(University of Oregon School of Law, 2021-05-14) Reimer, Jake
The Columbia River Treaty (CRT) is an international treaty between Canada and the United States created to control and harness the Columbia River. The CRT was prompted by a 1948 flood that destroyed the city of Vanport, Oregon. The water management community regards the CRT as a premier transboundary water management treaty; however, a key flood control provision in the CRT will expire in 2024 unless the two countries negotiate a new provision. How Canada and the United States negotiate this provision will shape the economic and environmental landscape of the Columbia River Basin for decades to come. This Comment assesses the CRT as currently written and determines how the United States should approach modifying the treaty.
