Columbia River Workgroup

Overview

The Columbia River is a premier fishing destination, renowned for its world-class runs of Chinook salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon. The river offers abundant recreational fishing opportunities, even within the Portland metropolitan area. Key fishing zones include the Bonneville Dam tailrace, one of the best tail-water fisheries in North America, where anglers target spring Chinook, summer steelhead, and sturgeon from fall through spring. The river supports both boat and bank fishing, with productive areas near Troutdale, Hamilton Island, and the Multnomah Channel. Despite challenges from dams and pollution, the river remains a vital corridor for migratory fish and a cornerstone of regional angling culture. The Columbia is primarily served by our Columbia River Chapter.

Our Accomplishments

• 1970: Filed suit alongside the National Wildlife Federation against the Army Corps of Engineers to stop the lower Snake River Dams from driving Snake River salmon and steelhead to Extinction.
• 1981: ANWS was involved in achieving passage of stream-side riparian buffer zone rules and ANWS advocated to the commission, paid for educational signs at boat ramps, and distributed de-hookers to promote wild fish protection language included in the Northwest Power Act.
• 2000: Willamette Spring Salmon Season switched to Selective, which protected declining wild Spring chinook runs critical to the Columbia Basin's recovery.
• 2010: Won FEMA lawsuit alongside the National Wildlife Federation, protecting estuary habitat for listed salmon and steelhead.
• 2016: ANWS involvement was cited in the decision to drop a proposal for a LNG terminal in Warrenton, preventing dredging and access restrictions in the lower Columbia estuary.