Habitat improvement work in the Methow Basin is possible through a unique relationship between the federal government and a local non-profit, the Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation (MSRF).
The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) provides technical assistance to states, tribes, federal agencies, and local project sponsors in the Columbia Basin to identify and construct habitat improvement projects intended to protect and improve the survival of listed fish. Methow Salmon Recovery Foundation (MSRF) has been the primary project sponsor for Reclamation’s tributary habitat enhancement program in the Methow subbasin since 2006. MSRF is responsible for construction management, funding and permitting, and related activities.
FCRPS and the Biological Opinion
The Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) is a key player in the quest to find balance for fish survival in Pacific Northwest. The 31 federal dams in the system have brought prosperity to the region by generating nearly 40 percent of the region's hydropower while providing flood control, irrigation, navigation, and recreation benefits.
The FCRPS is operated to support multiple species of listed and unlisted fish. To protect these fish, a Biological Opinion (BiOP) is used by federal natural resource agencies to direct operational guidance. Under these BiOps and other laws and authorities, federal agencies carry out a wide range of actions to help listed fish at all stages of their lifecycle.
Presently, the FCRPS BiOP identifies actions for improving habitat and river conditions, managing hatcheries and harvests to boost fish survival through dams.
The Methow Basin is one of a dozen sub-basin sites whose restoration activities were triggered by the 1999 listing of spring Chinook and steelhead. Fish recovery funding comes from the Federal government and a mix of state and regional sources. Most of the funds are spread throughout the local economy to hire staff, employ contractors and purchase materials and supplies. In 2008 and 2009, assessment and recovery activities in the Methow totaled over $1.4 million annually.