Treaty Fact: What does Called Upon Flood Control mean?

The phrase ‘Called Upon’ refers to a provision in the Columbia River Treaty that automatically takes effect in September 2024 when the 60-year Assured Flood Control regime expires.  This provision remains in effect as long as the Treaty dams exist, even if the Treaty is terminated, unless a modernized Treaty is negotiated.

Under the Assured Flood Control regime, which has been in place since the Treaty was ratified in 1964, Canada operates with reserved space in its Treaty reservoirs to provide guaranteed flood risk management to the United States. 

The Called Upon regime requires the United States to make “effective use” of their reservoirs to manage flood risk, drafting them more deeply and frequently, before “calling upon” Canada for additional storage to prevent flooding.  The United States would be required to compensate Canada for financial impacts and economic losses linked to the foregone use of reservoir space during the flood period.

Agencies in the United States have been informing residents who may be affected by the Called Upon regime of potential impacts.  On Lake Roosevelt, those impacts could include temporary, seasonal closure of boat ramps; loss of ferry service during periods when lake levels are below docking requirements; increases in shoreline erosion and beach exposure; and potential negative effects to resident fish.  The shift in regime could also impact navigation, transportation, irrigation, levee systems and property in the U.S. Columbia Basin.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation hosted a series of public webinars last fall to explain the potential effect of this change in regime, which they refer to as ‘real-time operations.’  Watch the recording or read the article published by the Lake Roosevelt Forum to learn more.