Event Recap
Ontario, Oregon | August 24–26, 2026
Legislators from across the Pacific Northwest attended the Legislative Council on River Governance (LCRG) meeting in Ontario, Oregon, to examine the forces reshaping the Columbia and Snake River System. Chaired by Oregon Representative Bobby Levy, the 2026 LCRG convened within the Eastern Oregon Economic Summit, which brought together business leaders, legislators, and key stakeholders to discuss Eastern Oregon economic issues.
LCRG discussions examined drought impacts on energy generation on the Columbia River, data center industry development across the basin, the advancing multi-front threat of invasive mussels, and how decades of streambed restoration work are buying time for salmon recovery. Speakers included Tony Norris and Milli Chennell of the Bonneville Power Administration; Montana Senator Mike Cuffe and Jeff Yanke of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife; Khara Boender of the Data Center Coalition; and an aquatic invasive species panel featuring Heidi McMaster of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Josh Emerson of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Justin Bush of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Keith DeHart of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Thomas Woolf of Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Key Takeaways
1. Power Generation on the Columbia River Is Operating Through Its Driest Stretch in 66 Years
- 2026 water supply forecasts came in at 73.5 million acre-feet (maf) at The Dalles (82% of the 30-year average), 53.3 maf at Grand Coulee (92%), and 14.6 maf at Lower Granite (69%).
- 2026 marks the fourth consecutive dry year on the Columbia, the first time that has happened in the 66-year water supply forecast record.
- Unlike other major western river basins, the Columbia River stores only a small fraction of annual runoff, so storage releases provide an incremental boost to flow but cannot turn a dry year into an average one.
- Minimum-flow and draft-limit triggers at projects such as Libby, Hungry Horse, and Grand Coulee dams are tied directly to water supply forecasts, and refill operations are relaxed during adverse conditions to balance fish and power objectives.
2. Streambed Restoration in the Grande Ronde Basin Is Buying Time for Fish Recovery
“[Streambed restoration] projects are . . . buying us a little more time to make some larger actions to bring more fish home.”
– Jeff Yanke, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- The Grande Ronde Basin remains connected to the ocean, draining into the Snake River below Hells Canyon Dam.
- The Grande Ronde Model Watershed Council is supported by a mix of state, tribal, industry, and federal partners, and most of its restoration work takes place on private land, where landowners retain full control over how their land is used.
- Funding decisions prioritize matching the right partner to each landowner based on the species present, habitat type, and how the land is being used. Fish passage devices installed at irrigation diversions have also improved irrigation efficiency.
- Since 1992, using techniques such as bank sloping and boulder and wood placement, ODFW and its partners have completed 304 projects and restored 615 river miles basin wide.
3. Data Centers Are Becoming a Significant Fixture of the Western Economy and Grid
- Data centers support a far broader range of functions than commonly assumed, including processing credit card transactions.
- U.S. data center power demand is expected to reach 80 gigawatts by 2030, up from 25 GW in 2024, with the U.S. accounting for roughly 40% of the global market. Diesel remains the most common form of backup generation, and industry advisory partners such as Caterpillar sit alongside major tech firms on the Data Center Coalition’s board.
- Roughly 67% of the world’s population is online today, an increase of 45% since 2018, and the average U.S. household now has 21 connected devices; a 2020 study found data centers’ computing output rose 550% between 2010 and 2018 while energy consumption increased only 6%.
- PwC’s 2024 economic analysis found data centers supported $10.8 billion in Oregon GDP, $33.8 billion in Washington GDP, $2.4 billion in Idaho GDP, and $962 million in Montana GDP.
4. Invasive Mussels Are Advancing on the Columbia Basin, and States Are Racing to Respond
“We are facing threats upstream and downstream.”
— Justin Bush, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
- The Columbia River Basin remains largely free of established invasive mussels, except for a quagga mussel invasion in a small section of the Snake River, but 2026 saw two golden mussel detections in Oregon and inconclusive sampling at Prineville Reservoir.
- Invasive mussels can cost hydropower and irrigation operators millions annually through added maintenance, overheating, and clogged pipes; land-based transport of watercraft remains the primary introduction pathway for quagga and zebra mussels, but the introduction of golden mussels from ballast water is a significant threat.
- To expand inspection and decontamination capacity, Oregon passed HB 2170, which authorizes intergovernmental agreements for watercraft inspection effective January 1, 2026. Montana funds 17 inspection stations, most of which are operated by intergovernmental partnerships.
- Federal officials emphasized coordination tools, including a Department of the Interior invasive species strategic plan and the interjurisdictional invasive species rapid response team.
- Speakers renewed calls to collaborate with California on matters concerning the introduction of invasive golden mussels, which have spread significantly across the state since 2024 and now pose a significant risk of spreading to other river systems.
Looking Ahead
- The Water Resources Development Act of 2026 reauthorization, along with federal FY2027 appropriations, will determine whether watercraft inspection and monitoring programs receive the funding officials say they need to address new invasive mussel threats.
- Continued sampling following Oregon’s two 2026 golden mussel interceptions, and the still-inconclusive results at Prineville Reservoir, will keep shaping rapid-response planning across the basin.
- Continued dry conditions on Columbia and Snake Rivers will keep water managers balancing flood control, irrigation, fisheries, and power production into 2027.
- Data center construction and demand are expected to keep climbing through 2030; keeping siting, energy, and water-use questions on state legislative agendas.
LCRG Leadership Rotation
At the conclusion of the meeting, LCRG members elected Montana Representative Gary Parry to serve as chair in 2027 following his nomination by the Montana delegation. Members and staff also expressed their sincere gratitude to Oregon Representative Bobby Levy for her leadership and service as LCRG chair throughout 2026.
Final Reflection
The Columbia and Snake River Basin, the fourth-largest river by flow in the United States, faces ever-growing threats. Legislators are well positioned to collaborate across state lines and with state and federal agencies to implement solutions and preventive measures addressing current and emerging challenges. The conclusion is clear: as risks to power generation, water use, fisheries, and aquatic infrastructure rise, the answer isn’t to give up; it’s to double down on the partnerships, prevention, and forecast-driven management that have kept the river system resilient so far.