| Citation |
Nelitz, M., M. Porter and D.R. Marmorek. 2007. Scoping Document to Assess the Feasibility, Impacts, and Benefits (FIBs) of Restoring Anadromous Salmon to the Canadian Reaches of the Upper Columbia River. Prepared for Upper Columbia Aquatic Management Partnership (UCAMP) by ESSA Technologies Ltd., Vancouver, BC. 86 pp. |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords |
This report represents the initial stage in developing a common understanding of the feasibility, impacts, and benefits (FIBs) associated with restoring Pacific salmon to the Canadian reaches of the upper Columbia River, and to deciding whether it is possible to proceed with this proposal. This report grew out of a literature review, interviews with people who have a deep understanding of relevant issues, a compilation of this information into a draft report, a 2-day workshop in Spokane attended by 42 participants (see Appendix B), and a post-workshop synthesis into this final report.. There are five main elements to this report: • Steps to reaching a decision. We describe an adaptive management approach to: progressively scope the breadth of issues; focus on the most critical issues / uncertainties that affect decision making; pursue studies / actions to gather information and help reduce uncertainties; and use that information to inform the next stages of decision making; • Issues. We review the breadth of feasibility, impact and benefit issues; • Critical questions, uncertainties and proposed studies / actions. We identify the outstanding questions, and the studies / actions needed to help answer these questions. • Next steps. We summarize the key studies / actions that we understand as being most important to complete in the near term (i.e., 1–3 years). • Framework. We provide a framework for organizing all pieces of a FIB Assessment report to inform a final decision on whether to restore salmon. The proposed studies / actions identified in this report represent the beginning of a larger workplan required for a full FIBs assessment. We believe that instead of conducting a single all-encompassing effort at identifying and resolving potential issues, it is better to implement a systematic, phased approach with iterative re-assessments. As funding is obtained for each phase of work, studies / actions should be designed and implemented to help answer the outstanding questions around the next set of FIB issues. Given the complexities of salmon restoration, focusing on a small, manageable sub-set of issues at any one time will be essential. The FIBs workshop identified a number of primary themes for moving forward in the near-term. These include: 1) establishing the technical engineering and ecological feasibility of restoring fish passage; 2) identifying the potential socio-economic impacts of restored fish passage; 3) developing a clearer understanding of the cultural value of the lost salmon resource to upper Columbia tribes and First Nations; and 4) developing a collaborative strategy for communicating the story of this lost resource, and building the necessary political and legal support for restoring salmon. |
