Basin. For Snake River summer chinook, the 

 target is 20,000 adults. For fall chinook, the 

 rebuilding target is 1,000 fish. These are ambi- 

 tious but achievable targets if we begin to act 

 now. 



The salmon life cycle 



Rebuilding salmon runs is a complex pro- 

 cess because the salmon lead complex lives. 

 They spawn in freshwater, but grow to matu- 

 rity in the saltwater sea. They are carried 

 hundreds of miles down streams and rivers by 

 the early thaws and mountain runoff. They 

 pass as many as nine major Columbia and 

 Snake river dams on their downstream migra- 

 tion. 



As adult fish in the ocean; they travel thou- 

 sands of miles, pass through numerous 

 jurisdictions and along the shores of two na- 

 tions. They are the subject of intense fishing 

 both at sea and in the lower Columbia. Finally, 

 those that survive must push back up the rivers 

 to spawn where they were hatched. 



o, 



ur strategy has measures for every stage 

 of that journey. And we have structured those 

 measures to help coordinate the effort, and en- 

 sure monitoring and evaluation. We must be 

 able to shift emphasis or direction as new in- 

 formation becomes available. 



Increase salmon survival in 

 the rivers 



Our strategy will improve fish survival at 

 the dams on the Snake and Columbia rivers, as 

 well as in tributaries. The plan speeds the mi- 

 gration of juvenile fish to the ocean by 

 accelerating the flow of water in the rivers. It 

 calls for protective screens to divert migrating 

 fish from turbines at the dams and from irriga- 

 tion and other diversions of water. It calls for 

 improved barging of juvenile fish past the 

 dams. And it seeks to control predators that 

 feed on young salmon. 



Some actions in our strategy can begin im- 

 mediately. Other measures need additional 

 study before they can begin. 



Immediate flow measures 



Dams changed the Columbia and Snake 

 from fast-flowing rivers to a series of slow- 

 moving reservoirs. Young salmon are on a 

 biological time clock. To reach the ocean 

 safely, they must complete their downstream 

 journey quickly. Before the dams, they did. 

 Our plan calls for many actions to improve the 

 survival of salmon during their migration. 





18 



1861 



Idaho gold rush begins, increasing ship 

 traffic on the Columbia and Snake rivers. 



