The mission of the Channel Deepening Project has always been twofold: 1) to ensure our region´s economic competitiveness; and 2) to leave the Columbia River in better environmental shape than it is today.

Endangered Species Act Compliance
NOAA Fisheries (formerly National Marine Fisheries Service) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) – the two federal agencies responsible for endangered species protection – each issued biological opinions that stated deepening the Columbia River navigation channel will not jeopardize threatened and endangered fish and wildlife or their recovery.

Protecting and Improving the Environment
Thanks to an extensive process, including an eight-month public scientific review by nationally renowned environmental experts, the project now includes several mitigation and restoration initiatives which will significantly improve the Columbia River Estuary.

• Most of the dredge material will be disposed at upland sites for beneficial uses.
• Only 16 acres of wetland, 50 acres of riparian habitat, and 172 acres of agricultural land will be impacted.
• Environmental mitigation features will be constructed on a total of 740 acres of land.

Ecosystem Restoration Initiatives
Under the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, the following programs will be implemented:

Purple Loosestrife Control Program
Goal: maintain native tidal marsh plant community
Type of restoration: tidal marsh and swamp
Area affected by restoration: Columbia River between river miles 18 to 52

Tenasillahe Island Interim Restoration (Tidegate/Inlet Improvements)
Goal: Increase access/egress for ocean-type salmonids; improve access for adult salmonids
Type of restoration: Backwater/side-channel reconnection to Columbia River
Area affected by restoration: 92 acres

Walker/Lord and Hump/Fisher Islands Improved Embayment Circulation
Goal: Provide passage and rearing habitat for ocean-type salmonids
Type of restoration: shallow water and flats habitat
Area affected by restoration: 335 acres

Proposed Cottonwood/Howard Island Columbia White-Tailed Deer Introduction
Goal: Establish secure, viable subpopulation of Columbia
white-tailed deer
Type of restoration: translocation of Columbia
white-tailed deer
Area affected by restoration: 710 acres

Tenasillahe Island Long-term Restorations (Dike Breach)
Goal: Provide rearing habitat for ocean-type salmonids
Type of restoration: tidal marsh and swamp; shallow water and flats habitat
Area affected by restoration: 1,778 acres

Bachelor Slough Restoration
Goal: Provide riparian and rearing habitat for ocean-type salmonids
Type of restoration: shallow water habitat; riparian forest
Area affected by restoration: 85 acres instream restoration, 6 acres shoreline, 46 acres riparian restoration

Shillapoo Lake Restoration
Goal: Increase waterfowl, shorebird, wading bird and raptor habitat
Type of restoration: managed wetlands
Area affected by restoration: 470 to 839 acres

Tidegate Retrofits for Salmonid Passage
Goal: Connect tributary to lower Columbia River. Increase access/egress for ocean-type salmonids
Type of restoration: tributary reconnection to Columbia River
Area affected by restoration: 38 miles

Environmental Milestones

December 1999
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issues biological opinion, which stated the project would not jeopardize threatened or endangered fish species.

August 2000
Citing the need to study new biological evidence, NMFS withdraws its biological opinion and initiates a reconsultation process among the federal agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

January-August 2001
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFW), and the sponsoring ports retained the nonprofit scientific organization Sustainable Ecosystems Institute (SEI) to convene a panel to resolve scientific questions regarding the proposed channel deepening project. SEI selected seven nationally recognized experts to serve on that panel. In August 2001 SEI issued a report saying the project would have no measurable effects on salmonid species.

May 2002
NMFS and USFWS issued new "no jeopardy" opinions.

July 2002
Corps issues Draft Supplemental Integrated Feasibility Report, Environmental Impact Statement, and updated benefit/cost analysis (SEIS). Comments taken through September 2002.

September 2002
Corps hosts public hearings to take public testimony regarding SEIS.

January 2003
The states of Oregon and Washington hold public hearings on 401 Water Quality Certification and Coastal Zone Consistency (401/CZM) permits. Corps issues the Final Supplemental Integrated Feasibility Report and Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS).

May 2003
The states of Oregon and Washington hold second public hearings on state environmental permits for the purpose of opening the record and accepting the Corps' FSEIS for review.

June 2003
States of Oregon and Washington issue 401/CZM permits.

January 2004
Corps issues the final Record of Decision.

Summer 2004
Corps begins first phase of construction (ecosystem restoration features), following the execution of the Project Cooperation Agreement.

June 2005
Construction begins.

For more information regarding this important project, visit the Columbia River Channel Coalition (CRCC) Web site or contact the CRCC at 503.285.6343.

For more information, read the official Biological Assessment and Biological Opinions posted on the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers´ Web site.