Columbia River Mainstem Fish Tissue and Water Quality Monitoring Program

Project abstract: 

In 2016, Yakama Nation staff began working with Washington Department of Ecology to outline a vision for a Columbia River toxics monitoring program. With this vision, we implemented an outreach program to seek input and support from Columbia River stakeholders.

In 2020, Yakama Nation was successful in securing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) funding to begin Phase 1 of a multi-phased effort. Phase 1 work included engaging stakeholders, developing a Technical Monitoring Framework and an Outreach Messaging Framework, and conducting community engagement. 

In 2022, Yakama Nation secured additional EPA CRBRP and Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF) grant funding for a Phase 2 Pilot Study in the Bonneville Pool, an approximately 50-mile stretch of the Columbia River (Bonneville Dam to The Dalles Dam). The Pilot Study sampled for key toxics in fish (resident fish and adult/juvenile salmon), sediment, as well as developed outreach materials, a QAPP, and a Summary Report. In addition, a Draft Implementation Plan was developed for the long-term Columbia River Basin-Wide Toxics Monitoring Program, which includes the Mainstem Monitoring Program.

The Yakama Nation’s next step is to work towards Phase 3 – full implementation of the Mainstem Monitoring Program, which is currently not funded. In addition, we will work collaboratively to support Basin-Wide Monitoring Program efforts, including ongoing efforts to secure funding, identify a lead agency, and develop a program strategy and data management system.

Throughout this work, the Yakama Nation has partnered with the Columbia River Intertribal Fisheries Commission (CRITFC), Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology), Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ), and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to complete this work. In addition, we have collaborated with numerous federal, state, tribal, local Government and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) entities.

Project goals: 

Implementation of a Long-Term Monitoring Program to track the status and trends of toxics in fish, water, sediments, and invertebrates in the Columbia River mainstem from Bonneville Dam to the Canada border. This will be accomplished through a well-designed, respected, trusted monitoring program that delivers technically sound, unbiased data to support tribes, agencies, NGOs and citizen groups in their efforts to restore the Columbia River. Our goal is a clean, healthy Columbia River that supports natural resources, sustains cultural practices, and provides healthful foods.

Publicly Available Data:
1. USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) – database
(Identifiers: See Station Numbers in Appendix B, and “MCT” for MidColumbia Toxics as project acronym)
 
2. EPA Water Quality Exchange (WQX) – database
(Identifiers: See Station Numbers in Appendix B, and “USGS-MCT” as project acronym) 

More Projects of Columbia River Mainstem Monitoring Program:

https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-program-report

Related Announcements:

EPA, 2020: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/24979f1fd3124cc7bb4c85147d38eedc

Project downloads: 
PDF icon 12/27/2020 Contaminants Monitoring Framework Columbia River Mainstem Fish Tissue and Water Quality Monitoring Program
PDF icon 1/2021 Quality Assurance Project Plan Columbia River Mainstem Fish Tissue and Water Quality Monitoring Framework 1/21
PDF icon 9/15/2022 Outreach Messaging Framework Columbia River Mainstem Fish Tissue and Water Quality Monitoring Program
PDF icon 4/20/2023 Yakama Contaminants Monitoring Framework V2 Update
PDF icon 4/20/2023 Quality Assurance Proj. Plan Implementation of the Columbia R. Mainstem Fish Tissue and Sediment Quality Monitoring Pr
PDF icon Quality Assurance Project Plan for Implementation of the Columbia River Mainstem Fish Tissue and Sediment Quality Monitoring Pro
PDF icon Draft Implementation Plan for a Basin-Wide Monitoring Program
PDF icon 9/30/2025 Outreach Memorandum
PDF icon 1/28/26 Summary of Pilot Sampling and Protocol Development Bonneville Dam to Canadian Border
PDF icon Revised- Generalized Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for: Columbia River Mainstem Fish Tissue and Sediment Quality Monitor

Project Photos:

  • Figure 1. The study area for the Columbia River Fish Tissue and Water Quality Monitoring Program that encompasses the Columbia River (purple) from Bonneville Dam (rkm 234) to the U.S. border with Canada (rkm 1196). Major salmonid bearing tributaries are also depicted (blue).
  • Figure 1. The study area for the Columbia River Fish Tissue and Water Quality Monitoring Program that encompasses the Columbia River (purple) from Bonneville Dam (rkm 234) to the U.S. border with Canada (rkm 1196). Major salmonid bearing tributaries are also depicted (blue).