Protected Areas

Protected Areas are stream reaches where the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NPCC) determined that hydroelectric development would have unacceptable risks of loss to fish and wildlife species of concern, their productive capacity, or their habitat. The NPCC designated over 44,000 miles of rivers and streams between 1988 and 1992. Visit the NPCC Protected Areas page.

StreamNet provides access to these data, GIS layers, and tools in support of the NPCC’s Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program. NPCC staff access this content to assess whether proposed hydroelectricity developments are within designated Protected Areas.