Motivated by the complex nature of salmon restoration, this interdisciplinary project seeks to integrate faculty, and faculty directed student research, from scientific and humanistic perspectives. The primary goal of this project is to investigate the current status of fish populations, habitat issues, water quality, and salmonid restoration in the Lower Columbia Basin, taking scientific, political, religious and ethical perspectives on this case. A primary assumption is that unless policy issues are informed by deep ethical reflection about their implications, and unless an ethically informed policy approach is integrated with the best available science, salmon recovery cannot be directed consistently toward a just and manageable goal.

The language of the Endangered Species Act pertaining to habitat and of the Clean Water Act addressing "beneficial uses" provides a starting point for such considerations. Various "beneficial uses" relate to different sub-basins of the Lower Columbia Basin. Society must take into account the scientific evidence related to these "beneficial uses" and prioritize ethical rights conflicts between different user groups. This project will assess three sub-basins, the Sandy, Clackamas and Santiam Rivers, in the Willamette River Drainage of the Lower Columbia Basin. Issues and questions to be addressed fall into three categories: biological and chemical issues, major policy considerations, and primary ethical questions arising from philosophical and religious motivations.

This project has a twofold trajectory. It will produce (1) a scholarly narrative addressing the interdisciplinary dynamics of integrating the scientific, ethical and political dimensions of salmon recovery and (2) action plans that provide guidelines for salmonid recovery in a manner incorporating the varied realities of salmon as naturalresources for society in general, cultural resources for tribal people, and biological entities with complex and fragile life cycles.

The primary goal of this project is to investigate the current status of anadromous fish populations, habitat issues, water quality, and salmonid restoration in the Lower Columbia Basin, taking scientific, policy, religious and ethical perspectives on this case. A key assumption is that unless policy issues are informed by ethical reflection about their implications, and unless an ethically informed policy approach is integrated with the best available science, salmon recovery cannot be directed toward a just andsustainable goal.

Summer 2002 - prepare outline and gather background material for scholarly article. Study "best science"; monitor Phase I progress of Lower Columbia/Willamette River TRT. Prepare ethics questionnaire for distribution to stakeholders and science and policy people.
Fall 2002 - engage in focus group analysis of ethical issues among stakeholders. Write first installment of article for ACCU occasional paper. Continue to monitor progress ofLC/W TRT.
Spring 2003 - engage with students in capstone integrating seminar; work on recovery planning documents for 3 watersheds (Sandy, Clackamas, South Santiam). Monitor Phase II policy forums. Prepare second installment of deliverable.

A scholarly narrative addressing the interdisciplinary dynamics of integrating the scientific, policy and ethical dimensions of salmon recovery. This will most likely unfold in several installments and will include published articles and/or presentations.

• First installment: An article for the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Journal (An ACCU Occasional Paper), Winter 2002-2003.


• Second installment: Paper or presentation for the College Theology Society's Theology and the Natural Sciences Unit, June 2003.

Action plans (for watershed councils) that provide guidelines for salmonid recovery in a manner incorporating the varied realities of salmon as natural resources for society,cultural resources for tribal people and biological entities with complex and fragile life cycles.

• Managing the complexity of this case study as it directly relates to the intersection of science, policy and ethics.


• Assessing and addressing the disjunction between scientific analysis, ethical reflection and policy formation and implementation within federal agencies and technical recovery staff involved in salmon recovery efforts (e.g. NMFS, Technical Recovery Teams).


• Acquiring proficiency on the currently available best science regarding population and habitat de-listing criteria for salmon recovery for the purpose of ethical and theological analysis. Issues of uncertainty and variability (seasonal, annual, cyclic, catastrophic) arise.


• Interdisciplinary issues within the realm of science. Problems of scalability from streams to entire watersheds (e.g. how do you get from a stream temperature to a watershed-level temperature criterion?). Ground-truthing of mathematically based population dynamics models for fish species. How to make the leap from internal mathematical consistency to actual real world verification processes? What do M&E requirements look like?


• Involvement of and communication with sub-basin stakeholders (e.g. watershed councils) on the process of scientific-technical analysis, ethical reflection and policy formation.

Russell Butkus and Steven Kolmes, "Strategic Interdisciplinarity," Colorado School of Mines Quarterly, Vol. 3, 2003.

Russell Butkus and Steven Kolmes, Salmon Restoration in the Lower Columbia Basin: A Scientific and Theological Analysis (2004) Catholic Higher Education, 33 manuscript pages.

Catholic Social Thought Across the Curriculum Conference, October 2003, Catholic Social Thought and the Environmental Crisis (University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis)

Taking Advantage of New Opportunities for Environmental Sciences, Project Kaleidoscope Assembly, September 2003, Integrating Ethical Analysis and Scientific Analysis in Environmental Studies (University of Portland)

Annual Meeting of the College Theology Society, May 2003, Strategic Interdisciplinarity: A Scientific and Theological Analysis of Salmon Recovery in the Lower Columbia River Basin (Marquette University)

Pacific Northwest Region Annual Meeting, American Academy of Religion, April, 2003. Salmon Restoration in the Lower Columbia basin: a Scientific and Theological Analysis (University of Idaho)

Russell Butkus and Steven Kolmes, Salmon Restoration in the Lower Columbia Basin: A Scientific and Theological Analysis (2004) Current Issues in Catholic Higher Education, 33 manuscript pages.

"Ethics of Salmon Recovery," Vancouver, WA office of the USFWS, March 4th, 2004.
Russell Butkus and Steven Kolmes, Strategic Interdisciplinarity: Integrating Scientific and Ethical Analysis in Environmental Studies. (Available for download as a PowerPoint Presentation or as a PDF.)

ND work has significantly impacted the team member's already existing Integrating Capstone Seminar (ENV 400) and is basic to the design of their new course Theology in Ecological Perspective (THEP 482).