The project provides immediate and long-term protection for anadromous and resident fish species in the Deschutes, John Day, Umatilla, and Walla Walla subbasins by the installation fish screens, and improvements to fish passage by installation of fish passage devices (ladders, siphons, bottomless culverts at road crossings, etc.) or complete passage barrier removals.  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.  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 297 gravity irrigation diversion screens, over 53 pump screens and 8 fishways that meet the new criteria.  Annual Reports have been provided to BPA that detail results.  

The program will install up to 20 new or replacement fish screens, and implement fish passage project (s) if identified.  If fish passage projects are identified, for each passage project completed, a minimum of two fish screens will be removed from the implementation list.  Size and scope of passage projects will be evaluated prior to work beginning to determine if more screens should be removed from the implementation list.  It should be noted that fish barriers on irrigation return are considered fish passage structures.  The work elements will aid in the breakdown of the costs and describe the actions needed to continue these efforts.