Hood River Chinook and steelhead, Umatilla Steelhead Hatcheries Environmental Assessment (DOE/EA-2132)

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has decided to fund the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation (CTWSR), Confederated Tribe of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to implement a the Hood River Spring Chinook Salmon Program and Umatilla River Summer Steelhead Program.

BPA has decided to fund the CTWSR for continued operation and maintenance of Parkdale Fish Hatchery and a trap and weir at the Moving Falls Fish Facility; egg incubation and juvenile rearing of Hood River Spring Chinook Salmon Program fish at Pelton Dam; transportation of broodstock, eggs, and smolts between facilities; the direct release of smolts into Hood River; and monitoring and evaluation in support of production. Total Chinook production would be up to 250,000 juveniles. ODFW has suspended the Hood River Winter Steelhead portion of the Hood River production program.

BPA has decided to fund the CTUIR for continued operation and maintenance of the Minthorn Adult Holding facility and Three Mile Falls Dam Collection Facility; transportation of broodstock, eggs, and smolts between facilities; and monitoring and evaluation in support of production of about 150,000 steelhead juveniles.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is the lead agency and BPA is a cooperating agency for this environmental review. To understand the potential environmental impacts of this proposal, NMFS, in cooperation with BPA, prepared an environmental assessment (EA) following the procedures of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The EA analyzed BPA’s proposed continued funding of the three hatchery programs, including a potential production increase of 100,000 juvenile spring Chinook in the Hood River basin, as well as a no-action alternative under which BPA would no longer fund the programs. The EA described anticipated impacts to natural and human resources.

CURRENT STATUS

BPA and NMFS has released its Final EA and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). For more information visit the NMFS project website at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/laws-and-policies/west-coast-region-national-environmental-policy-act-documents

CONTACT

For environmental information, contact:
Ted Gresh        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Environmental Protection Specialist Direct line: 503-230-5756
Bonneville Power Administration – ECF-4 Email: esgresh@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621

Eric McOmie Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Fish and Wildlife Administrator Direct line: 503-230-4964
Bonneville Power Administration – EWU-4 Email: ermcomie@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621

For project information, contact:
Eric Andersen        Toll-free: 800-622-4519
Fish and Wildlife Administrator Direct line: 503-230-4094
Bonneville Power Administration – EWL-4 Email: ejandersen@bpa.gov 
PO Box 3621
Portland, Oregon 97208-3621

DOCUMENTS

Public Letter  (04/08/2022) 
FONSI  (March 2022)
Final EA  (November 2021)