The Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) presents the 2003 River Operations Plan for the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS), the Hells Canyon Complex and mid-Columbia FERC- licensed hydro-projects including Rock Island, Rocky Reach, Wanapum and Priest Rapids. The plan contains recommendations for water management and dam operations, including flows, reservoir elevations, spill, and fish facility operations.

In 2001, low runoff and financial and power emergencies declared by BPA eliminated fish flow augmentation and reduced fish spills to a fraction of those required under the NMFS (NOAA Fisheries) 2000 Biological Opinion for the Federal Columbia Power System (FCRPS). Salmon and steelhead losses were significant. For example, the Fish Passage Center noted that only 4% of Snake River juvenile steelhead survived passage from Lower Granite to Bonneville Dam, and some 27% of Snake River juvenile chinook survived to Bonneville.

CRITFC staff, through independent analyses, project about a 68 million acre-feet runoff forecast. Plan operations were modeled against probable federal river operations. The plan uses altered flood control rule curves and additional “pockets of water” from upper basin storage to create a natural flow regime for virtually all major river index points. The CRITFC plan operations assure beneficial flows for anadromous fish, while seeking to maintain higher reservoir levels for resident fish and tribal cultural resource protection. The plan also contains specific recommendations and guidelines for power peaking, adult and kelt passage, water temperature criteria to meet Clean Water Act standards, water management during the tribal treaty fisheries, fish facility operations and mainstem research. The water saved from altered flood control operations could then be applied to spring salmon migrants.