In 2008, faculty from the public universities within the Columbia River Basin created the Universities Consortium on Columbia River Governance to offer a nonpartisan platform to facilitate an informed, inclusive, international dialogue among key decision-makers and other interested people and organizations.
At the 2019 conference convened in Kimberley, participants made it clear that formal transboundary public engagement is critical to the future governance of the shared Columbia River Basin. At the 2023 virtual symposum, the public spoke out on issues such as salmon reintroduction, Reconciliation, transition to carbon neutral energy, climate change, water quality along the Kootenay and Elk Rivers, agriculture, operation of the dams, the Arrow Lakes, the role of youth in the Basin, and of course governance. Following those dialogues, the guiding question of the 2024 symposium in Spokane asked: "What is the role of public engagement in the transboundary Columbia River Basin and what form of public education is necessary to facilitate that role?". The Steering Committee for the 2026 conference is still in discussion on how to best proceed, and ensure equitable representation of all voices in public engagement processes.
Current Consortium Members
- The University of British Columbia
Richard Paisley (founding member) - The University of Montana
Matthew McKinney (founding member) - Oregon State University
Aaron Wolf (founding member)
Lynette de Silva
Previous Consortium Members
- Washington State University
Michael J. Gaffney (founding member)
- The University of Idaho
Barbara Cosens (founding member)