▁slow ▁until ▁a ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁Columbia ▁River ▁flo od ▁caused ▁extensive ▁damage ▁from ▁Tra il , ▁British ▁Columbia , ▁to ▁near ▁Ast oria , ▁Oregon , ▁completely ▁destroy ing ▁Van port , ▁the ▁second ▁largest ▁city ▁in ▁Oregon . ▁The ▁increased ▁interest ▁in ▁flo od ▁protection ▁and ▁the ▁growing ▁need ▁for ▁power ▁development ▁initi ated ▁ 1 1 ▁years ▁of ▁discussion ▁and ▁alternative ▁propos als ▁for ▁construction ▁of ▁d ams ▁in ▁Canada . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 9 , ▁the ▁govern ments ▁issued ▁a ▁report ▁that ▁recommended ▁principles ▁for ▁negoti ating ▁an ▁agreement ▁and ▁app ort ion ing ▁the ▁costs ▁and ▁benefits . ▁F ormal ▁negoti ations ▁began ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁and ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁was ▁signed ▁ 1 7 ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Die fen b aker ▁and ▁President ▁Eisen h ower . ▁ ▁The ▁treat y ▁was ▁not ▁implemented , ▁however , ▁until ▁over ▁three ▁years ▁later ▁because ▁of ▁difficulties ▁in ▁creating ▁arrang ements ▁for ▁fund ing ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁Canadian ▁d ams ▁and ▁market ing ▁the ▁elect rical ▁power ▁ow ed ▁to ▁Canada ▁which ▁was ▁sur plus ▁to ▁Canadian ▁needs ▁during ▁the ▁early ▁treat y ▁years . ▁A ▁Tre aty ▁Pro tocol ▁and ▁a ▁Canada - B . C . ▁agreement ▁were ▁signed ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁that ▁limited ▁and ▁clar ified ▁many ▁treat y ▁prov isions , ▁defined ▁rights ▁and ▁oblig ations ▁between ▁the ▁British ▁Columbia ▁and ▁Canadian ▁govern ments , ▁and