A judge halts Trump-era dam changes on Columbia and Snake rivers to protect salmon, preserving 2025 water levels.

Reservoir levels and water spill rates must stay at 2025 levels in order for a federal judge in Oregon to order limited operational changes to hydropower dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers in order to support struggling salmon populations. The decision halts Trump administration plans that would have exacerbated the decline of salmon and is part of a decades-long legal battle by states, tribes, and environmental organizations. Judge Michael Simon referred to the fish's disappearance as a national crisis impacting ecosystems, tribal treaty rights, and regional economies, and he criticized the government's lack of action. The modifications, which do not include dam removal, are intended to enhance juvenile salmon migration by lowering delays and turbine injuries. By weighing concerns about hydropower, navigation, and energy reliability against fish survival, the decision maintains the status quo.