Corps gears up for transition to summer fish operations, June 17

This month the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will transition to summer operations for fish. Beginning on June 16, the Corps will begin summer spill for fish at Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary dams while the lower Snake River dams will transition to summer spill operations on June 21. These fish operations will continue through August 31 at all eight dams. As outlined in the 2015 Fish Operations Plan, summer spill operations for fish at Corps-operated dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers will be similar to operations implemented last summer. Jointly developed by federal and regional fish managers, the goal is to provide timely and safe passage of juvenile salmon through the hydropower system during their outmigration to the ocean. Spill for fish passage is one of several tools utilized to facilitate safe and expedient passage at the mainstem hydroelectric dams. Through a coordinated set of actions, the federal agencies are working with state and Tribal partners to enhance juvenile and adult salmon and steelhead survival, meet fish survival performance standards required by the 2008/2010/2014 Biological Opinion, and provide benefits to resident fish.