Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers
on Civil Works Activities
Fiscal Year 1983
Department of the Army Corps of Engineers
Extract Report of Walla Walla District

Lower Snake River Fish and Wildlife Compensation Plan, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho

Location. At various locations within the Columbia Snake River drainage in the States of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Existing project. The project will consist of a series of fish hatcheries and wildlife development areas at sites to be selected. The project will compensate for loss of wildlife habitat and anadromous and resident fishery inundated as a result of construction of four multiple-purpose dams and reservoirs on the Lower Snake River (Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite).

In 1980, the first release from McCall, Idaho, summer chinook hatchery was made, and the adult trapping facility that provides the fish egg supply for the McCall Hatchery became operational.

The real estate design memorandum, and feature design memorandum on the McCall Hatchery, Hagerman Hatchery, Lookingglass Hatchery, Lyons Ferry Hatchery, Dworshak Hatchery Expansion, Irrigon Hatchery, Magic Valley Hatchery, Sawtooth Hatchery, Clearwater Hatchery, the off-project wildlife lands, and the site selection report have all been approved. A final Environmental Impact Statement was filed with Council on Environmental Quality on November 2, 1977. The compensation plan is 62 percent complete.

Estimated Federal cost of the project is $181,000,000.

Local cooperation. None required.

Operations during fiscal year. New Work: McCall Hatchery, Lookingglass Hatchery, Lyons Ferry Phase I Hatchery, and spring chinook rearing facilities at Dworshak National Fish Hatchery are in operation. The latter three facilities made their first releases in FY 1983. Construction contracts were awarded for the Sawtooth Hatchery, Idaho, Irrigon Hatchery, Oregon, water wells, and the second and final stage of the Lyons Ferry, Washington, Hatchery. The design for the Irrigon Hatchery and its companion facility, the Wallowa Hatchery, is 95 percent complete. The design for Buhl, formerly called Crystal Springs, is 10 percent complete. The final hatchery site has been selected at Ahsahka, Idaho, for the Clearwater River basin. This hatchery will rear both spring chinook and steelhead. Studies are continuing to identify satellite sites for this hatchery. Contacts with landowners for participation in off-project wildlife programs in Washington are continuing. Several appraisals have been made, but are not presently approved. Acquiring the various lands for wildlife compensation has been a problem. In March 1983, a report was prepared for Congress on the progress in implementing the plan. This report is currently being reviewed. The report recommends continuation of the willing-seller, willing-buyer acquisition, but requests authority to acquire any combination of upland game, chukar habitat, or fisherman access in fee and/or by easement.