The Leagues of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana have been persistent and united in their long focus on the Columbia River. It began with writing the extensive “Wild River of the West” in 1956, which focused on the entire Columbia River and its dams. At the time, the 1964 Columbia River Treaty with Canada was being written. The Treaty ended up being an international model for cooperation for mutual benefit between nations sharing a river to maximize hydropower and prevent flooding, both of which the treaty achieved.

In 1980, the LWVWA did a study and wrote their positions for the Columbia River. The League of Women Voters of Washington engages in a formal study process to create our positions and issue reports to present current information about important subjects. Learn more about our study process, the formal process by which The League of Women Voters does studies and takes positions on issues.

In 2013 we sent comments that contributed to the Northwest Regional Recommendation for a modernized Treaty. Currently, the LWVWA belongs to the Columbia River Treaty NGO Caucus, working with religious and environmental organizations, as well as consulting with tribes and environmental groups in  British Columbia.

Our priorities are a modernized treaty that adds to the two existing treaty goals to prevent flooding and maximimize hydropower along the river. The new goal focuses on "ecosystem function," which includes the health of the river and managing flows to assist salmon migration, and also calls for an environmental or tribal voice to be added to the US Entity (treaty governance) to over see this new goal. We also have presented the LWVWA’s recommendations at the September “listening sessions” held by the US State Department and the US Entity.

The U.S. and Canada have been negotiating for a new modernized treaty for 18 sessions, and are planning another session October 12-13 in Portland, OR. Both countries have presented their proposals for the other to review, meaning the most difficult issues to resolve are in focus. One issue is a new flood control management agreement needed by September 2024, without which the U.S. would have to “Call Upon” Canada to prevent flooding by withholding water from its treaty storage reservoirs. This doesn't allow for the pre-planning preferred by Canada.  Also having a flood control agreement is of upmost importance for the lower Columbia River near Vancouver and Portland where most of the transportation infrastructure is in the floodplain.

Another possible contentious issue may be the “Canadian Entitlement,” the amount the U.S. pays Canada for hydropower benefits, which the utilities strongly insist needs to be reduced. The future impacts of climate change are also being considered; Canada is requesting more flexibility in its operations in this area.  

A welcome recent surprise with this work was the Biden administration and upper Columbia River tribes reaching an agreement to restore salmon populations to the upper Columbia River Basin, which have been blocked by the large Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph Dams. Money from the Bonneville Power Administration and Department of Interior will fund a tribal-led implementation plan for this project. This along with the third treaty goal of “ecosystem function” will further the restoration of the river and its iconic long migrating salmon.

Be alert for new “listening sessions” coming up that you may comment on or listen to.