Council hears updates on modernized Columbia River Treaty from the federal negotiating team

Members of the Columbia River Treaty federal negotiating team presented to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council on Tuesday, Aug 13.    

The Columbia River Treaty has been in effect between the U.S. and Canada for 60 years and outlines hydro operations primarily related to flood risk management and hydropower. Without an agreement on modernizing the Treaty, a significant shift away from pre-planned flood storage in Canada’s reservoirs was set to occur in September 2024. 

Leaders of both nations announced an agreement in principle to modernize the Treaty on July 11, 2024. On July 26, the U.S. State Department published additional details on its website. Provisions released so far include continuing the coordinated power operation but reducing the amount of hydropower delivered to Canada (referred to as the Canadian Entitlement), provision of a certain amount of assured flood risk management storage in Canadian reservoirs in return for specified payments by the United States, formalizing current amounts of flow for salmon, committing to future studies on transmission expansion, coordinating salmon reintroduction studies taking place on both sides of the border, and establishing an indigenous-led body to advise on how Treaty operations can better serve ecosystem needs.   

Representatives from several federal agencies were on hand to present, including Jill Smail, the lead negotiator for the US. Hub Adams from Bonneville, Pete Dickerson from the Army Corps of Engineers, Roland Springer from the Bureau of Reclamation, and Ryan Couch from NOAA Fisheries also presented.

Presenters emphasized the agreement’s benefits to both nations, while noting that failure to reach a deal before the September deadline would have had destabilizing consequences for the region. 

“It took significant compromise from both sides to get to this point and to avoid the alternative, which would bring uncertainty and inefficiencies and negatively impact communities and the environment in both countries. In short, this outcome reflects a good deal for the United States and Canada across the broad spectrum of interests,” concluded negotiator Jill Smail. 

The agreement in principle still must be ratified by the U.S. and Canada. However, some pieces will need to move forward in the interim and discussions are underway as to how agencies can use their existing authority to implement them. 

Following the federal presentation, Council staff gave a brief overview of potential implications for the Council’s power planning and Fish and Wildlife Program.  Power Division Director Jennifer Light said that more information would be needed to model the Treaty’s provisions. In particular, she noted that the adjustment to the Canadian entitlement would factor into Bonneville’s ability to deliver their Tier 1 contracts and impact related resource decisions. Other topics of interest include a better understanding of how Canada’s flexibility options could be modeled, and tracking BPA and Powerex’s joint study on transmission. 

Fish & Wildlife Division Director Patty O’Toole also addressed the need to see more details on provisions that could have ecosystem impacts, like potential changes to operations at Grand Coulee as a result of the proposed changes in flood risk management. She noted that salmon reintroduction is part of the Fish and Wildlife Program and the Council should track relevant work happening through the CRT. Similarly, the Council is interested in how the Joint Ecosystem and Tribal and Indigenous Cultural Values Body (JEB) will operate.

Staff and Council members expressed thanks to the federal agencies for presenting to Council, and look forward to working closely with federal partners in the future.