Tribes and States Sue Trump Administration Over Western Dam Operations

Native American tribes and conservation groups are engaged in two separate legal and political battles against the Trump administration over hydropower infrastructure in the Western United States. In the Columbia River Basin, the states of Oregon and Washington, alongside the Yakama Nation and Earthjustice, sought a preliminary injunction in a Portland federal court on February 6-7, 2026. The plaintiffs argue that current dam operations violate the Endangered Species Act and request lower reservoir levels and increased spill at eight dams to prevent the extinction of salmon and steelhead. This action follows President Donald Trump's June decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, a $1 billion restoration deal from the Biden era.

Simultaneously, the Round Valley Indian Tribes are contesting federal opposition to the decommissioning of the Scott and Cape Horn dams on the Eel River in California. While Pacific Gas & Electric Co. has applied to decommission the facilities, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned in December 2025 that removal would devastate family farms in Potter Valley. The tribes are advocating for a "two-basin solution," a 30-year framework that maintains seasonal water diversions to the Russian River while restoring tribal senior water rights and river health. The tribes have accused the administration of ignoring their historical rights and excluding them from federal discussions.