This planning area is complex and diverse. It includes three states, a number of cities, and substantial areas of agricultural and forest use, including both public and private ownership. Large areas, including the Selway (in the Clearwater drainage) and the Middle Fork Salmon Rivers lie almost entirely within designated wilderness, and other areas are within national recreation areas and national forests where preservation of anadromous fish habitat is a high priority. The Salmon River is the largest remaining undammed river system in the United States.

A multi-species recovery plan will be developed to address all of these listed Snake River populations. Sub-basin plans developed for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council will provide building blocks for ESA recovery plans. Several regional planning groups such as the state of Washington's Snake River Recovery Board will also play significant roles in recovery planning.

The NOAA recovery planning process for the Snake River involves close coordination between NOAA Fisheries Service staff, the Interior Columbia TRT, Idaho's Office of Species Conservation, federal and state stakeholders, and tribes. NOAA Fisheries Service staff will compile all pertinent information in, but not limited to, the subbasin plans, recovery board plans, state fisheries management plans, tribal fisheries management plans, forest plans and other similar documents to compose an initial draft recovery plan. As distinct sections or chapters are drafted, they will be posted for comment by all interested parties. NOAA Fisheries Service will conduct workshops around the basin to receive additional information and comment from co-managers, stakeholders, and the public.