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.
Snake River Basin Steelhead
The Snake River Basin steelhead 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 August 18, 1997 (62 FR 43937) and January 5, 2006 (71 FR 833); updated April 14, 2014 (79 FR 20802)
DPS Description: This distinct population segment, or DPS, includes all naturally spawned anadromous O. mykiss (steelhead) originating below natural and manmade impassable barriers from the Snake River basin. The DPS also includes steelhead from the following artificial propagation programs:
- Tucannon River Program
- Dworshak National Fish Hatchery Program
- East Fork Salmon River Natural Program
- Little Sheep Creek/Imnaha River Hatchery Program
- Salmon River B-run Program
- South Fork Clearwater (Clearwater Hatchery) B-run Program
Current Population Trends: Snake River Steelhead Status Reviews and Five-Year Updates
Critical Habitat: Designated September 2, 2005
Protective Regulations: Issued June 28, 2005 (70 FR 37159)
Recovery Plan: Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon and Snake River Basin Steelhead Recovery Plan (2017)
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 Snake River Recovery Sub-domain is one of three sub-domains comprising the Interior Columbia River Recovery Domain (see map of recovery domains). This sub-domain is home to four ESA-listed salmon and steelhead species:
- Snake River sockeye salmon
- Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon
- Snake River fall Chinook salmon
- Snake River steelhead
NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region manages recovery planning and implementation for this sub-domain through its Interior Columbia Basin Area Office.
Recovery Plan
The Snake River Spring/Summer Chinook Salmon and Snake River Basin Steelhead Recovery Plan was adopted in November 2017.
Partnerships for Recovery
Salmon and steelhead 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 and steelhead 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 and steelhead recovery.
Key partners working to restore Snake River sockeye salmon, Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon, Snake River fall Chinook salmon, and Snake River steelhead are identified below.
Federal Partners
- Bonneville Power Administration
- Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- U.S. Geological Survey
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- U.S. Forest Service
State & Local Partners
- Idaho Department of Fish and Game
- Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation
- Oregon Governor's Natural Resources Office
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Northwest Power & Conservation Council
- Southeast Washington Snake River Salmon Recovery Board
- Grande Ronde Model Watershed
Tribal Partners
- Burns Paiute Tribe
- Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission
- Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
- Nez Perce Tribe
- Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
- Shoshone Paiute Tribes
- The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
- Upper Snake River Tribes
- Yakama Nation
More Information
- Steelhead Status Reviews and Five-Year Updates
- Steelhead Federal Register Notices
- Salmon and Steelhead Federal Register Rules and Notices prior to August 2019
- Steelhead Maps & GIS Data
- Salmon Publications
- Steelhead Publications
- Salmon and Steelhead Hatcheries on the West Coast
- Learn about what you can do to help endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead recover
- Recent 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 - Interior Columbia Basin Area Office
Bob Ries, Snake River Basin Steelhead Recovery POC
Email: Bob.Ries@noaa.gov
Phone: 208.882.6148
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.
