Abstract
Adult salmon and steelhead migrating to natal streams in tributaries of the Columbia River must pass up to nine dams: four in the lower Columbia and Snake Rivers and five in the mid-Columbia River. Losses and delays in migration at each dam must be minimized to maintain native fish runs and to achieve the recovery goals outlined by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC) and by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). This study addressed research related to improving passage and survival of adult salmonids, a research priority identified by state fish and wildlife agencies, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, tribal fish and wildlife agencies, and NMFS. For the Columbia River Federal Power System (FCRPS), these priorities are enumerated in the 2008 biological opinion on recovery of threatened and endangered Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead.