New report: Global warming heats up urgency of Columbia/Snake salmon recovery

A report released March 27 documents global warming's effects on endangered Columbia and Snake river salmon and steelhead and proposes action steps to be incorporated into federal plans. The scientific review warns that global warming is now an overarching threat to salmon survival, and is co-authored by former Oregon fisheries chief Jim Martin and National Wildlife Federation global warming expert Patty Glick .

Their report, the first in  a project called Light In the River, which seeks to find and promote joint solutions for Northwest water, salmon and energy in the age of global warming. The initial report documents global warming's effects on endangered Columbia and Snake river salmon and steelhead and offers the first scientifically robust solutions designed for immediate incorporation into federal salmon recovery plans. It was released a month prior to federal agencies' expected May 5 submission of yet another court-ordered plan to recover Columbia basin salmon and steelhead. Three previous plans have been ruled illegal for failing to comply with the Endangered Species Act. Those plans have not included any action steps to account for global warming.

The Light in the River project is commissioned by Save Our Wild Salmon, NW Energy Coalition and the Sierra Club.