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COLUMBIA BASIN |
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COLUMBIA BASIN |
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Maps of the Columbia Basin |
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The Columbia Basin subregion has the greatest area in the Pacific Northwest region. The boundaries of the subregion parallel the watershed boundaries of the Columbia river, which flows north-south across the entire state of Washington. The tributaries of the Columbia have their sources from Canada to central Oregon. Technically, the Snake river and its tributaries are part of the Columbia Basin but these watersheds have been separated in this atlas (see Snake River Plateau). |
Columbia Basin Farm Near Golden, WA |
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The Basin is primarily comprised of agricultural land with the area of central Washington supporting a diversity of crops. Along the south side of the Columbia river, in Oregon, wheat production is dominant and the Yakima River Basin in south central Washington is one of the most productive fruit and vegetable regions in the United States. |
Large groups of interior Indians occupied the Columbia Basin at the time of European settlement. These cultures used the readily available salmon and other wildlife to support their populations. Treaties in the mid-1800s moved most of the native Americans to reservations and confederated groups. Today the Yakima, Spokane and Warm Springs Confederated Tribes have large reservations that they manage as sovereign nations. Timber and some agricultural production are the primary economic activities on the reservations. Immigrants to the subregion were actively involved in water storage and irrigation projects to support agricultural production. Massive water storage, navigation, and hydroelectric projects were build along the Columbia river after the 1930's. |
Barge Entering the Locks -- The Dalles, OR
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Agriculturalists in the subregion and all populations in the entire region benefited from cheap electricity and water. Recently, the dams on the Columbia and its tributaries have been identified as a major obstacle to the salmon runs, contributing to their threatened status. The ability of humans to restore the salmon to the Columbia river is yet to be seen. |
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The Columbia Gorge |
The Deschutes River in the Columbia Basin -- Manpin, OR |
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