LEWISTON, ID — The Northwest Power and Conservation Council will hold a public hearing in Lewiston later this week to gather input on its draft Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.

The hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29, from 4 to 6 p.m. Pacific Time on the third floor of the Nez Perce County Courthouse, located at 1230 Main Street.

The draft program outlines proposals aimed at supporting fish and wildlife affected by the Columbia Basin hydrosystem, including salmon, steelhead, Pacific lamprey, white sturgeon, bull trout, and other species. The plan guides roughly $300 million in annual investments, funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, to meet mitigation requirements under the Northwest Power Act.

According to the council, key components of the proposal include hydrosystem operations designed to support juvenile fish migration, continued habitat restoration efforts across the basin, maintenance of existing fish and wildlife infrastructure, and expanded predation management strategies in specific river reaches.

Over the past decade, the program has improved, restored or managed an average of 59,000 acres of habitat each year throughout the basin. The draft plan proposes maintaining that pace while advancing new habitat projects and upgrading long-standing investments such as fish screens, hatcheries and passage facilities.

The Lewiston hearing is part of a broader series of public meetings being held across Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Montana. Public comments on the draft program will be accepted through March 2.