The Columbia River’s drainage basin is roughly the size of Texas and includes parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and British Columbia.
The so-called Great River of the West begins in Canada but flows mostly in the U.S. on its 1,243-mile route to the Pacific Ocean. It forms most of the border between Washington and Oregon. Its tributaries provide 40% of U.S. hydropower, irrigate $8 billion in agriculture products and move 42 million tons of commercial cargo annually.
While running for president last year, Trump called the river a giant “faucet” in Canada that could be turned on to provide much-needed water to California.
To end the treaty
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