The project provides immediate and long-term protection for anadromous and resident fish species in the John Day, Umatilla, and Walla Walla subbasins by the installation or replacement of outdated fish protection and passage devices on private irrigation diversions and dam structures. These facilities reduce or eliminate fish loss associated with irrigation withdrawals and passage barriers.   The program uses cost share from NOAA, OWEB Measure 66 (M66) funds, and BPA for implementation.  From 1993 to 1997, the program focused on an inventory of irrigation diversions in need of fish screens, or due to the change in NOAA criteria for Salmonids needed replaced, in the John Day, Umatilla and Walla Walla Basins.  During this time, there were also several pump irrigation screens installed.  In 1997, the program, directed the focus on replacement of non-criteria fish screens and related passage barriers, throughout the John Day, Umatilla and Walla Walla Subbasins.  The program wishes to expand into the Deschutes subbasin since we are in the same province.  Since the start of the cooperative efforts between BPA, NOAA, OWEB/M66, ODFW, private landowners, and a multitude of government entities, to present, the program has installed over 215 gravity irrigation diversion screens, over 175 pump screens and 13 fishways that meet the new criteria.  Annual Reports have been provided to BPA that detail results.  

The program will install 19 (+) new or replacement fish screens (see footnote 1), and implement a fish passage project (s) if identified.  The work elements will aid in the breakdown of the costs and describe the actions needed to continue these efforts.

Footnote 1:  Program obligations will be pending BPA's environmental compliance approval process.  If project environmental compliance process inhibits project installations beyond March 1, 2011, the Program's current commitment to 19 (+) new or replacement fish screen installations, and the implementation of a fish passage project (s) if identified, will decrease according to the amount of time needed for approval.  The Program will continue working on all other milestones except for field installations for maximum efficiency until the environmental compliance is approved.  There will be $30,000 withheld from the budget for contracting cultural resource studies only to be used in the event that BPA can not meet the timelines and/or their commitment to survey the potential 60 fish screen sites identified by the Program for the 2009 contract.  Otherwise, the money will be added back to the project, and will be used for project implementation.