Council Spotlight

Provide Your Comments to Help Prepare for Next Power Plan, Launch Climate and Weather Advisory Committee

The public can help inform early preparations for the Council’s next power plan, and guide formation of an advisory committee on the impacts of climate change and extreme weather on the Pacific Northwest’s power system.

Forecasts Show Significantly Larger Regional Power Demand for EVs and Data Centers

New data on electric vehicles, data centers, and computer chip manufacturing suggests a shifting trend. Power demand in these sectors is growing, and over the next five years this demand could grow substantially.

2023 Ocean Conditions for Salmon

Understanding how ocean conditions affect salmon, especially as the climate warms, is a priority of the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program. NOAA presented findings on 2023 ocean conditions for salmon and steelhead, and explained how actions taken in freshwater can improve ocean survival.

New and Enhanced Fish & Wildlife Tools Now Available

The Resource Tools and Maps page highlights the Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program investments in land, fish screens, and hatcheries. Each tool has an interactive map showing where infrastructure and investments occur throughout the Columbia River Basin; data can be filtered by key information like year purchased, acres protected, and species supported.

• Lands: The Fish and Wildlife Program supports projects that acquire and protect habitat as mitigation. Search 467 land parcels by Project Sponsor Entity, Project Number, Subbasin, and more.
• Fish Screens: Fish screens prevent fish from being stranded in irrigation channels and canals when water is diverted or pumped from rivers and streams. Find more information about the 1,000+ screens installed by fish and wildlife managers and supported by the Fish and Wildlife Program.
• Hatcheries: While the primary purpose of the Basin’s hatchery system is to mitigate the effects of dams and development on fish, artificial production programs are managed to support both fisheries and conservation. The provides information on the Fish and Wildlife Program’s artificial production. It has now been enhanced to include all the Basin’s hatchery facilities as well as information on how they support mitigation efforts.

Additional information on hatcheries in the Columbia River Basin, including stories, handouts, reports and more can be found at hatchery.nwcouncil.org.

Watch the full presentation from the March Council Meeting.