Action timeline

September 6, 1994 – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the Kootenai River population of the white sturgeon to be endangered.

June 29, 1999 – The Center filed suit for critical habitat designation for the Kootenai River white sturgeon.

September 30, 1999 – The Service completed a recovery plan for the Kootenai River white sturgeon, which delayed final reform of Libby Dam for at least 10 years.

2001 – The Center and partners submitted comments to the Service, calling for an expansion of the critical habitat proposal that would include the entire U.S. section of the Kootenai River watershed.

December 21, 2000 – After a federal judge ordered critical habitat designation for the Kootenai River white sturgeon, the Service proposed to designate 11.2 miles of an already-protected section of Kootenai River, containing inadequate spawning grounds, as critical habitat for the fish.

May 7, 2002 – The Center and allies notified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of their intent to sue over the Corps' failure to implement a water management plan for Libby Dam called for by the Fish and Wildlife Service.

February 20, 2003 – The Center officially filed a complaint against the Service stating that currently designated critical habitat was insufficient for the survival of the sturgeon.

February 8, 2006 – The Service decided to designate an additional 6.9 river miles in Boundary County, Idaho as critical habitat for the Kootenai River population of the white sturgeon.

December 13, 2006 – The Center and partners notified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of their intent to sue the agency for neglecting to install additional turbines for Libby Dam, needed to increase river flows in the sturgeon's critical habitat.

July 9, 2008 – The Fish and Wildlife Service finalized a rule granting the Kootenai River white sturgeon 7.1 additional river miles of critical habitat.

Photo by Rene Reyes, Bureau of Reclamation