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Water Development Act Passes Senate by Eric Barker Lewiston Tribune, July 29, 2022

Bill authorizes dredging at ports of Lewiston and Clarkston
as well as salmon recovery work throughout Pacific Northwest

A water infrastructure bill passed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday authorizes dredging at the ports of Lewiston and Clarkston while also greenlighting several Pacific Northwest salmon recovery measures, including a Columbia River Ecosystem Restoration Study.

The legislation passed by a 93-1 margin with Washington Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both Democrats, and Idaho Republican Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch voting for it. The House previously approved the bill. The legislation now has to go through a conference committee to resolve differences in language approved by both chambers before moving on to President Joe Biden for his consideration.

The Water Resources Development Act of 2022 simply authorizes various projects largely overseen by the Army Corps of Engineers. The House and Senate still need to appropriate funding in separate legislation before the various measures can be implemented.

Murray lauded the bill in a news release saying it helps make salmon recovery a federal priority.

"The provisions Senator Cantwell and I fought to secure will go a long way in restoring critical salmon habitat, make important investments (in) our water transportation infrastructure, and helping to ensure every family has access to clean, safe drinking water. This legislation is good news for our salmon, good news for our ports and good news for our entire state."

Cantwell said among other things, dredging at the Port of Clarkston will help "boost tourism."

Murray and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee are in the midst of a process intended to help them determine if they will support or oppose breaching the four lower Snake River dams as a means to recover four runs of salmon and steelhead that return to Idaho, southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon. They are expected to complete that process sometime next month.

The Columbia River Ecosystem Restoration study will include design and engineering work for unspecified salmon recovery projects throughout the basin. The Columbia Basin, especially the portion that includes federal dams, has been studied extensively over the past three decades.

Other measures authorized in the bill include:

A study to evaluate how water storage on the Columbia River can be improved. The study would assist the federal government as it works with Canada to update flood protection measures within the Columbia River Treaty.

Deepening of the Blair Waterway at the Port of Tacoma.

Construction of downstream fish passage at the Howard A. Hanson Dam on the Green River near Auburn, Wash.

Restoration work on the Duckabush Estuary, where the Duckabush River enters Hood Canal and the Puget Sound.

Direction to the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a tribal fishing village development plan near the Dalles Dam. Legislation in the 1950s authorized the corps to construct replacements for villages used by the Nez Perce, Yakama, Umatilla and Warm Springs tribes that were inundated by the dam.

Related Pages:
Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers Sponsors Bill to Protect Columbia and Snake River Dams by Staff, KXLY, 4/24/18
Snake River Dams and Human Nature by Bill Appel, San Juan Journal, 3/30/22