Between the Bitterroot and Lemhi Ranges south of Salmon, Idaho, the Lemhi remains one of the most productive rivers for spring Chinook in the Upper Salmon River Basin. While melting snow pack usually provides sufficient spring flows for adult Chinook returning to spawn, 2004 was a drought year. In response, the Idaho Department of Water Resources, in collaboration with the Office of Species Conservation and Water District 74, negotiated

agreements with eight ranchers on a major diversion upstream from the confluence of the Lemhi and Salmon Rivers. With support from CBWTP, flexible agreements provided for payment of water used to maintain minimum stream flows of 35 cubic feet-per-second for the May 16 - June 30 migration period. A week after the agreement was invoked – providing much needed flows – spring rains filled out the shortfall.

Lolo Creek physically joins the Bitterroot River south of Missoula, but in most years the creek is dry at the confluence. The State of Montana lists the Lolo as “chronically and periodically dewatered.” Permanent acquisition of a water right by the Montana Water Trust about five miles upstream from the Bitterroot now increases minimum recorded stream flows by more than 30%.

With CBWTP's assistance, restoring water in the lower portion of the Lolo will help imperiled bull trout reconnect to habitat in the upper reaches of the basin. Additionally, MWT's membership in the community of local water right holders opens new opportunities to build trust for other efforts in the area.

South of Missoula, the Bitterroot River traverses one of Montana's fastest growing counties. In addition to a celebrated blue-ribbon wild trout fishery, the Bitterroot hosts imperiled bull trout, which have suffered from a historically dewatered river. An agreement facilitated by TU – Montana Water Project will provide an annual 10,000 acre-feet of high-quality water, benefiting fish and enhancing the value of the Bitterroot as a healthy, scenic river for a growing population. The water is stored in a state-owned

reservoir, Painted Rocks, in the headwaters of the Bitterroot and released when the river flows drop. TU – MWP innovated a long-term contract through its partnership with the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and local irrigators. With CBWTP's assistance, the agreement provides for ongoing maintenance and rehabilitation of Painted Rocks Reservoir and guarantees flows for the river permanently.

Reduced flows from water withdrawals has been a long-standing challenge for spawning and rearing fish in the Middle Fork of central Oregon's legendary Deschutes River. With CBWTP's support, the Annual Water Leasing Program of the Deschutes River Conservancy is helping to address this problem by providing water right holders with other options.

In FY 04, the program more than doubled the average summer flow in the Middle Deschutes, resulting in the largest portion of protected water in the Deschutes River. With some 174 landowners participating – an increase of over 60% from 2003 – nearly 25,000 acre-feet of water was leased on the Middle Fork and its tributaries.

Although the John Day Basin supports the largest remaining – exclusively wild – runs of spring Chinook and summer steelhead in northeastern Oregon, insufficient water flow limits their recovery. With CBWTP's support, a local rancher received payment from the Oregon Water Trust in exchange for suspending an irrigation diversion for a part of the year.

As a result, flows in a critical stream were increased by about 25% during the spawning period for spring Chinook. Because over one-third of their spawning habitat is just upstream, this transaction offers a major boost for migrating fish. It also coincides with a long-term program OWT is conducting in the John Day area to monitor the biological, physical, and chemical effects of stream flow restoration.

Two hours southeast of Seattle, the Washington Water Trust is using support from the CBWTP to transfer water to a side channel of the Naches River on a property recently purchased by the Yakama Nation. The tribe plans to restore riparian vegetation

and add meanders to the channel, which had been previously altered to provide irrigation water. WWT's project allows for the permanent diversion of water into this important refuge for coho, spring Chinook and summer steelhead.