Presenters clarify scope: water-quality and temperature not in this forecast; public comment open through July 31

During the question-and-answer session, participants pressed the presenters on topics omitted from the draft report and on process questions. When asked why lethal summer water temperatures and Clean Water Act thresholds for salmon were not addressed, team members said water-quality assessment was beyond the scope of this supply-and-demand forecast and that related work is handled in other programs and collaborations (for example, with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and prior Bureau of Reclamation work).

Melissa Downs of the Office of Columbia River acknowledged public concern and said the team will respond in writing to comments in a technical supplement. She also said the project team is "doing our best to meet the November 2026 deadline" for submitting the forecast to the legislature. Sonia Hall and Melissa Downs reminded attendees that the public comment period on the draft legislative report is officially open through July 31 and provided the link for written submissions.

The Q&A also included map-clarification requests (how the Columbia Basin Project overlay is shown), legal questions about first-in-time water-rights law (the presenters noted statutory changes would require legislative action), and methodological questions about using remote sensing versus surveys for drought impacts. Presenters committed to clarifying map legends and to documenting written responses to detailed technical questions in accompanying materials.