February 7, 2001
John Redding
(208) 378-5021
Chuck Korson
(541) 389-6541

Reclamation Seeks Comment on Tualatin Draft EA

The Bureau of Reclamation will accept public comments until March 16, on the Tualatin Fish Mitigation Program Draft Environmental Assessment, which outlines proposed habitat restoration projects to take place throughout the Tualatin River sub-basin.

The habitat mitigation projects are located primarily in Washington County and would be prioritized based on need and feasibility. Reclamation is proposing using its Tualatin Project Mitigation funds to support the restoration projects.

Reclamation reimburses the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife annually for the production and out-planting of hatchery steelhead into the Tualatin River sub-basin. This effort is part of a mitigation program for anadromous fish habitat lost when the project was constructed following U.S. Congressional authorization in 1966.

To conserve native winter steelhead stocks in the Tualatin River sub-basin, ODFW has reached an agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service to stop releasing hatchery reared anadromous fish in the Tualatin sub-basin.

ODFW has determined that anadromous fish can no longer be raised for release into the Tualatin River to fulfill Reclamation’s ongoing mitigation requirement since NMFS has added upper Willamette steelhead to its list of threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

For more information about the Tualatin Fish Mitigation Program EA please contact Chuck Korson, natural resource specialist, at the Bureau of Reclamation, Bend Field Office, 1375 SE Wilson Avenue, Suite 200, Bend OR 97702-1435 or call (541) 389-6541.