to Northwest Governors Kate Brown, Steve Bullock, Jay Inslee, and Brad Little about the need for a comprehensive solution to recover Columbia Basin salmon and meet the needs of Northwest communities (Feb. 2020)  PDF

(6) COLUMBIA RIVER TREATY

• Columbia River Treaty Letter from Northwest/National NGOs to Secretary Blinken, Chief Negotiator Smail, Administrator Hairson, and Commander Helton (September, 2022) PDF 
• US Department of State: Summary of the Agreement in Principle to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty Regime (July 2024) PDF
• White House: Statement from President Joe Biden on Reaching an Agreement in Principle on Modernization of the Columbia River Treaty Regime PDF

View Archive 'Factsheets and Reports’ from 1996 - 2019 here.