Judge orders changes to Columbia and Snake river dam operations to help 'disappearing' salmon

The ruling came in a decades-long legal effort by the states of Oregon and Washington, Native American tribes, and conservation and fishing groups to ensure better protections for migrating salmon.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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A federal judge in Oregon has ordered narrow changes to hydropower dam operations on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest in order to help salmon, saying the Trump administration's plans for the massive structures would harm salmon runs that are 'disappearing from the landscape.' The ruling came in a decades-long legal effort by the states of Oregon and Washington, Native American tribes, and conservation and fishing groups to ensure better protections for migrating salmon, which are killed in large numbers by the dams.

Why it matters

The Columbia River Basin was once the world's greatest salmon-producing river system, but today four salmon stocks are extinct and seven are endangered or threatened. The dams have altered life in a wide area, providing jobs, hydropower, and navigation, but also harming salmon in a number of ways such as slowing their migration to the ocean and exposing them to more predators.

The details

The ruling orders that reservoirs remain at the same level as last year and maintains the status quo on spill levels, which the plaintiffs argued can help fish travel through the dams faster. The federal government had sought higher reservoir levels, arguing the plaintiffs' request would compromise the ability to operate the dams safely and efficiently for power generation, navigation and irrigation.

  • The ruling came late Wednesday.
  • In 2023, the Biden administration promised a $1 billion deal to help restore salmon while boosting tribal clean energy projects, but the Trump administration torpedoed that agreement last year.

The players

U.S. District Judge Michael Simon

The federal judge in Oregon who issued the ruling.

Oregon and Washington

The states that were part of the decades-long legal effort to ensure better protections for migrating salmon.

Native American tribes

They were also part of the decades-long legal effort to ensure better protections for migrating salmon.

Conservation and fishing groups

They were also part of the decades-long legal effort to ensure better protections for migrating salmon, including the National Wildlife Federation.

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse

A Republican from Washington whose district includes some of the dams, who criticized the ruling as threatening the region's hydroelectric system.

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What they’re saying

“Once again, environmental activists are using judicial allies to threaten our hydroelectric system, which provides clean, baseload energy to millions in our region.”

— U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (Social media post)

“The judge 'made the right call' in rejecting 'the Trump administration's refusal to uphold salmon protections'.”

— Democratic Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek (Statement)

“If the government had been allowed to implement their proposal, it would have had really, really devastating consequences for salmon.”

— Amanda Goodin, Attorney, Earthjustice

What’s next

The judge's order maintains the status quo on dam operations, but the long-running legal battle over salmon protections is likely to continue.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between hydropower, agriculture, and environmental concerns in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the challenges of balancing the needs of endangered salmon with the economic interests tied to the region's dams.