USACE Announces Salmon River Navigable

Following extensive U.S. Army Corps of Engineers review, the Northwestern Division Commander, Brigadier General Scott A. Spellmon, signed a Finding of Navigability Determination for the Salmon River, from River Mile (RM) 0 to RM 259.

This decision is consistent with other long-established determinations made by the State of Idaho (1980) and the U.S. Coast Guard (1974) that the Salmon River in Idaho meets navigability criteria from its confluence with the Snake River upstream to the city of Salmon, Idaho.

The navigability study effort involved locating, researching and summarizing evidence of historical use and condition of the waterway, collecting technical and mapping information on the river system, and preparing an official report of findings.

Regulated activities include: structures built, excavation, dredging, or depositing material in the river, and “any other work that affects the course, location, condition or capacity of navigable waters.”

The Salmon River and its tributaries are already subject to Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, requiring a U.S. Army Corps permit to conduct work or discharge material in the river. Because issuing a permit is a federal action, the Corps must consult with other federal agencies to ensure permitted activities do not violate other federal laws such as the Endangered Species Act.