The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest, and the 4th largest river in the United States. It drains an area the size of France, and extends into seven states and British Columbia. The River serves as critical habitat for 13 ESA-listed species of salmon and steelhead, and is of paramount importance to Native cultures, serving as a bountiful source of tribal subsistence. The River is also home to 14 Federal hydroelectric dams on the mainstem, providing 44% of hydropower consumed in the U.S., and is of critical importance to navigation interests, providing a navigable highway for the transportation of goods and products from the Inland Empire to the Pacific Ocean, and ultimately the Far East.

This seminar will delve into the complex legal, economic and policy conflicts that result from competing uses of this vital natural resource.