Our Mission and Challenge
Our mission is to protect and restore a robust fishery for Lake Roosevelt. Multiple agencies and stakeholder groups coordinate efforts and resources to:
- Support conservation and stewardship of native species
- Maintain and enhance recreational fisheries that are economically productive
- Evaluate and monitor the health of the fishery
- Provide subsistence fishing opportunities for Native American tribes
In 1941 the gates of Grand Coulee Dam closed and the free flowing upper Columbia became Lake Roosevelt, the sixth largest reservoir in the United States. As waters behind the dam rose 380 feet, a dynamic new environment took hold.
Now:
- Anadromous salmon no longer migrate to this area.
- Water flows, habitat conditions and lake elevations change throughout the year as Grand Coulee Dam is used to meet flood control, irrigation, power, and downstream salmon needs.
- Introduced walleye, smallmouth bass and other non-native species compete with native species.
The collaborative effort to protect and restore a robust fishery began in the 1980s. Extraordinary progress has been made, yet much work remains to be done.