The Northwest Climate Science Center (CSC) is one of eight regional CSCs established under Secretarial Order No. 3289, which called for an expansion of the scope and geographic reach of the DOI's climate-science efforts. These CSCs will provide scientific information, tools and techniques that land, water, wildlife and cultural resource managers and other interested parties can apply to anticipate, monitor and adapt to climate and ecologically-driven responses at regional-to-local scales.

A consortium of three universities--Oregon State University, University of Washington and the University of Idaho--will lead the Northwest Climate Science Center offering support and services to these three states. The consortium provides expertise in climate science, ecology, impacts assessment, modeling, and advanced information technology. This expertise will be needed to deal with critical issues in the Northwest, where changes in temperature, rain, and snowfall could have significant impacts on streams and the salmon they support as well as forests and agricultural lands.