On December 5, 1980, Congress passed the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (Public Law 96-501). The Act created the Northwest Power Planning Council (now the Northwest Power and Conservation Council). The Council was charged with the responsibility to prepare a Regional Conservation and Electric Power Plan and to develop a program to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife including related spawning grounds and habitat on the Columbia River and its tributaries. The Council adopted its Fish and Wildlife Program on November 15, 1982. Section 800 of the Program addresses measures in the Yakima River Basin. The Yakima measures were intended to help mitigate hydroelectric impacts in the basin and provide off-site mitigation to compensate for fish losses caused by hydroelectric project development and operations throughout the Columbia River Basin. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) was designated as a major source of funding for such off-site mitigation measures and was requested to initiate discussions with the appropriate Federal project operators and the Council to determine the most expeditious means for funding and implementing the program. The primary measures proposed for rapid implementation in the Yakima River basin were the installation of fish passage and protective facilities. Sec. 109 of The Hoover Power Plant Act of 1984, authorized the Secretary of the Interior to design, construct, operate, and maintain fish passage facilities within the Yakima River Basin. Under Phase I of the program, improvements to existing fish passage facilities and installation of new fish ladders and fish screens at 16 of the largest existing diversion dams and canals were begun in 1984 and were completed in 1990. The Yakima Phase II fish passage program is an extension of the Phase I program. In 1988, the Yakama Nation (YN) submitted an application to amend Sections 803(b) and 1403(4.5) of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program to begin preliminary design on the Phase II fish screen program. Based on citizen and agency endorsement, the Council approved the amendment in 1989. The Council authorized BPA to provide funding for Phase II screens through the Fish and Wildlife Program. BPA then asked the Bureau of Reclamation to provide engineering and design expertise to the Phase II projects.

The goal of this project is to prevent mortality and/or injury to all life stages of anadromous and resident fish at irrigation diversions. Obsolete Yakima basin fish screens constructed in the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's, and 70's must be replaced or updated to comply with current regional fish screen biological protection criteria adopted by Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority (CBFWA), Fish Screening Oversight Committee (FSOC) in 1995. This goal is being accomplished through an on-going effort by the Yakima Basin Phase II Technical Work Group (TWG), which is comprised of local, state, federal, tribal and private groups who prioritizes and assign screening projects. Prioritized screening projects are completed through coordination between the Bureau of Reclamations (BOR), who design and permit, and the WDFW who fabricate the screens for these projects. The following is the 2004 fish screening facility construction schedule as proposed by the Bureau of Reclamation Design Group (USBR) and Fish Passage Technical Work Group (TWG).

In 2002, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory evaluated 23 Phase II fish screen sites in the Yakima River Basin as part of a multi-year project for the Bonneville Power Administration on the effectiveness of fish screening devices. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory collected data to determine whether velocities in front of the screens and in the bypasses met National Marine Fisheries Service criteria to promote safe and timely fish passage and whether bypass outfall conditions allowed fish to safely return to the river. In addition, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducted underwater video surveys to evaluate the environmental and operational conditions of the screen sites with respect to fish passage. Based on evaluations in 2002, PNNL concluded that: (1) In general, water velocity conditions at the screen sites met fish passage criteria set by the National Marine Fisheries Service. (2) Conditions at most facilities would be expected to provide for safe juvenile fish passage. (3) Conditions at some facilities indicate that operation and/or maintenance should be modified to increase safe juvenile fish passage. (4) Automated cleaning brushes generally functioned properly; chains and other moving parts were typically well greased and operative. (5) Removal of sediment buildup and accumulated leafy and woody debris should be improved at some sites.

Implementation of the Yakima Basin Fish Passage Project -- Phase 2 would significantly improve the production of anadromous fish in the Yakima River system. The project would provide offsite mitigation and help to compensate for lower Columbia River hydroelectric fishery losses. The Phase 2 screens would allow greater numbers of juvenile anadromous fish to survive. As a consequence, there would be higher returns of adult salmon and steelhead to the Yakima River. The proposed action would play an integral part in the overall Yakima River anadromous fish enhancement program (fish passage improvement, habitat enhancement, hatchery production increases, and harvest management). These would be environmental benefits associated with implementation of the Fish Passage and Protective Facilities Phase 2 Project. Based on the evaluation presented in this assessment, there would be no significant adverse environmental impacts if the proposed action was carried forward. No significant adverse environmental effects have been identified from construction and operation of the Yakima Phase 2 fish passage project. Proper design and implementation of the project will ensure no adverse effects will occur. Based on the information in this environmental analysis, BPA's and Reclamation's proposal to construct these facilities does not constitute a major Federal action that could significantly affect the quality of the human environment. 8 refs., 4 figs., 6 tabs.

In 2002, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory evaluated 23 Phase II fish screen sites in the Yakima River Basin as part of a multi-year project for the Bonneville Power Administration on the effectiveness of fish screening devices. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory collected data to determine whether velocities in front of the screens and in the bypasses met National Marine Fisheries Service criteria to promote safe and timely fish passage and whether bypass outfall conditions allowed fish to safely return to the river. In addition, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory conducted underwater video surveys to evaluate the environmental and operational conditions of the screen sites with respect to fish passage. Based on evaluations in 2002, PNNL concluded that: (1) In general, water velocity conditions at the screen sites met fish passage criteria set by the National Marine Fisheries Service. (2) Conditions at most facilities would be expected to provide for safe juvenile fish passage. (3) Conditions at some facilities indicate that operation and/or maintenance should be modified to increase safe juvenile fish passage. (4) Automated cleaning brushes generally functioned properly; chains and other moving parts were typically well greased and operative. (5) Removal of sediment buildup and accumulated leafy and woody debris should be improved at some sites.