The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will receive $17 million in the next fiscal year for Columbia River fish migration projects, a reduction of 29% from the current budget. (Courtesy Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will receive less federal funding for Columbia River fish mitigation (CRFM) this year.

“This CRFM appropriation is an important source for many salmon projects in the basin,” Tom Conning, public affairs specialist for the Corps’ Northwestern Division, told the Capital Press.

The CRFM program addresses anadromous fish passage and survival issues in both the Columbia and Snake rivers.

In the 2024 fiscal year, CRFM funds for the Columbia River were $23.8 million. For the 2025 fiscal year, funds are nearly $17 million, a decrease of 29%

The CRFM allocation for the Willamette River was $42.9 million in 2024 and is $19 million for 2025, a decrease of 55.6%.

“We don’t know what, if any, impacts there will be right now,” Conning said.

Salmon-related projects don’t cost a consistent amount, he said.

“However, we do collaborate with our partners and other salmon managers in the region while submitting funding requests,” he said. “As is typical during the federal budget process, we work with our partners in the region to prioritize projects depending on how much funding we actually receive from Congress.”