Non-Federal Dams & Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Licensing
The Federal Power Act requires hydropower project owners to obtain a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). That act authorizes NOAA Fisheries Service to issue mandatory improvements for fish passage and to recommend other measures to protect salmon, steelhead, and other ESA-listed fish.
NOAA biologists and engineers participate in numerous FERC re-licensing projects on the West Coast, many of which lack adequate facilities for safe fish passage. Our biologists and bio-engineering staff set fish standards for downstream and upstream passage, and work collaboratively with project owners to design fish passage solutions based on the unique conditions of each river. State of the art fish passage facilities help fish pass dams in a manner that is more aligned with their natural behavior.
Projects
Puget Sound
Snake River Basin
Mid-Columbia Public Utility Districts
Other Columbia River Basin
Willamette River Basin
Rogue & Umpqua Rivers
Sacramento River
Feather River
American River
Merced River
Resources
Fish passage Criteria 1.3MB
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission