Willamette River Salmon and Steelhead Legal Attacks
Current Status:
Active
Date Filed:
Jul 30, 2026
Case Title:
Marion County and City of Salem v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Staff attorney(s):
Laurie Rule
Lizzy Potter
Client(s):
Northwest Environmental Defense Center
To Protect:
Salmon
Steelhead
States:Oregon
Case Information:
August 18, 2026 — The Oregon district court granted our motions to intervene in these cases, which have now been consolidated.
July 30, 2026 — Advocates for the West filed motions to intervene in lawsuits brought by Marion County and the City of Salem, Oregon challenging the Army Corps of Engineers’ recent decision adopting operational measures for dams and reservoirs in the Upper Willamette River Basin to benefit salmon and steelhead. The lawsuits seek to stop the Corps from conducting a deep drawdown of the reservoir at Detroit Dam, even though the National Marine Fisheries Service determined that the drawdown is necessary to provide long-overdue fish passage at Detroit Dam for Upper Willamette River Chinook salmon and steelhead, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Advocates for the West’s victories in prior litigation resulted in required actions the Corps must take to protect these threatened fish, including deep drawdowns which require lowering the elevation of the reservoirs to allow juvenile salmon to safely navigate through the dams.
