23 



Finally, I'd like to close by recognizing that this is not simply a 

 Federal river and it is not simply a Federal issue. The States of 

 the region and the tribes of the region have a substantial and di- 

 rect interest in the way this system is operated and in the way we 

 pursue our recovery effort for the listed salmon, the other anad- 

 romous runs and the resident fish and wildlife of the basin. There- 

 fore, it is our practice and our policy to bring people into our effort 

 and to open it up with doors and windows so that all of the govern- 

 ments of the region have a complete and full opportunity to partici- 

 pate with us. 



To the issue of peer review, I would encourage additional ques- 

 tions because I agree with much of what is being said and we are 

 now negotiating with the Northwest Power Planning Council to de- 

 velop a science board that can help us institute that much more co- 

 herent, scientific approach to the larger basin issues. 



With that, I'd like to conclude, and again, I want to thank you 

 for the opportunity to be here this morning. 



Senator Kempthorne. Mr. Stelle, thank you very much. 



Next, we have Colonel Bartholomew Bohn, Deputy Division Engi- 

 neer, North Pacific Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who is 

 accompanied today by Doug Amdt, Senior Fish Program Planner, 

 Department of Army. Colonel, if you would go ahead with your 

 comments. 



STATEMENT OF COLONEL BARTHOLOMEW BOHN, DEPUTY DI- 

 VISION ENGINEER, NORTH PACIFIC DIVISION, U.S. ARMY 

 CORPS OF ENGINEERS, ACCOMPANIED BY DOUG ARNDT, 

 SENIOR FISH PROGRAM PLANNER, DEPARTMENT OF THE 

 ARMY 



Colonel Bohn. Mr. Chairman, I am Colonel Bart Bohn, the Dep- 

 uty Commander, North Pacific Division, Corps of Engineers, and 

 Doug Amdt is here joining me today from our Pacific Salmon Co- 

 ordination Office. I represent our division commander, Major Gen- 

 eral Ernest J. Harrell who is busily involved right now in prepar- 

 ing for his upcoming retirement. 



Thank you for the opportunity to testify before the subcommittee 

 today on an issue of great regional interest and of increasing na- 

 tional interest. Mr. Chairman, I'd request I be allowed to summa- 

 rize my testimony and provide a more complete version for the 

 record. 



Northwest salmon stocks are in serious trouble. As you know, 

 three species of Snake River salmon are now listed under the En- 

 dangered Species Act. The Corps' eight hydroelectric dams in the 

 lower Columbia and Snake Rivers are widely believed to be a ma^or 

 factor in the decline in numbers of wild Snake River salmon stocks. 

 We have sought and continue to seek solutions to the impacts of 

 Federal dams. 



Originaliv, we built fish ladders into all of those Federal dams 

 and those nsh ladders were designed to aid the adults in their re- 

 turning to spawning grounds. Those fish ladders have worked very 

 well. Now the issue is juvenile fish passage. 



Many improvements have been made to juvenile fish passage 

 routes at the dams. There are a number of ways that juvenile fish 

 pass through the dams — through the turbines, over the spillways. 



