Federal Columbia River Power System, CPN Region

Federal Columbia River Power System

Located on the mainstem Columbia River and in several of its major tributaries, the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) comprises 31 hydroelectric projects in the Columbia River Basin and provides about one third of the electricity used in the Pacific Northwest. The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) planned, designed, constructed; and own and operate the federal water projects in the Pacific Northwest.

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) markets the power generated from the federal projects and distributes power from federal and non-federal projects through its transmission system. The revenues collected cover the cost of operating and maintaining the projects.

FCRPS and the ESA
FCRPS operations affect 13 anadromous species of salmon and steelhead listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Additionally, two ESA–listed resident species (bull trout and sturgeon) are impacted by the federal dams. map >>

The ESA requires the three agencies that operate the FCRPS, called the FCRPS action agencies (action agencies), to ensure their actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species, or result in the destruction of critical habitat. The Action Agencies consult with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries on FCRPS operations for salmon and steelhead, and with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on hydrosystem impacts to sturgeon and bull trout. The regulatory agencies issue biological opinions to the action agencies on the operation and maintenance of the FCRPS.

The Action Agencies are currently operating under the 2019 FCRPS BiOp issued by NOAA Fisheries, working closely with the affected states and 13 tribes. The biological opinion includes hydrosystem, harvest, hatchery, predator control, tributary and estuary habitat, and research, monitoring, and evaluation actions to avoid jeopardy and destruction of critical habitat by improving salmon and steelhead survival. Reclamation implements those BiOp actions associated with Grand Coulee and Hungry Horse dams.

2019 Columbia River System (CRS) Biological Opinion
NOAA Fisheries has issued a final biological opinion on the continued operation and maintenance of the Columbia River System (CRS), including several mitigation and research, monitoring, and evaluation programs starting in April 2019. The biological opinion considers the effects of the CRS and related mitigation programs on 13 species of salmon and steelhead along with other Endangered Species Act–listed species under NOAA Fisheries’ jurisdiction.

A new action is the CRS Action Agencies’ flexible spill operation. This operation is the result of an agreement between the CRS Action Agencies and some regional states and tribes. NOAA Fisheries was not directly involved in these negotiations. The operation will implement a flexible approach to providing additional spill as a tool intended to benefit juvenile spring fish downstream passage in concert with managing the CRS for multiple Congressionally authorized purposes, including power generation to assure the Pacific Northwest an adequate, efficient, economical, and reliable power supply.

Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion >>

Columbia River System Operations Final Environmental Impact Statement

On September 29, 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Bonneville Power Administration released the joint Record of Decision for the Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement.

The joint ROD commits the agencies to implementing immediate and long-term actions related to the ongoing operations, maintenance and configuration of 14 federal dams that compose the Columbia River System.

The plan includes actions that support continued, reliable water resource benefits and balances the purposes of the federal dams while specifically supporting ongoing and new improvements for species listed under the Endangered Species Act. The signing of the joint ROD accomplishes a priority item in the Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West issued in October 2018.

The Federal Caucus
Reclamation participates in the Federal Caucus, a group of ten agencies with natural resource responsibilities in the Columbia River Basin. Visit http://www.salmonrecovery.gov for information about the Federal Caucus and its activities to help promote recovery of ESA–listed species in the Columbia River Basin.

Related Documents
2023	Tern Deterrence at Goose Island 2023 Annual Report to Reclamation
2022	Tern Deterrence at Goose Island 2022 Annual Report to Reclamation
2021	Tern Deterrence at Goose Island 2021 Annual Report to Reclamation
09/2020	News Release: Federal agencies decide the Columbia River System Operations environmental impact statement balances system purposes
02/2020	Federal agencies release Columbia River System Operations draft environmental impact statement & preferred alternative HTML
03/2019	2019 Columbia River System Biological Opinion HTML
09/2016	Federal Agencies Begin Scoping Process for Columbia River System Operations EIS HTML
11/2014	2013 Annual Progress Report on FCRPS BiOp Implementation HTML
02/2014	2014 Supplemental FCRPS BiOp Decision Document PDF 1.90 mb
01/2014	Inland Avian Predation Management Plan, EA, and FONSI PDF 22.73 mb
01/2014	2014 NOAA Fisheries Supplemental FCRPS Biological Opinion HTML
01/2014	2014-2018 FCRPS Implementation Plan HTML
01/2014	2013 FCRPS Comprehensive Evaluation HTML
11/2013	2013 Citizen Update Annual Progress Report on FCRPS BiOp Implementation PDF
09/2011	Climate and Hydrology Datasets for Use in the River Management Joint Operating Committee Agencies’ Longer-Term Planning Studies – Part IV PDF 1.16 mb
05/2011	Climate and Hydrology Datasets for Use in the River Management Joint Operating Committee Agencies’ Longer-Term Planning Studies – Part III PDF 3.27 mb
01/2011	Climate and Hydrology Datasets for Use in the River Management Joint Operating Committee Agencies’ Longer-Term Planning Studies – Part II PDF 2.77 mb
12/2010	Climate and Hydrology Datasets for Use in the River Management Joint Operating Committee Agencies’ Longer-Term Planning Studies – Part I PDF 2.75 mb
06/2010	2010-13 FCRPS Biological Opinion Implementation Plan PDF
06/2010	2010 FCRPS Supplemental BiOp Decision Document FOLLOWING NOAA FISHERIES’ MAY, 2010 Endangered Species Act Section 7(1)(2) Consultation Supplemental BIOLOGICAL OPINION PDF 1.15 mb
05/2010	2008/2010 Supplemental FCRPS Biological Opinion HTML
09/2009	FCRPS Adaptive Management Implementation Plan HTML
08/2009	Record of Decision: Upper Columbia Alternative Flood Control and Fish Operations EIS HTML
09/2008	Decision Document: 2008 NOAA Fisheries FCRPS Biological Opinion PDF 389 kb
05/2008	2008 NOAA Fisheries Supplemental BiOp HTML
05/2008	2008 NOAA Fisheries FCRPS/Upper Snake Biological Opinions HTML
09/2007	2007 FCRPS Biological Assessment and Comprehensive Analysis HTML
09/2007	2007 Upper Snake Biological Assessment HTML
	Upper Snake Irrigation Project Flow Augmentation HTML
04/2006	Upper Columbia Alternative Flood Control & Fish Operations EIS HTML
02/2002	Lower Snake River Juvenile Salmon Migration Feasibility Study HTML
12/2000	2000 Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion on Effects to Listed Species from Operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System HTML
12/1999	Multispecies Biological Assessment of the FCRPS PDF 548 kb

Contact
Public Affairs Office
pninfo@usbr.gov
208-378-6231

Bureau of Reclamation
Pacific Northwest Region
Columbia/Snake Salmon Recovery Office
1150 N Curtis Road, Suite 100
Boise, Idaho 83706

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Last Updated: 12/16/24

Columbia-Pacific Northwest Region

Federal Columbia River Power System

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