The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded $1.7 million to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to support construction of screens and fishways in the Columbia River Basin in Oregon. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

This Cooperative Agreement supports a project that provides protection for migrating juvenile salmon through the construction, operation and maintenance of screens on irrigation diversions within the Columbia Basin portion of Oregon. Additionally, this project funds the operation and maintenance of fishways/fish ladders which allow the passage of adult salmon and steelhead over previously impassable waterfalls or other obstructions to migration.

“This grant allows Oregon to manage fisheries resources while actively supporting efforts that reinforce NOAA and the Bush Administration’s commitment to the environment,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “Preventing the loss of juvenile salmon at water withdrawal projects and easing the passage of adult salmon as they return to their birthplace to spawn is central to protecting the valuable resources in the Columbia River Basin.”

As part of the grant guidelines for the Columbia River Fisheries Development Program – Screens and Fishways, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service personnel review and comment on plans made by each state or Tribal fisheries agency to assure compliance with NOAA fisheries goals and objectives and coordination with other fisheries agencies efforts. This assures that the activities conducted do not conflict with NOAA Fisheries mandates such as the Endangered Species Act.

Each year NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA’s goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 34 years.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit: http://www.noaa.gov.