U.S. Perspective on the Columbia River Treaty

Since discussions about the future of the Columbia River Treaty began in 2018, citizen engagement has been an important issue.

This approach is in stark contrast to what happened half a century ago. When the Columbia River Treaty was drafted in the early ‘60s, citizen engagement was not something that governments on either side of the border deemed important.

Today, things are different: over the past year, the U.S. Treaty negotiating team has held a series of Town Hall meetings in the U.S. Basin. These sessions aim to hear Basin residents’ perspectives about the Treaty and keep them informed as negotiations progress.

Like their Canadian neighbours, U.S. Basin residents and groups bring a wide range of perspectives and concerns about the Treaty.

The most recent Town Hall was in Kalispell, Montana, on March 20, 2019. More than 200 people attended, among them State Senators, House Representatives, industry leaders and citizens. Many had a chance to voice their thoughts on the Treaty.

Lincoln County Commissioner Josh Letcher shared a personal story about the Treaty’s impact, recalling how his own family’s lands were flooded due to construction of the Libby Dam and the filling of Lake Koocanusa.

At the Town Hall meeting last September in Portland, Oregon, Mayor Ted Wheeler noted that one of the key concerns is maintaining the current levels of flood control provided by the Treaty. Flood control is a significant concern for U.S. Basin residents, since the Treaty’s current flood-control provisions expire in 2024.

U.S. lead negotiator Jill Smail has stated that, among the key objectives from the American perspective, are “continued, careful management of flood risk; ensuring a reliable and economical power supply; and improving ecosystem benefits.”

As Treaty negotiations continue, governments on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border will continue engaging with Basin residents as negotiators weigh the many viewpoints to be considered in a modernized Columbia River Treaty.