Kleinschmidt Associates, an environmental and hydropower consulting firm, has partnered with Anchor QEA to lead the development of fish passage systems at Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. The project, undertaken for the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT), seeks to reintroduce salmon to historical habitats blocked by the dams. These two facilities are among the largest hydropower producers in the US and the last in the Columbia River system without fish passage systems.
The initiative supports UCUT’s Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP), which aims to restore salmon populations to the Upper Columbia River while balancing ecological, cultural, and hydropower priorities. The project includes feasibility studies, planning, and engineering design for fish passage systems. Kleinschmidt and Anchor QEA will work alongside UCUT member tribes, dam operators, and regulators.
“As we begin the critical step in our 20-year journey to reintroduce salmon into the Upper Columbia, we are grateful to welcome the expertise of Kleinschmidt and Anchor QEA teams in advancing fish passage solutions,” said Laura Robinson, Policy Analyst for UCUT. “Together, we will ensure that future generations can once again rely on the resilience and abundance of these waters.”
Andy Holmes, Project Manager at Kleinschmidt, described the collaboration as an honour: “The fish in this region have an ancestral and spiritual connection to the people who live here, dating back thousands of years. It is a privilege to work together towards restoration.”
Anchor QEA’s Chief Strategy Officer, Saman Chaudry, added: “This project is a remarkable step toward restoring salmon populations and honouring the cultural and ecological legacy of the Upper Columbia United Tribes. We are proud to support this transformative effort.”
The project’s first milestones include operational adult fish passage facilities at Chief Joseph Dam by July 2028 and juvenile facilities at Grand Coulee Dam by March 2030. These efforts aim to reestablish salmon populations and contribute to ecosystem restoration in the Upper Columbia River Basin.
