V-/ver the past hundred 

 years or so, this ecosystem 

 has been harnessed to 

 serve development. From 

 the perspective of many in 

 the Northwest, there have 

 been great benefits. The 

 region prospered. But that 

 prosperity cost the eco- 

 system dearly. 



We are most familiar 

 with the loss of salmon, 

 our most potent symbol of 

 endurance and vigor. 

 Ironically, these fish are 

 now among the region's 

 most vulnerable species. 

 A century ago, between 10 

 miUion and 16 million 

 salmon and steelhead 



returned to the Columbia each year. Today, 

 there are only about 2.5 million salmon, and 

 most of those come from hatcheries. 



We have lost not only numbers of fish, 

 but whole runs and more than a third of their 

 original habitat. Additional runs could disap- 

 pear entirely, too. As recently as 1 962, nearly 

 30,000 adult fall chinook salmon migrated 

 past Ice Harbor Dam on the Snake River on 

 their way to spawn. In 1993, the Snake River 

 fall Chinook count was just over 1,000 fish. 



Our 



goal is a 

 healthy 

 basin that 

 supports both 

 humans and 

 fish 

 and 

 wildlife. 



Other fish and wildlife 

 species also suffered. 

 Thousands of acres of 

 prime wildlife habitat 

 were flooded behind 

 hydroelectric dams. Some 

 fish — most notably 

 sturgeon, which used to 

 migrate up and down the 

 Columbia and into thfe 

 ocean — became 

 landlocked. 



Many species adapted 

 to the developed Colum- 

 bia River Basin. Others 

 did not. Several species 

 became extinct. Others 

 have been listed on federal 

 and state endangered 

 species lists. 

 This Columbia River Basin Fish and 

 Wildlife Program is designed to balance the 

 needs of both the developed and the natural 

 worlds within the watershed. It includes 

 actions to protect and enhance salmon runs, 

 as well as other fish and wildlife. Our goal 

 is a healthy basin that supports both humans 

 and fish and wildlife. We hope to make 

 future Endangered Species Act listings of 

 Columbia River Basin fish and wildlife 

 unnecessary. 



Ti^e ?adfk Nort^vfest Tlj?rou^^ Time 



Evolution of a River Basin 



13,000-10,800 B.C. 



More than 40 floods scour much of tf)e 

 present day Pacific Norihwest. 



