A U.S. Fish and Wildlife employee reintroduces salmon into a Central Valley river.
Aerial view of restored floodplain habitat and agricultural property near Sacramento, California.
Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon
The Lower Columbia River Chinook salmon is a threatened species. NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region, along with the Science Centers, work to protect and conserve this species under the Endangered Species Act.
Species Status
ESA Listing Status: Threatened on May 24, 1999 (64 FR 14308) and June 28, 2005 (70 FR 37159); updated April 14, 2014 (79 FR 20802)
ESU Description: This evolutionarily significant unit, or ESU, includes naturally spawned Chinook salmon originating from the Columbia River and its tributaries downstream of a transitional point east of the Hood and White Salmon Rivers, and any such fish originating from the Willamette River and its tributaries below Willamette Falls. Not included in this DPS are:
- spring-run Chinook salmon originating from the Clackamas River
- fall-run Chinook salmon originating from Upper Columbia River bright hatchery stocks, that spawn in the mainstem Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, and in other tributaries upstream from the Sandy River to the Hood and White Salmon Rivers
- spring-run Chinook salmon originating from the Round Butte Hatchery (Deschutes River, Oregon) and spawn-ing in the Hood River
- spring-run Chinook salmon originating from the Carson National Fish Hatchery and spawning in the Wind River
- naturally spawned Chinook salmon originating from the Rogue River Fall Chinook Program
This DPS does include Chinook salmon from the following artificial propagation programs:
- Big Creek Tule Chinook Program
- Astoria High School Salmon-Trout Enhancement Program (STEP) Tule Chinook Program
- Warrenton High School STEP Tule Chinook Program
- Cowlitz Tule Chinook Program
- North Fork Toutle Tule Chinook Program
- Kalama Tule Chinook Program
- Washougal River Tule Chinook Program
- Spring Creek National Fish Hatchery (NFH) Tule Chinook Program
- Cowlitz Spring Chinook Program in the Upper Cowlitz River and the Cispus River
- Friends of the Cowlitz Spring Chinook Program
- Kalama River Spring Chinook Program
- Lewis River Spring Chinook Program
- Fish First Spring Chinook Program
- Sandy River Hatchery Program
- Deep River Net Pens-Washougal Program
- Klaskanine Hatchery Program
- Bonneville Hatchery Program
- Cathlamet Channel Net Pens Program
Current Population Trends: ESA Status Reviews and 5-Year Updates for Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon
Critical Habitat: Designated September 2, 2005
Protective Regulations: Issued June 28, 2005 (70 FR 37159)
Recovery Plan: Recovery Plan for Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon, Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon, Columbia River Chum Salmon, and Lower Columbia River Steelhead (July 2013)
Species Recovery
NOAA Fisheries delineated eight recovery domains, or geographic recovery planning areas, for the ESA-listed salmon and steelhead populations on the West Coast. The Lower Columbia River Recovery Sub-domain is part of the Willamette/Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery Domain. It encompasses the estuary and all Columbia River sub-basins up to White Salmon, Washington and Hood River, Oregon, and also includes the Willamette River up to Willamette Falls (see map of recovery domains). Within the sub-domain, there are four ESA-listed salmon and steelhead species:
- Lower Columbia River Chinook salmon
- Lower Columbia River coho salmon
- Columbia River chum
- Lower Columbia River steelhead
NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region manages recovery planning and implementation for this sub-domain through its Oregon and Washington Coastal Area Office.
Recovery Plan
Working with its federal, state, tribal, and local partners, NOAA Fisheries published a Recovery Plan for Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon, Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon, Columbia River Chum Salmon, and Lower Columbia River Steelhead (July 2013).
The plan provides a road map to recover four salmon and steelhead species that spawn and rear in the lower Columbia River or its tributaries in Oregon and Washington. The Lower Columbia Recovery Plan is based on three locally developed plans, each of which covers a different portion of the species’ range:
- Lower Columbia River Conservation and Recovery Plan for Oregon Populations of Salmon and Steelhead (2010) prepared by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife;
- ESA Salmon Recovery Plan for the White Salmon River Watershed (2013) prepared by NOAA Fisheries; and
- Washington Lower Columbia Salmon Recovery and Fish & Wildlife Subbasin Plan (2010) prepared by the Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board.
Two additional documents prepared by NOAA Fisheries informed the development of the Lower Columbia Recovery Plan:
- The Columbia River Estuary ESA Recovery Plan Module for Salmon & Steelhead and
- The Recovery Plan Module: Mainstem Columbia River Hydropower Projects.
Partnerships for Recovery
Salmon recovery requires action at all levels of government and by all stakeholders to be effective. Partnerships among federal, state, local, and tribal entities, together with non-governmental and private organizations, are key to restoring healthy salmon runs and ensuring the cultural, economic, and environmental benefits they provide. Implementing recovery actions is especially critical at the local level. NOAA Fisheries supports this by providing scientific and policy support, providing funding as available, and working with our partners to improve regulatory mechanisms for salmon recovery.
Key partners working to restore lower Columbia River salmon and steelhead are identified below.
Federal & State Partners
- Washington Governor's Office
- Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office
- Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife
- Oregon Governor's Natural Resources Office
- Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
- Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
Tribal Partners
Local and Private Partners
- Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board
- Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
- Klickitat County
- Lower Columbia River Recovery Planning Stakeholder Team
- Oregon Watershed Councils
More Information
- Chinook Salmon Status Reviews and Five-Year Update
- Chinook Salmon Federal Register Notices
- Salmon and Steelhead Federal Register Rules and Notices prior to August 2019
- Chinook Salmon Maps & GIS Data
- Salmon Publications
- Salmon and Steelhead Hatcheries on the West Coast
- Learn about what you can do to help endangered and threatened salmon recover
- Related Stories
Contact
If you have questions, would like to learn more about recovery efforts in your watershed, or would like to get involved directly, please contact:
West Coast Region - Oregon and Washington Coastal Area Office
Amy Kocourek
Email: Amy.Kocourek@noaa.gov
Phone: 360-753-4471
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife employee reintroduces salmon into a Central Valley river.
Aerial view of restored floodplain habitat and agricultural property near Sacramento, California.
