of our program since the 

 early 1980s. In areas 

 where dams wiped out 

 salmon and steelhead 

 populations, Bonneville 

 finances construction of 

 new hatcheries, introduc- 

 tion of resident fish and 

 habitat improvements, in 

 consultation with state 

 agencies and Indian tribes. 



D 



NA' e wantio learn more 

 about the extent of fresh- 

 water fish losses. We call 

 on fishery managers in the 

 four Northwest states to 

 report to us, by the end of 

 1995 on the impact of 

 hydroelectric dams on 



freshwater fish populations. We expect these 

 reports to address both losses and gains attrib- 

 utable to hydropower. We are particularly 

 concerned about bull trout and sturgeon 

 populations, which have been petitioned for 

 protection under the federal Endangered Spe- 

 cies Act. We call for studies to address these 

 specific populations and recommend recovery 

 measures. We also call for a study of ko- 

 kanee in northern Idaho's Lake Pend Oreille 

 to determine the cause of their decline. 



am-related 

 impacts 

 altered land 

 and 



streamside 

 areas where 

 wild birds 

 and 

 animals live. 



\. 



Our program includes 

 actions to protect fish 

 at specific dams. For 

 example, to increase pro- 

 tection offish spawning 

 and rearing areas, we call 

 on the Bureau of Reclama- 

 tion to regulate water 

 releases at Hungry Horse 

 Dam on Montana's South 

 Fork Flathead River, and 

 the Corps of Engineers to 

 do the same at Libby Dam 

 on the Kootenai River. 

 Drawdowns of Hungry 

 Horse Reservoir have been 

 limited to 85 feet and at 

 Libby to between 90 and 

 1 10 feet, while new operat- 

 ing rules for the dams are 

 developed. We call for a study to determine 

 whether adding three new generators at Libby 

 Dam would allow its reservoir to be held at 

 consistently higher levels than currently are 

 possible and afford greater flexlibility in dam 

 operations. This could allow Lake Koocanusa 

 to refill earlier in the summer than currently is 

 possible and also benefit fish in the river ^ 

 downstream of the dam. 



1967 



Hells Canyon Dam begins operation, blocking salmon from the upper Snake River. 



1973 



Congress passes the Endangered Species Act. 



33 



