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The Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI), proposed by the 'Six Sovereigns' (four Tribal Nations and the states of Oregon and Washington), outlines a long-term strategy to restore native fish populations to 'healthy and abundant levels'. The centerpiece of the proposal is the breaching of four Lower Snake River (LSR) dams, which the document asserts is the only reasonable way to ensure the recovery of Snake River stocks. To make this viable, the CBRI calls for federal investment to secure 'continuity of services'—replacing the dams' energy, transportation, irrigation, and recreation benefits—prior to breaching. The plan also includes reintroducing fish into blocked areas of the Upper Columbia, improving water quality and quantity, and implementing predator control. It emphasizes a 'whole of government' approach to funding, including the use of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Northwest Power Act, while upholding federal Treaty and trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations.

The University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group (CIG) focuses on research, tool creation, and community connection to build climate resilience. Their work includes assisting tribes with vulnerability assessments and adaptation plans, managing trans-boundary water and wildlife projects with Canadian partners, and operating as part of a network of eight regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs) that provide technical advice and projections to policymakers.

The report highlights Lake Winnipeg's extreme vulnerability to upstream pressures due to its very low volume relative to its massive drainage basin. It argues that managing the lake in isolation is insufficient and recommends a transboundary, basin-wide framework that treats land as 'ecological infrastructure.' By implementing distributed storage and wetland restoration, the region can mitigate floods, capture nutrients, and buffer against climate change while supporting hydroelectric generation. The document draws on case studies from the Columbia River and Murray-Darling basins to illustrate how integrated water resources management (IWRM) and ecosystem services can balance competing economic and environmental needs.