Lake Roosevelt News

The Washington Department of Ecology’s (Ecology) Northport Waterfront cleanup project began construction on March 4th. Click here for pictures.

Located on the Columbia River next to the Northport Town Park and boat launch, the cleanup will relieve elevated levels of arsenic, copper, lead, and zinc in soil and sediment considered to be a risk to human health and the environment.

As shown in the graphic, work has begun on the hillside and will progress to four more cleanup areas over the next eight months, a longer timeline than was originally planned due to unusually high spring water. Park Road, including the boat launch and the town park, is currently closed. Ecology is building a secondary access route to the boat launch and park to accommodate the community’s needs, estimated to be opened in late April.

Pollutants being cleaned up are associated with wastes that were dumped and spread along the shore from the Le Roi Smelter, which was previously removed, cleaned-up, and reclaimed to be what is now Northport Town Park.

For more project information, click here to visit Ecology’s Northport Waterfront website. You can view more photos and watch the cleanup progress by periodically visiting their Northport Waterfront Flickr album.

Via a Federal Register Notice being released March 7th, EPA will propose listing the Upper Columbia River (UCR) as a Superfund site on the National Priorities List. The notice will start a 60-day public comment period from March 7 – May 6, 2024.

Click here for EPA news release. Click here for one page EPA summary of the proposed listing.

The proposed UCR site will roughly extend from Grand Coulee Dam to the Canadian border (a 150-mile river reach that includes Lake Roosevelt) and includes about 77,000 acres of land east and west of the Columbia and south of the U.S.—Canada border called the “uplands.”

February 2024 and October 2023 Forum articles provide EPA’s rationale for proposing the listing, Washington State and tribal support, and counties opposed. The Forum’s 2020 Public Guide summarizes EPA's Human Health Risk Assessment, including the public being able to safely recreate on Lake Roosevelt and the Upper Columbia River.

For more information about the proposed listing, the Federal Register notice, and how to submit comments, visit EPA’s website at Current NPL Updates: New Proposed NPL Sites and New NPL Sites.

For EPA information on Upper Columbia River site background and ongoing studies, visit the Upper Columbia River Study Area website.

Held September 19th and 20th, over 440 3rd – 5th grade students from 11 schools gathered at the Kettle Falls Swim Beach area and Sherman Creek Hatchery to participate in this fall’s Festival. 

Students and teachers were greeted by area agencies, tribes and other natural resource managers manning 15 interactive learning stations. As students rotated through, their knowledge of Lake Roosevelt and the watershed grew.

Said one teacher, “Thank you for another wonderful Lake Roosevelt Water Festival! The students really enjoyed their experience, and I overheard a few students say, 'This is the best field trip I've ever been on!'”

A big thank you to Forum partners and volunteers for making this happen: Avista, Colville Confederated Tribes, Colville High School, Ferry Conservation District, National Park Service, National Weather Service Spokane, Spokane Tribe of Indians, Stevens Conservation District, U.S. Forest Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 

Water Fest 2023

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kids enjoying Water Festival activities

Following a public comment period, the WA Department of Ecology (Ecology) completed the Engineering Design Report for cleanup of smelter-related metals contamination on Northport’s waterfront area next to the Town Park. The report provides details about the excavation of contaminated materials in the waterfront, bay, and hillside areas, site staging and hauling, stormwater management, and public access improvements.

The engineering design meets Ecology goals to protect people and restore the shoreline environment next to the park. State funding of this effort comes from the Eastern Washington Clean Sites Initiative.

Six companies submitted bids for the cleanup. The winning bidder is Versatile Industries, Inc. of Ione. Construction is scheduled to begin Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Temporary closure of Park Road, the Town Park, and the boat ramp and waterfront will begin on that date.

Ecology is coordinating with the Northport Mayor on the temporary closure and working to accommodate the community’s plans to use the park and waterfront.

In 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated the Upper Columbia River Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). Funded under a settlement agreement with Teck, its purpose is to establish the nature, extent and possible human and ecological risks of metals and other contaminants released into the environment.

EPA and the Participating Parties (Ecology, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Spokane Tribe of Indians and Department of Interior) are currently reviewing the Draft Final Upland Remedial Investigation (RI) Report, that Teck American Inc., submitted in October 2023.

EPA released the Final Upland BERA (Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment) in December 2023. The BERA evaluates the risk of chemicals (in this case primarily metal contaminants) in soils to plants and wildlife. Also known as Operable Unit 3, the uplands refer to approximately 100 square miles (64,000 acres) east and west of the Columbia River below the U.S.—Canada Border. The BERA is posted at www.ucr-rifs.com/documents/risk-assessments/bera/.

The upcoming Upland Feasibility Study will define the areas needing cleanup and evaluate a range of cleanup alternatives to address risks to people’s health and the environment.

TAI will submit the Aquatic BERA in April 2024.  This BERA will evaluate risk to plants, wildlife, fish, and other organisms in and along the river from contaminants such as zinc, copper, cadmium, mercury, and lead found in sediment and slag.

 

As previously reported by the Forum, EPA drafted and received public input on a draft “Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities.” Of particular importance to the Upper Columbia Valley communities are objectives to reduce exposure to lead in soils.

Below is EPA’s January 19, 2024 email regarding additional guidance and how it may affect Upper Columbia River Site actions.

___________________________

EPA email notification

This email is to notify you that EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management has finalized the attached Updated Residential Soil Lead Guidance for CERCLA Sites and RCRA Corrective Action Facilities.

As you are aware, the EPA has been revising its guidance on residential soil lead contamination resulting in the new guidance memo. This guidance is specific to residential properties defined as, “any areas where children have unrestricted access to lead contaminated soil”. Updating the residential soil lead guidance is a significant milestone in EPA’s agency-wide Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities. EPA has made this change because protecting children from lead exposure is a top priority, and because science has shown that lead exposure is harmful to children’s health at lower levels than was reflected in previous agency guidance in 1994.

What impacts might this have on the Upper Columbia River Site?

Screening levels are not cleanup levels. Screening levels are used to help identify areas, contaminants, and conditions that may pose risk and require further attention at a particular site. Areas of a site where concentrations are below screening levels generally require no further action. Areas where concentrations exceed screening levels may warrant further investigation, and may, but not always, require cleanup or other actions necessary to address unacceptable risks.

Previous studies have shown that Pb concentrations exceed soil screening levels throughout upland portions of the UCR study area.  EPA’s Upper Columbia River Team will be assessing what this new guidance means for the cleanup. The updated Pb guidance will be used to determine where additional sampling may be required and will be considered in the development of soil-based cleanup goals. EPA makes cleanup decisions specific to each site, including setting cleanup levels, using site-specific factors such as risk factors, community input, and the level of lead that was already in the area (called the background level).

More than 70 residential properties and common use areas within the Upper Columbia River study area have been cleaned to date, during which contaminated soil was replaced with clean soil. It is unlikely that previously cleaned areas will be affected by the new guidance.

What next?

Although the guidance is effective immediately, EPA welcomes feedback from the public which may be considered in any future updates to the guidance. Please submit written feedback on the guidance in the public docket on www.regulations.gov (Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OLEM-2023-0664) for 60 days from January 17, 2024 – March 17, 2024.

Exposure

 

National Park Service

Dan Foster Retires

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (LRNA) Superintendent Dan Foster retired in December. He was LRNA’s Superintendent for 10 years. His career with the National Park Service spanned 31 years. The Forum thanks him for his service.

Roseann Worley, an NPS Internal Controls Coordinator in the NPS San Francisco regional office, will be the interim Superintendent for four months. In 2021, she was the interim Superintendent at Lava Beds National Monument. Welcome, Roseann!

Winter Access

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area invites you to come and enjoy the great outdoors no matter the season. With reduced staffing and resources during the winter, facilities, and services are limited. Visit www.nps.gov/laro for winter access details.

Keller Ferry Marina Improvements

Public input through January 31 is being sought for replacing and improving houseboat docks at the Keller Ferry Marina.

Per their press release, “NPS proposes to improve the Keller Ferry Marina by replacing parts of the aged docks with houseboat and potentially short-term and transient moorage, as well as grading the marina lakebed to provide a flat surface for anchoring the new dock system.” To comment, go to  https://parkplanning.nps.gov/kellerferrymarina.  

Seven Bays Marina Environmental Assessment

Public review and comment period for the Seven Bays Marina Rehabilitation Environmental Assessment (EA) will open on January 29, 2024 and go through February 28, 2024. The EA outlines a range of feasible project alternatives, including a no action alternative, and analyzes the environmental effects of each. It also incorporates comments received during the public comment period held in August 2023. The public can access and comment on the EA document online through the Planning Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website: http://parkplanning.nps.gov/sevenbaysmarina

 

Upper Columbia United Tribes

Northern Pike Information Sharing Virtual Workshop

 

Date: February 15, 2024

Time: 12 to 3 PM PST

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81699344412?pwd=aTlDWUEzUUtqKzhMSnhqMTQzL01Ddz09

Meeting ID: 816 9934 4412

Passcode: 930964

Topics will include: 

Lake Roosevelt Northern Pike work and lessons

Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission Northern Pike surveys

Okanagan Nation Alliance Northern Pike work

Alaska Department of Fish and Wildlife's work to quantify the impacts of invasive Northern Pike

Discussion of topics of mutual interest and concern

 

Spokane Tribe of Indians

Upper Columbia Basin Contaminant Study

The Spokane Tribe completed project scoping activities in 2023 including two test deployments of a sediment particle trap, and limited sampling.  The Tribe plans to use information gained in 2023 to implement the full suite of project sampling in 2024 which will include collection of water, suspended sediments, bottom sediments, biofilm, and crayfish. This EPA grant funded project assists efforts to evaluate distribution of heavy metals in the Upper Columbia River and Lake Roosevelt across media, identify which contaminants are entering the food web via biofilm, evaluate movement of contaminants transported through the river, and to test the feasibility of a sediment particle trap design.

 

Citizens for A Clean Columbia

Air Monitoring Update

Last November, summer intern Dev Nirschl provided Citizens for a Clean Columbia (CCC) some initial data from PurpleAir monitors placed near the Upper Columbia River. Said CCC’s newsletter, “She found that over several summer months, Northport and Trail PM 2.5 sensors followed a similar pattern, as shown below, but Trail readings were consistently lower.”  Nirschl’s slide deck noted “Northport’s elevated ambient PM2.5 levels could be coming from wood heating in colder months and outdoor and residential burning during non-smoke periods.”

 

Northport vs Trail

 

 


 

As Reported by Teck American

Colville Fish Hatchery. $10,000 to the Colville Skills Center branch campus of the Colville School District. Students manage the retired Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife fish hatchery for Stevens County, raising triploid rainbow trout that are used to pay the mortgage and sell to private landowners that want to stock their own ponds. Students work closely with WDFW Sherman Creek Fish Hatchery, which is now being run by former students of the program. Working with agency personnel gives the students the opportunity to learn about careers that are hands-on and outdoors.

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N.E.W. Hunger Coalition $4,000 to help the organization with several initiatives, including the purchase of fresh locally grown produce to be delivered to 17 food pantries. This past year, N.E.W. Hunger Coalition launched Grow Your Own Row classes and helped almost 300 participants get home gardens started. They supplied two community gardens with seeds and plant starts, one at a retirement center, the other at Wellpinit Food Pantry. Finally, with the help of an Innovia Foundation grant, they were able to add a walk-in cooler that enabled them to extend their season and move more produce to 17 food pantries. Learn more at newhungercoalition.org

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Operation Santa of Kettle Falls. $5,000 donation to help make sure each child in the local community of Kettle Falls, WA and beyond, wakes up Christmas morning to gifts from Santa, as well as a stocking filled with goodies, a book to read, and essentials like toothbrushes and toothpaste, soaps, blankets and socks. Year-round assistance is also provided to community residents with back‐to‐school clothing and backpacks, furniture and household goods, and medical equipment. www.facebook.com/operationsantakf.

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Communities in Schools of Washington State. $4,000 to support Republic School District. Their mission is to empower students to stay in school and achieve success in life. To do this, the program identifies and addresses students’ immediate needs as well as more complex challenges. Learn more at ciswa.org

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Click here to see complete donation descriptions as well as additional donations to St. Margaret’s Shelter, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and other causes in eastern Washington.

 In October, the Forum reported that EPA may propose adding the Upper Columbia River study area to the National Priorities List (NPL), aka-- Superfund.  The Upper Columbia River study area currently extends from Grand Coulee Dam to the Canadian border (a 150-mile river reach that includes Lake Roosevelt) and includes about 77,000 acres of land east and west of the Columbia and south of the U.S.—Canada border called the “uplands.”

If EPA proposes a Superfund (NPL) listing at this time, it will begin with a federal register notice in February to open a public comment period. The next opportunity to propose a listing may be in September. NPL listing is a two-step process. First, sites are proposed to the NPL. Then, after public comment is received and reviewed, a second federal register notice is required to formally place a site on the NPL.

In EPA briefings to stakeholders, reasons to propose a listing include:

  • Enough is known to determine if the Upper Columbia River belongs on the NPL list that ensures cleanup of high priority contaminated sites.
  • Lead contamination exists through upland portions of the area that poses risk to residents in affected areas.
  • EPA can request funds to conduct remedial actions or cleanups on the National Priorities List.
  • The existing EPA Settlement Agreement with Teck that currently funds the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) does not cover cleanup actions EPA may propose.
  • The U.S. Supreme Court found that Teck is not liable for cleanup of upland soils or other areas found to be contaminated because of air emissions.

EPA has received letters of “concurrence” or support from Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CCT), and the Spokane Tribe of Indians.

Said Jarred-Michael Erickson, the Chairman of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, "The Colville Tribes supports Superfund listing for the Upper Columbia River. It is beyond question that this section of the river is polluted, and a thorough restoration of the river will be an expensive project. A Superfund listing will unlock access to necessary funds for remediation, and a listing would reflect the high priority for cleanup that this site deserves."

EPA has briefed staff for U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers. In addition, EPA provided a staff briefing to the U.S. Energy and Commerce Committee chaired by McMorris Rodgers.

In a January 26th discussion with the Eastern Washington Council of Government, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers was clear that she does not support an NPL/Superfund listing at this time.

Eastern Washington County Commissioners continue to oppose a listing. Their objections and concerns are summarized in both the Forum’s October eNews article and letters recently sent to EPA from Stevens County, Lincoln County and the Eastern Washington Council of Governments. In addition, Stevens County sent a letter to Governor Inslee objecting that “… not a single local elected was contacted, consulted, or allowed any discussion with you on this subject prior to you sending this letter of concurrence.”

If EPA proceeds with proposing a listing, the documents used to determine eligibility for the NPL will become available for public review as part of a public comment period. In that event, the Forum will be committed to assuring maximum review and community engagement.

Regardless of whether there is a superfund listing, the 2006 agreement with Teck to fund and conduct the RI/FS will continue.

Houston, we have lift-off.

In September, the Department of Interior announced a historic agreement that includes Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) providing $200 million over 20 years to advance the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUTs) salmon reintroduction Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP).

Further, the Bureau of Reclamation is providing the UCUTs $8 million over two years to support P2IP, including funding from their new WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program. Additionally, Cathy McMorris Rogers led securing $5 million dollars through congressional appropriations in FY23, and NOAA Fisheries awarded $1.1 million in Salmon Recovery grant funding. Lastly, the Washington State Legislature and Governor Inslee secured over $6 million in the 2022 Supplemental Budget and the 2023-2025 Biennium Budget. This long-term commitment of federal and state support is a key step to securing the future of salmon in the Upper Columbia River. 

P2IP will occur in a stepwise fashion over approximately 20 years. The first step focuses on the collection of baseline information regarding salmon survival and behavior in the blocked area as well as after they migrate to the ocean.  The tribes and state are also working to ramp up the availability of salmon for release in the blocked area, including hatchery-raised juveniles for tagging studies and surplus hatchery adult salmon for re-populating the spawning grounds.  Later steps will focus on the development of interim fish passage facilities and collecting data necessary to design permanent passage solutions.   

2024 efforts include:

  • continuation of an outmigration study to collect data on juvenile salmon behavior as they migrate downstream, and hauling adult salmon from hatcheries below Chief Joseph Dam to spawning areas in the blocked area.
  • First steps toward exploring and developing fish passage options.
  • Additional educational and cultural releases.
  • Increasing tribal capacity to take on the heavy and important lift of implementing the P2IP

The Forum looks forward to regularly reporting progress on this extraordinary effort.

Deeper Winter/Spring Drawdowns of Lake Roosevelt May Be Coming

September 2024 should be circled on your calendar. If the United States and Canada do not reach an agreement on modernizing the Columbia River Treaty by that time, treaty flood risk management provisions change to “called upon.” Called upon means the United States will call on Canada to specify flood risk management space needs from Canada, which (following a consultation) Canada must then provide.   Most important, the United States would need to demonstrate the use of all related storage before requesting Canadian space.

Instead of “called upon,” the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now uses the phrase “real time operations” or “real time flood risk management” to describe what will occur.  

Last fall, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation hosted public webinars to explain the potential effect of this change in practical terms. Although there is a lot of uncertainty, the webinar’s intention was to make the public aware of potential changes with the assurance that agencies will share additional information when more is known.

In opening remarks, Brigadier General Geoff Van Epps, Northwestern Division Commander, said the change to real time operations “may lead to deeper drafts in Grand Coulee [Lake Roosevelt] as well as reduction in some flexibility.”

Figure A shows the potentially dramatic change to Lake Roosevelt water elevations. The blue line at the top shows, historically, average lake elevations month to month. Depending on seasonal weather conditions and how Canada may choose to operate its reservoirs after September 2024, the yellow line shows how deeply Lake Roosevelt could be drawn down, representing a worst-case situation. The shaded area shows the potential range in these average elevations during winter and spring if Treaty negotiations result in some degree of pre-planned or other operational benefits from Canada.

Figure A

Capture

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/CRWM/Columbia-River-Treaty/


Figure B provides an easy way to understand the need for additional drawdowns of Lake Roosevelt. Under current treaty provisions, the green area represents the dedicated reservoir storage Canada provides annually for flood risk management. Representing 8.95-million-acre feet, it “is about double the amount of water in Lake Roosevelt behind Grand Coulee Dam,” said Reservoir Control Center Chief Julie Ammann with the Northwestern Division of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

 

Figure B

Available Columbia River System Storage Capacity

 

Storage_Capacity.jpg

Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers webinar, www.nwd.usace.army.mil/CRWM/Columbia-River-Treaty/.


In September 2024, the Canadian dedicated flood risk management provision in the treaty sunsets. And with it, lost flexibility in managing Lake Roosevelt drawdowns to meet downstream flood control needs. While Treaty negotiations with Canada continue, the current level of Canadian flood risk management should not be expected to continue.

Eric Rothwell, a Columbia River civil engineer with the Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region, noted the following increased potential drawdown effects to Lake Roosevelt:

  • Temporary, seasonal closure of boat ramps during times when minimum lake elevation requirements are not met. As boat ramps have varied lake elevation requirements, how many boat ramps would be closed and for how long would be dynamic.
  • Loss of Gifford and/or Inchelium ferry service during periods when lake levels are below docking requirements. Loss of service would affect medical emergency response, school activities, and other time sensitive needs.
  • Increases in shoreline erosion and beach exposure.
  • Potential negative effects to resident fish include entrainment (juveniles being forced past Grand Coulee Dam because of increased water flows) and potential decreased spawning habitat availability.
  • The timing of pumping water to Banks Lake may be affected, with greater water level fluctuations, and the cost of pumping may increase. Irrigation water delivery to the Columbia Basin Project is likely to be unaffected.


An additional potential negative impact of deeper drafts not mentioned by the Corps and Reclamation is increased transport of contaminated sediment from upstream to downstream portions of the reservoir. Deeper and more frequent drawdowns also have the potential to alter the thermal structure in the reservoir and impact the size and composition of the planktonic communities, thereby affecting the food web. These changes may affect the Environmental Protection Agency’s Upper Columbian Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study, particularly the Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment that is currently underway.

On the positive side, not mentioned is that white sturgeon recovery efforts may benefit because higher flows may mitigate recruitment failure at the larval stage, the time from hatching to developing into juveniles.

To view the webinar in full, visit https://www.nwd.usace.army.mil/CRWM/Columbia-River-Treaty/.

Negotiations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty began in May 2018. Since then, 18 rounds of negotiation have occurred. The U.S. Department of State leads the American negotiating team, which includes representatives from the Bonneville Power Administration, the Corps Northwestern Division, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The U.S. delegation also includes expert advisors from the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Click here for the Department of State’s most recent status update on negotiations.

If negotiations do not bear fruit, the real time operational changes to Lake Roosevelt begin in September.

News Release
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
Date: November 20, 2023
Contact: Brekyn Worbes, 509-754-7866Brekyn Worbes, 509-754-7866

----------------

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area invites you to come and enjoy the great outdoors no matter the season. With reduced staffing and resources during the winter, facilities, and services are limited. 

During the winter season, camping is only available in the Kettle Falls, Fort Spokane, and Spring Canyon campgrounds. Campsites are limited to:

  • Kettle Falls: loop 1
  • Fort Spokane: loop 1
  • Spring Canyon: lower loop

Reservations are required but can be made in advance or from the campground upon arrival with adequate cell phone service. Reservations must be made at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Individual campsites are available for winter camping at $11.50 per night. 

There is no water service at Lake Roosevelt during the winter months. Vault toilets are available but will be cleaned on a limited basis. Please plan accordingly for water and restroom facilities.

Snow removal and sanding procedures run from November 1 to March 31 once two or more inches of snow have accumulated. The following locations are plowed on an as-needed basis:

  • Kettle Falls boat launch and campground loop 1 road. Parking pads at campsites 3, 6, 9, 10, and 13 will also be plowed.
  • Gifford boat launch
  • Fort Spokane boat launch and the campground road to the vault toilet will be plowed.
  • Parking pads at campsites 1, 2, 3, and 4 will also be plowed.
  • Keller Ferry boat launch
  • Spring Canyon boat launch and lower campground loop road (but not individual campsites)

Additional locations may be plowed as weather and safety conditions allow.

All dumpsters and trash cans have been removed from our campgrounds, boat launches, and day-use areas. Please practice Leave No Trace principles and recreate responsibly by taking your trash home to dispose of it. Do not leave trash or dispose of it in fire rings. Under 36 CFR 2.14 (a) (1) visitors are prohibited from leaving refuse in places other than refuse receptacles as it is considered littering and may result in a fine of up to $200.

Gates throughout the park will allow staff to close boat launches that are out of the water and protect lakeshore resources during the annual lake drawdown periods. Please remember that driving off road, metal detecting, and digging of any kind are against park regulations.

All other Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area land is open to the visiting public to enjoy walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing opportunities as conditions permit.

Please check with www.nps.gov/laro for specific details about park operations

The Forum’s venerable Executive Director, Andy Dunau, will be retiring in 2024. Said Scott Hutsell, Lincoln County Commissioner, “Andy’s been at this for more than twenty years. He knows the people, the issues, the tribes, agencies, counties, and interest groups. Most importantly, he’s trusted by one and all to get the facts right, share information and keep us networking. We’re sad to see him move on and very thankful for his service, including leaving the organization in good shape for the next Executive Director.”

The Board of Directors is looking for someone with the passion and communication skills to build on the Forum’s non-partisan tradition and mission to “increase awareness, promote dialog and support public engagement regarding the environment and economic well-being of Lake Roosevelt communities.”

Click here for job description and how to apply.

EPA is considering adding the Upper Columbia River from Grand Coulee Dam to the Canadian border (a 150-mile river reach that includes Lake Roosevelt) to the National Priorities List (NPL), aka-- Superfund. Also included is about 77,000 acres of land east and west of the Columbia and south of the U.S.—Canada border called the “Uplands.” Click here to see enlarged map.

Over the summer, EPA engaged with congressional staff, the state, tribes, counties, and others to discuss proposing an NPL listing as early as February 2024.

At an Eastern Washington Council of Governments (EWCOG) meeting on September 29th, county commissioners representing Stevens, Ferry, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Grant, Asotin, Columbia, Adams, Garfield, and Whitman counties expressed skepticism, frustration and concern with EPA considering a proposed NPL listing at this time.

Why Now?

EPA originally considered an NPL listing in the early 2000s. Instead, EPA entered into a 2006 settlement agreement with Teck American (Teck) that assured funding and completion of a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). An RI/FS is foundational to all superfund listings by defining the nature and extent of contamination, identifying possible human and ecological risks, and (as needed) developing a cleanup strategy. Click here to see enlarged graphic.

As the agreement to fund and conduct the RI/FS reaches its 15th anniversary, it’s still not complete. Commissioners wanted to know why considering a proposed listing would occur before completion of the RI/FS.

EPA essentially had two responses. First, enough investigation is complete to establish human health risks due to the presence of lead in Uplands soil. For a proposed NPL listing, that’s enough to list the entire study area, including the Columbia River from Grand Coulee Dam to the international border. 

Second, EPA believes a listing will open-up potential funding. Said EPA’s Region 10 Remedial Cleanup Branch Chief Kira Lynch, “Coming to you today about listing the site is so that we can have more tools in our toolbox and be able to access the federal resources that become available to us once we have a site listed.” Future federal funding possibilities, however, were not identified.

Said Stevens County Commissioner Wes McCart, “If you are just looking for money and tools to do this, I think there are alternatives to that that would take the Superfund piece out of this and get the cleanup needed [in the Uplands] right away.”

Boundaries

A proposed listing has no firm site boundaries. Per EPA’s presentation, “Site boundaries are not determined until all investigative work has been completed and there is a full understanding of where contamination is and the risk it poses to human health and the environment.”

The commissioners repeatedly expressed their frustration that the economies and infrastructure of the entire 150-mile Columbia River reach would suffer the stigmatism and losses of an NPL listing without first determining there is risk. “Avoiding that,” said McCart, “was the whole reason the 2006 agreement was reached in the first place.”

Adding to their frustration was considering an NPL listing on the heels of the 2020 Human Health Risk Assessment that provided positive news related to fish, beaches, and surface water for the 150-mile river reach. (Click here for the Forum published Public Guide summarizing human health findings). Regarding aquatic (river) ecological risks, Lynch said “We can’t answer your question right now, but I can tell you we’re very close to getting to that place.”

Everything Relates to Everything

Beyond general economic considerations (development, recreation, property values, etc.), commissioners were deeply concerned about the impact and relationship of a listing on other priorities and initiatives. Such relationships, noted the commissioners, included irrigation of 670,000 acres of agricultural land supported by the Upper Columbia River; the $200 million area tribes are slated to receive over the next twenty years to support salmon reintroduction; and possible effects to the aquatic (river) ecological risk assessment if flows significantly change due to outcomes of Columbia River Treaty (CRT) negotiations.

EPA said it is working with the Bureau of Reclamation to support assurances water quality used for irrigation is not a concern; that previous fish studies do not indicate a concern for salmon reintroduction efforts; and that they would follow-up on CRT concerns.

Human Exposure to Lead in Soil

"EPA's goal," per their PowerPoint, "is to limit Pb [lead] risk to no more than 5% of the population.” Depending on soil screening levels EPA is in the process of updating and soil sampling to date, this could result in 194 to 385 developed properties being eligible for cleanup and 71 to 115 undeveloped properties with sampling areas that exceed screening levels.

EPA acknowledged, however, that completion of the RI/FS and Record of Decision would be needed before eligible properties would be considered, prioritized and funding identified for cleanup. The exception to this rule is time critical removal actions for properties EPA identifies as eminent human health risks. Dating back to 2004, over 75 public and private properties in Northport and the surrounding area have benefited from soil cleanup because of EPA time-critical removal actions and voluntary agreements with Teck.

An NPL listing, however, is not directly linked to identifying properties for time critical removal action and receiving cleanup funds. EPA Region 10’s nuanced position is that an NPL listing improves their ability to compete for future funds to cleanup properties.

Regardless of an NPL listing, a ninth circuit court decision has determined Teck is not liable for soil cleanup in the Uplands resulting from aerial deposition. Previous cleanup by Teck in the Uplands was voluntary, as would any future cleanup support. 

Next Steps

EPA repeatedly stated a final decision on whether to propose a listing has not occurred, nor is there a firm timeline for making the decision. Additional staff, however, have been secured to support improved community outreach. As a result, EPA expects to have more meetings with community groups, town/city councils and other local entities.

Regardless of whether an NPL listing is proposed, EPA said the RI/FS investigation will continue and the 2006 agreement with Teck remains in place.

 

Lake Roosevelt Water Festival

Held September 19th and 20th, over 440 3rd – 5th grade students from 11 schools gathered at the Kettle Falls Swim Beach area and Sherman Creek Hatchery to participate in this fall’s Festival. View pictures

 

Students and teachers were greeted by area agencies, tribes and other natural resource managers manning 15 interactive learning stations. As students rotated through, their knowledge of Lake Roosevelt and the watershed grew.

 

Said one teacher, “Thank you for another wonderful Lake Roosevelt Water Festival! The students really enjoyed their experience, and I overheard a few students say, 'This is the best field trip I've ever been on!'”

 

A big thank you to Forum partners and volunteers for making this happen: Avista, Colville Confederated Tribes, Colville High School, Ferry Conservation District, National Park Service, National Weather Service Spokane, Spokane Tribe of Indians, Stevens Conservation District, U.S. Forest Service, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

 

Fish Fest

Saturday, September 9th brought out over 500 adults and kids to participate in the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area’s (LRNRA) first Fish Fest at Spring Canyon. View pictures

 

175 free fishing poles were passed out for people to try angling. In addition, 11 agencies and non-profits hosted information tables to help people learn more about how to catch fish and what it takes to safely play on the lake and protect its resources. And no one left hungry, with the Lions Club stepping in to cook and provide hot dogs at no charge.

 

While fishing in shallow water on a hot day resulted in only a lucky few catching fish, it didn’t deter enthusiasm and fun.

 

Emilee Franklin, a LRNRA education specialist that organized the event, was thrilled with the turnout, commenting she hopes this will become an annual event. 

 

 

For 60 years, the Columbia River Treaty has enabled the United States and Canada to cooperatively adjust reservoir space in both countries to control river flows, providing flood control, hydropower, and other downstream benefits. Unless negotiations to modernize the treaty are successful, on September 16, 2024 river operations will change to “called-upon" and thus increase the uncertainty of river flows.

Four virtual public information sessions in September and October hosted by the Army Corps and Bureau of Reclamation will be used to start informing the public about potential changes.

Dates and Times:

  • Wednesday, Sept. 27: 12-1 p.m. PST and 5-6 p.m. PST
  • Tuesday, Oct. 10: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. PST and 5-6 p.m. PST

Access:

Link: https://usace1.webex.com/meet/edward.t.conning

Call: 1-844-800-2712 (US) (Call-in toll-free number)

Code: 1998 73 5911#

Click here for full Corps news release.

 

The next negotiating session for modernization of the Columbia River Treaty regime is October 12-13, 2023 in Portland, Oregon.

The U.S. Department of Interior announced a historic agreement to support reintroduction of salmon populations in the Upper Columbia River Basin. Click here for the news release.

Key features include:

  • Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) will provide $200 million over 20 years to advance the tribally led Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP).
  • The Bureau of Reclamation will provide the Upper Columbia Tribes (UCUTs) $8 million over the next two years to support P2IP, including funding from their new WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program.
  • The tribes will pause existing litigation for twenty years. 

Grade 3-5 classrooms and home school groups can still sign-up for this fun filled learning event. Contact us at info@lrf.org for more information.

 

Over 400 3-5 grade students will join us September 19-20 for The Lake Roosevelt Water Festival at the National Park Service Kettle Falls Day Use Area and Sherman Creek Hatchery.

 

Thank you to WA Department of Fish & Wildlife, US Forest Service, National Park Service, Avista, 

National Weather Service, Stevens Conservation District, Ferry Conservation District, and Colville Confederated Tribes who will be teaching students throughout this fun two-day event. 

Click here for the draft Engineering Design Report to cleanup smelter-related metals contamination at Northport’s waterfront area next to the Town Park. The Washington Department of Ecology is directing cleanup efforts and invites comments on the draft report by October 5th.

The draft engineering report includes specifications such as removal and placement of materials and public access improvements. Click here for public notice with email and postal mail options to comment.

After completion of the comment period, a bidding process is expected with the intent for construction to occur in 2024. Click here for Ecology’s Northport Waterfront cleanup web page.

Thank you to the 40 plus people who joined the Forum for our 2023 Upper Columbia Bus Tour.

Great presentations given on fisheries, water quality, environmental cleanup, culture, recreation and more. Said one participant, “Thank you. I always learn so much and meet new people.”

Any day the Forum engages our community in dialog about our environment, economies and building a path forward together is a good day. Thank you to the participants and presenters for providing a good day. 

As reported in the Winter 2023 newsletter, EPA divided the Upper Columbia River Site into multiple operable units (OUs) for completion of the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS).  The RI/FS began in 2006 as part of a Settlement Agreement between Teck American Incorporated (TAI) and EPA.  The RI will determine whether and where there may be unacceptable risks to people or the environment due to legacy smelting operations.  The FS will identify various remedial alternatives to address unacceptable risks documented by the RI risk assessment process.

TAI submitted two major RI/FS documents for the OU 3 Upland portion of the UCR Site in 2021. The 2021 documents included the draft Upland Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment (BERA) and the draft Upland Remedial Investigation (RI) Report.  EPA provided comments to both documents, including the draft final version of the Upland BERA received in February 2023. In May 2023, EPA disapproved TAI’s draft/final Upland BERA.  By taking this action, EPA assumed responsibility for revising and finalizing the Upland BERA as allowed for by the 2006 Settlement Agreement. EPA is working with TAI to ensure that the upcoming draft final version of the Upland RI will address EPA’s major comments.

TAI is currently preparing BERA and RI reports for the two aquatic OUs at the UCR Site.  OU 1 primarily consists of the upper, river-dominated, section of the Site north of Kettle Falls; OU 2 consists of the lower, reservoir-dominated (Lake Roosevelt) section of the Site extending down to Grand Coulee Dam.  The draft Aquatic BERA will evaluate risks to plants, fish and other wildlife living in and near the water at OUs 1 and 2. TAI will submit the draft Aquatic BERA document to EPA later in 2023.   

Also, EPA has started an investigation to evaluate potential risks to plants and wildlife in upland lakes and wetlands located in the northern part of the Site.  The investigation is a follow-up to earlier lake studies, including those conducted by Ecology in 2010 and 2012.  These prior studies identified elevated metal concentrations in selected lake and wetland-area sediments.   EPA will collect the necessary environmental samples and present study results as supplements to the Upland BERA and RI reports.  The schedule for the upland lakes and wetlands study will be set later in 2023. 

TAI is developing a work plan for a sediment transport study in consultation with EPA.  The purpose of the study is to predict how contaminated sediment moves and/or is buried in the UCR over time.  How sediment moves in the river is important in understanding the nature of and how widespread the contamination is, and how to clean it up. The sediment transport study is primarily an evaluation of existing data and is not expected to include field sampling or data collection efforts. EPA must first approve the work plan before it can set a schedule for the study.

For details about RI/FS progress over the years, visit lrf.org/publicguides and the lrf.org/lake-roosevelt/news.

The Midnite Mine Superfund site is a 350-acre, inactive uranium mine located on the Spokane Indian Reservation. A legacy of the Cold War, uranium mining from 1954 to 1981 left more than 33 million tons of waste rock, unprocessed ore and low-grade ore (also known as protore) laced with contaminants. Contaminants include radionuclides and heavy metals resulting from mining, transport activities and related operations.

EPA reported “great progress” for the 2022 cleanup season. This included: 

  •  “Removal of over 1.3 million cubic yards of waste rock
  • Completed crushing and screening aggregate rock for Pit 3 and the cover for Pit 4
  • Completed the cleanup design for the South Pond
  • Treated 42.1 million gallons of water
  • Started construction on the new water treatment plant”

In April, EPA hosted an in-person and virtual community information meeting. Topics covered included:

  • Scheduled 2023 activities, including construction of the new water treatment plant and the effluent pipeline connection to the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt; completing backfill of Pit 4 and regrading to its final configuration; and dewatering then replacing a leaky liner serving the South Pond.
  • The third Five-Year Review of the Midnite Mine cleanup, which will begin in June. EPA stated the purpose “… is to make sure the selected cleanup actions effectively protect people’s health and the environment.”
  • Completion of the Midnite Mine Superfund Site Community Involvement Plan, which expresses how EPA and the Spokane Tribe will inform and engage with the local community.

Slides and video of the April meeting as well as other Midnite Mine resources can be found on EPA’s website at https://tinyurl.com/yradn2d8.

The Upper Columbia Valley covers about 100 square miles east and west of the Columbia River and extends from the U.S.-Canada border to China Bend (about 20 river miles). From the sounds of the Columbia to the stillness of forested areas and pasture lands, a rich array of plants and wildlife abound. Nature calls to visitors and residents alike.

The area also has a history of mining and processing metals. EPA’s Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) has been addressing contaminants in the Columbia River and Valley uplands for almost two decades. EPA has identified the Trail Smelter as the primary source of legacy contaminants. 

A Washington Department of Ecology grant to the Forum was used to help educate children to play it safe around legacy contaminants, particularly lead in soil. The resulting read-along coloring book and activity book are now available to teachers, agencies and community events.

“This is an amazing place to live and recreate,” said Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau. “Our outreach is a way to help kids and families increase awareness and stay healthy.”

National Park Service

Fish cleaning stations will remain closed until further notice due to accumulated oil from fish clogging septic systems.

A self-certification form is required to protect against quagga/zebra mussels. Visit bit.ly/3Ruc63j to download the form, complete and place in the windshield of your launch vehicle where it can be easily seen. Boats must be clean, drained and dry.

Campgrounds are reservation only. Check availability and book at recreation.gov. Go to nps.gov/laro/planyourvisit for complete recreation area information and resources.

Visit the Forum’s Lake Roosevelt recreational map and guide at lrf.org/recreation/lake-guide for fishing, camping, concessions, regulations, lake levels and more.

Bureau of Reclamation

The Grand Coulee Dam laser light show and public tours of the John W. Keys III Pump-Generating Plant began May 26. Visit usbr.gov/pn/grandcoulee/visit/ for additional information.

Lake Levels. Visit www.lrf.org/recreation/boatlaunch- lake-levels to check daily lake levels and the availability of boat launches. Visit usbr.gov/pn/grandcoulee/lakelevel/ to learn more about when and why lake levels fluctuate.

Spokane Tribe of Indians         

The tribe continues to engage in a mediation process to resolve challenges to the Columbia River System Operation 2020 Environmental Impact Statement and Biological Opinions for salmon and steelhead. Pending success or failure of mediation, a stay in litigation extends to August 31, 2023. The tribe contends federal agencies are failing to provide appropriate mitigation for the on-going impacts of salmon, steelhead, and lamprey being cut-off from the Columbia River above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams.

U.S. State Department

A Columbia River Treaty listening session was held April 19th. Both the U.S. and Canada remain committed to the goal of modernizing the treaty before a change to “called-upon” flood control provisions take effect in September 2024. Negotiators also met May 16-17 in Kelowna, British Columbia for the 17th round of negotiations toward a modernized Columbia River Treaty.

If the treaty is not modernized, current provisions and an annually calculated cost to compensate Canada to assure flood control benefits would stop. A change to called-upon means the U.S. would request and compensate Canada for flood control operations as necessary. The economic, operational, and ecological uncertainties of such a switch are well documented.

 

144 students took Discovery Days field trips to explore the ecological and cultural wonders of Lake Roosevelt. Thank you to the tribal, agency and private sector natural resource experts for volunteering their time to lead students through hands-on, minds-on activities.

Over 250 4th grade students took a step back in time with the National Park Service, Friends of Spokane House and Kettle Falls Historical Center to learn about the Fur Trade and what life looked like in this area more than 150 years ago! Activities included Sign Talk, Women of the Fur Trade, Primitive Bow and Arrow, Life of a Free Trapper, Fur Trade Items, Local Fur Trade History and more!

 

Karen Trebitz and Al Mallette
Trail Wildlife Association

The Columbia River flows unobstructed for 57 km (35 miles), from Hugh Llewellyn Keenleyside Dam near Castlegar, BC into Lake Roosevelt in the U.S., making this the longest free flowing reach of the Columbia River north of Hanford reach. In British Columbia we call this West Kootenay section the “lower” Columbia River. In Washington State, the same reach is called the “upper” Columbia River. Fish swim freely across our borders.

The West Kootenay reach of the Columbia River has limited access to spawning streams. Its two largest tributaries, the Pend d’Oreille River (Waneta Dam) and the Kootenay River (Brilliant Dam), are bounded by dams without fish structures. Furthermore, many streams in the area flow through highway culverts that make fish passage impossible. Human intervention is needed to increase spawning opportunities for fish, including trout and salmon.

The Murphy Creek spawning channel (MCSC) is a local success story. It’s an important collaborative partnership of the Trail Wildlife Association (TWA), the Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP), the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA), landowner Teck Metals Ltd. (Teck), and the adjacent Birchbank Golf Course.

Murphy Creek is known to have excellent trout spawning habitat with one big problem: an impassible highway culvert. Dating back to 1987, TWA had uneven success capturing spawning trout, transporting them over the highway and releasing them on the upstream side.  The TWA began building the first 100 meters of a spawning channel system in 1990 and expanded it to 225 meters in 1994, for a total of 27 spawning pools plus a sediment-settling pond. The MCSC system runs parallel to Murphy creek, and is fed by two crank-controlled intake pipes.

The TWA partnered with the ONA in 2016 to jointly manage the MCSC. In 2021 the Murphy Creek project was added to the FWCP’s “Core Funding” model, meaning that basic annual operational costs are now secure. Because of this funding, the team was able to upgrade the barrier walls from the pool system and around the intakes, and replace one of the intake pipes.

Monitoring with ONA installed PIT tags combined with visual spawning counts by volunteers shows an increasing number of spawning trout. Learn more at http://www.trailwildlife.com/projects/murphy-creek.

Like our American friends, this is one of many projects needed to address barriers such as culverts and habitat restoration. Reintroduction of salmon makes these efforts that much more important. By May 2022, the ONA had already confirmed three chinook catches from anglers on the mainstem Columbia River, from Arrow Lakes, just above Hugh Keenleyside Dam, to the mouth of the Pend d’Oreille River.

International border or not, it’s “one river.” Our fish visit you and vice versa. Here’s a toast to hoping cross-border fishery partnerships get stronger and stronger over time.

In 2015, the Upper Columbia United Tribes began actively exploring reintroduction of salmon above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. Many considered it to be a fanciful albeit romantic effort with minimal chance of success. It’s now a mainstream initiative that’s gaining momentum by the day.

The Forum checked in with Conor Giorgi (Anadromous Program Manager for the Spokane Tribe of Indians) and Casey Baldwin (Research Scientist for the Colville Tribes) for some quick updates and a little history lesson.

Did Grand Coulee Dam ever have a fish ladder?

Yes. From 1937 to 1939 logs impounded pools of water to create water-filled staircases. Then Washington Department of Fisheries started trapping and hauling salmon around Grand Coulee and releasing them as far north as the Canadian border.  Sadly, that all ended when dam construction was completed. Tribes from throughout the Northwest gathered at Kettle Falls for a three-day “Ceremony of Tears” to mourn the loss.

Why are you optimistic you can bring them back?

Our Phase 1 studies (2015 – 2019) show the tremendous opportunity our region poses for salmon. There are non-ESA list species (primarily summer Chinook and sockeye) that are well suited for the river system as it is today. There is plenty of habitat for spawning, and fish passage technologies exist to get fish safely around Grand Coulee and Chief Joe.

And it’s not just us saying it. Our works have been peer reviewed by independent science review panels. But really, it’s the fish that have us optimistic. We’ve seen shocking success with the juveniles and adults we’ve released to the blocked area. Especially the fish that have returned from the Pacific. They’re the ones who give us the most optimism and hope.

So how are you planning on getting adults back?

We’ll start with trap and haul from Chief Joseph, like the old days. At the same time, we’re partnering with fish passage experts to evaluate our data and see which options will work best; looking at everything from ladders to elevator lifts to pneumatic tubes to push them over.

And going downstream?

Initially, spill over the dams and travel through the turbines. In 2022 we started a major outmigration study to see how juveniles do with survival and a number of other key variables. Like upstream passage, we’ll research and develop alternatives to see which will work best.

There have been some high profile cultural and educational releases for juveniles and adults. Anything else in the works?

Big time. We’re now in the process of developing interim hatchery facilities to produce over 150 thousand Chinook and 50,000 Sockeye annually to help with our feasibility studies. We’ll also be using net pens and land-based acclimation to grow and release them locally. We’ll study these fish again once they return to the Basin as adults.

How’s this getting funded?

We pegged the cost of Phase 2 implementation at about $350 million over 21 years. Most of that is research, infrastructure development, and operations. We’ve estimated $50 million in federal participation and environmental compliance/permitting over the 21-year plan too. In the last two years, over $16 million has been raised or pledged to the Upper Columbia Tribes through state and federal appropriations and competitive grants from agencies. And you can add to that in-kind support from agencies and others.

We’re on our way and we’re not looking back.

Year after year, Lake Roosevelt continues to provide extraordinary and diverse angling opportunities that attract enthusiasts from near and far. Thousands of hours of angling time are happily spent catching up to 200,000 fish annually. rainbow trout, kokanee, white sturgeon, walleye and smallmouth bass are the most targeted species.

And the fight to suppress northern pike, a voracious predator that devastates other fish populations, provides additional angling opportunities.

Co-managers from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Spokane Tribe of Indians, and Colville Confederated Tribes summarized highlights for our readers. Annually, they invest over $9 million dollars to develop and maintain the fishery.

Rainbow Trout and Net Pens

Over 544,000 rainbow trout were released into Lake Roosevelt in May. They ranged from 7 to 13 inches in length and 1 to 7 fish to the pound. Many will grow to about 18 inches by September and are often available in the system for at least 2 angling seasons. The long-term goal is to release up to 750,000 annually.

All rainbows released are triploids, meaning they are sterile and will not interbreed with wild trout. In addition, their adipose fin is clipped. Wild fish with an intact adipose fin should be released to assure only keeping hatchery fish on Lake Roosevelt.

The goal is for a 5% annual return to creel, the estimated amount caught by anglers based on survey data collected by co-managers. The return to creel goal has not been met since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak, a streak that managers want to break in 2023.

Supporting this effort are the WDFW Sherman Creek and Ford Hatcheries, the Spokane Tribal Hatchery and 63 net pens located between Keller Ferry and Kettle Falls. Over 40 volunteers support maintenance of net pens and feeding needs from October through their release in May. 

In 2023, there were white, green, blue, and orange research tags deployed in rainbow trout raised in Lake Roosevelt net pens. The information will be used to inform catch and angler return to supplement the annual creel survey on Lake Roosevelt.

Spokane Arm Rainbow Trout Supplemental Release

The Spokane Tribal Hatchery annually supplements traditional net pen releases of rainbow trout by releasing fish in the Spokane Arm to add fishing opportunities in a part of the reservoir where net pens are not operated. This year, 13,000 trout averaging 2.5 lbs. each and 30,000 trout averaging 1 lb. each will be sequentially released from April through mid-June.

Walleye

Since 2002, the co-managers have conducted Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) to monitor the walleye population. Monitoring enables managers to track the abundance, age, growth, condition, sex ratio, and age at maturity.

WDFW reports that the walleye fishery has remained stable and resilient over time. Abundance (and therefore availability) has taken a dip in recent years. Due to the strong 2018 and previous year classes that are still in the system, however, larger walleye (16 to 22”) are particularly available. In addition, managers found a large year class of age-1 fish in 2022 that will show up in 2024 as a nice 14-16” fish.

White Sturgeon

Since 2017, a white sturgeon fishery has been open thanks to surplus fish from U.S. and Canadian hatchery programs put in place in the early 2000s to help stem a decades-long population decline.

For 2023, the angling season is moving to September 16 – November 30th.  Cooler water temperatures during these months are expected to result in less stress on wild sturgeon caught incidentally by anglers targeting harvestable fish. The size of sturgeon that can be retained is now 53 – 63 inches (fork length). Lastly, the entire expanse from Grand Coulee Dam to the Canadian border will be open. Other regulations generally remain the same.

Looking forward, managers expect to maintain a harvest opportunity for the next few years. In order to protect weak 2011 to 2016 year-class releases, a period of catch and release only is expected to begin sometime around 2029.

Go to tinyurl.com/3m3wsb4d for a 15-minute WDFW Lake Roosevelt White Sturgeon fishing presentation. Background on the effort to rebuild the sturgeon population, the need to alter the fishing season, 2023 regulations, and future expectations are provided.

Northern Pike

This non-native invasive species is a voracious predator that devastates other fish populations. In addition to threatening trout and other Lake Roosevelt fisheries, they can potentially move down the Columbia River to threaten salmon, steelhead and other fisheries.

Suppression efforts, which include multiple strategies from gillnetting to offering rewards for their capture, continue to show promising results. The number of fish caught per net was down from 4.37 in 2017 to 0.38 in 2022. In 2022, we started to capture more pike in the Gifford and Hunters area, indicating they are moving downstream slowly. Fishery managers plan to spend more time suppressing in this area in 2023.

From April through November, WDFW, Colville Confederated Tribes and Spokane Tribe of Indians used gillnetting to suppress northern pike before spawning in nearshore shallows. Said Holly McLellan with the Colville Tribes, “Gillnetting is the most effective capture method for pike. We release all non-target fish alive and keep the pike. We target pike habitat, which is shallow weedy areas. This helps keeps our bycatch low. 

The Colville Tribes encourage anglers to participate in the $10 Pike Reward Program to help us protect the Lake Roosevelt fishery. Visit www.cct-fnw.com/northern-pike to learn more about the northern pike reward program.

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Help Lake Roosevelt Fishery Managers! Report 2023 Research Tags

Research tags deployed in rainbow trout have a phone number to report your catch. Please be prepared to provide information such as angler name, phone number, date of capture, color of tag and tag number, approximate location (please use well known landmarks or public boat ramps), whether the fish was harvested, and if you were angling from a boat or shore. You can ask managers additional questions through the tag return line at 509-919-3319. Thank you for participating in this study!

Tags can be physically returned to Lake Roosevelt Fish Tag Study, 1100 S Garfield Rd, Bldg A, Airway Heights, WA 99001

From Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area News Release

Click here for complete news release.

Now that recreation season has officially begun, we wanted to remind everyone about some basic guidelines to help everyone enjoy their visit.

Camping and Reservations

If you are coming to camp, start your trip off right. Check for available campsites on Recreation.gov before you leave home. All 27 of our car-accessible campgrounds are only available through reservations. With spotty cell service throughout the lake, the best way to guarantee you have a campsite is to make your reservation before you leave home. Weekends are our busiest time during the summer, and we are usually full every summer holiday weekend. Reservations can be made at Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.

During your stay at Lake Roosevelt, please be courteous to the other campers. Don’t walk through anyone else’s campsite and keep noise and music low. Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am every night. We don’t have electricity hook-ups and generators are not allowed overnight. If you require a generator during the night, there are several private campgrounds around the park that provide electricity hook-ups.

Boating and Launch Permits

If you are coming to boat, weekly boat launch permits, good for seven consecutive days, are available at Pay.gov. Boaters can purchase their permits before they leave in the morning or with their cell phone wherever cell service is available. You’ll need the Pay.gov transaction number for the blue launching permit receipt. Fill out the blue receipt and place it on the dashboard of your tow vehicle with the bright pink mussel-free self-certification form.

Annual boat launch permits can also be purchased through Pay.gov but can take up to two weeks to receive. Boaters can purchase annual boat launch permits in-person at five locations (Fees & Passes - Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)) surrounding the park. These permits are good for one calendar year.

Make space for others. Launch as quickly as you can by making sure to load your boat before you launch. Launch and courtesy docks have a 30-minute maximum. If the boat ramp is busy, make sure everyone is ready to go as soon as the boat is launched.

Mussel-free Self-certification Form and Aquatic Invasive Species

Don’t forget to fill out your bright pink mussel-free self-certificationform located in every boat launch bulletin board. After following the flowchart and completing the form, place it in the windshield of your launch vehicle where it can be easily seen. If you only boat within Washington State, you will only need to complete the form once per season. If you launch your boat outside of Washington State, you will need to complete the form before you launch at Lake Roosevelt again. Watercraft coming from outside of Washington should be cleaned, drained, and fully dried (dry time may be up to 30 days) or have valid proof of inspection within the last 30 days, before launching in Lake Roosevelt. It is important to remove all dirt, plants and water from boats, trailers, and other water gear prior to launching every time.

Aquatic invasive species are easily transported between bodies of water by boats, inflatable kayaks and float toys, fishing waders and tubes, trailers, and any other water gear. Currently, freshwater lakes in Washington, Oregon and Idaho are free of invasive mussels. An invasive mussel species native to Ukraine and Russia, quagga/zebra mussels quickly cover most hard surfaces and can clog boat motor intake systems, water intake structures, recreational beaches, agricultural irrigation systems and hydroelectric power plant operations. These small mussels can survive out of the water for up to two weeks and the microscopic larvae can be transported in bilges, ballast water, live wells or other equipment that holds water. Researchers within the Pacific Northwest Economic Region estimate that the economic impact of a mussel infestation would cost the Pacific Northwest $500 million annually.

Fish Cleaning and Disposal

If you are coming to fish, as a reminder, Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations 2.14(a)(7) prohibits disposing of fish remains on land or in waters within 200 feet of boat docks or swimming beaches, or within developed areas. The exception to this rule is at established fish cleaning stations attached to specific docks throughout the park.

Please either clean your fish according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recommendations on your boat and drop the remains overboard in deep water or clean your fish at home. When cleaning your fish, please dispose of the remains in the water. Do not drop them on the docks or shoreline. If you are camping, use one of the cleaning stations on the dock and drop the remains into the lake or store them and use them for bait the next time you go fishing.

Leaving fish remains on the docks and shoreline creates a safety issue for other visitors. In addition to making docks slippery, remains will attract wildlife such as wasps, coyotes, cougars, and bears. If wildlife, especially coyotes, cougars, and/or bears begin visiting a campground or day-use area on a regular basis, we will have to close that area until the animal is trapped and relocated.

The White Sturgeon fishing season has shifted to September 16 – November 30th. During the sturgeon season WDFW regulations require anglers bring the whole sturgeon to shore prior to cleaning to allow checks for compliance within the slot size limit rule.

Safety and Fireworks

Check life jackets before you leave home to make sure that there is one for every person and that they properly fit and are in good shape. Most importantly, wear your life jackets. If you run into trouble, there will not be time to put it on properly.

Finally, please remember that fireworks are never allowed at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. If you see someone setting off fireworks anywhere along the lake, please report it through the appropriate non-emergency number. If you are in the southern portion of the lake call Lincoln County Sheriff’s office at (509) 725-3501. In the northern part of the lake call the Steven’s County Sheriff’s office at (509) 684-5296.

For more information, visit Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov).

Bureau of Reclamation News Release: May 9, 2023

GRAND COULEE, Wash. – High river velocities and low reservoir levels at Lake Roosevelt have resulted in a failed log boom at the mouth of Kettle River, approximately 105 miles upstream of Grand Coulee Dam. The pressure of the water flow and accumulated debris pushing against the log booms caused a break in two places. The Bureau of Reclamation is advising people boating on Kettle River and Lake Roosevelt to exercise caution because of debris floating into the reservoir from the failure. The public will see more debris in the river and reservoir than normal.

Reclamation will safely repair the log boom when river velocities lower and the lake elevation levels rise—this may take several weeks. Currently, the river velocities are too high to safely attempt to repair the log boom. These current conditions and debris exposures could remain a concern and safety consideration until the lake has approached full pool.

Lake Roosevelt is part of the Columbia Basin Project. The project serves about 671,000 acres in east-central Washington.

Contact: Erika Lopez, ealopez@usbr.gov, 208-378-5101

  • Slide 1

    Four houseboats took 48 elected officials, opinion leaders, natural resource managers, stakeholders and concerned citizens on a day long house boat tour from Keller Ferry to Seven Bays Marina.

  • Slide 2

    Presentations on the RI/FS, fisheries, lake operations, shoreline management and other topics were given at stops. Here, Mitch Combs (WDFW), Brent Nichols (Spokane Tribe of Indians) and Holly McClellan (Colville Confederated Tribes) present on sport and native fisheries.

  • Slide 3

    Andy Dunau, the Forum’s Executive Director, introduces Mark Jensen (Grand Coulee Power Manager) to talk about Grand Coulee Dam and lake operations. Matt Wilkening with EPA is in background preparing to talk about the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS).

  • Slide 4

    Lyle Parker with Dakota Columbia provided the boats, captains and expert information on the up to 1.5 million people who visit Lake Roosevelt each year. Visit dakotacolumbia.com to learn more about rentals and great things to do.

  • Slide 5

    Wildlife viewing always makes a trip on Lake Roosevelt special. Said one participant, “Watching an eagle chasing an osprey with a fish was definitely the highlight.”

  • Slide 6

    More wildlife common to the area.

  • Slide 7

    Participants listening to a presentation at one of the stops.

  • Slide 8

    Stevens County Commissioner Steve Parker enjoys the day. Said one of the county commissioners, “As a new commissioner with over 100 miles of border with the Columbia I truly needed this view and information of the river and its’ projects and concerns."

  • Slide 9

    Geology and rock formations continuously change. Compare this with backgrounds of other slides from the show. You see dense stands of Ponderosa pine and high desert shrubs. They combine for a unique experience and ever changing views along the lake.

  • Slide 10

    Fran Marcus (Mayor of Marcus) and Dennis Jenson (Marcus Councilman) enjoy the day.

  • Slide 11

    Many thanks to the people who contributed to making this an enjoyable and very valuable day to learn about Lake Roosevelt and interact with the people who help preserve and protect it for all.

Based on National Park Service News Release

Date: May 13th
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Location: Kettle Falls Historical Center, 1188 St. Paul Mission Rd.
Cost: Free

The Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Friends of Spokane House, and Kettle Falls Historical Center are hosting the Fur Trade Festival. Open to all ages, you can take a step back in time to learn about the Fur Trade and what life looked like in this area more than 150 years ago! Activities include Sign Talk, Women of the Fur Trade, Primitive Bow and Arrow, Life of a Free Trapper, Fur Trade Items, Local Fur Trade History and more!

The event will take place outside because The Kettle Falls Historical Center building is closed due to extensive water damage.

Additional information may be found on the Lake Roosevelt NPS Facebook page or Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area website under events at www.nps.gov/laro.

On April 19th, the U.S. State Department hosted a Columbia River Treaty Listening Session. Click here for prepared remarks by U.S. State Department chief negotiator Jill Smail.

 

Both the U.S. and Canada remain committed to the goal of modernizing the treaty before a change to “called-upon” flood control provisions take effect in September 2024.

 

If the treaty is not modernized, current provisions and an annually calculated cost to compensate Canada to assure flood control benefits would stop. A change to called-upon means the U.S. would request and compensate Canada for flood control operations as necessary. The economic, operational, and ecological uncertainties of such a switch are well documented.

 

Negotiators are currently pursuing an agreement in principle that would enable treaty modernization to begin implementation by September, 2024. Said Smail, “Resolving the remaining sticking points by June is ambitious, but the United States believes it is achievable. We have made significant progress. Although we still have tough issues to work through, we believe the uncertainty facing both countries in 2024 will continue to motivate both countries’ teams to reach timely agreement.”

 

The listening session accommodated 3 minutes of remarks from 25 speakers, which reports say is far fewer than those who had signed up for the one-and-a-half-hour session. Remarks continue to mirror tensions inherent in desires for a modernized treaty to accommodate ecosystem issues, rebalance the Canadian Entitlement (compensation), and continue to support predictable flood risk management.

 

Specific to Lake Roosevelt, Smail commented that “We are also working with the Tribes as they continue to work on the Upper Columbia United Tribes Phase 2 Implementation Plan, exploring where there may be opportunities for transboundary collaboration on salmon reintroduction in blocked areas on the mainstem of the Columbia.”

 

Learn more at the U.S. State Department Columbia River Treaty website.

Date: April 19th

Time: 5:00 p.m.

Location: On-line Webinar

Virtual Registration: Click here

The Department of State, joined by the Bonneville Power Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division, the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will hold a virtual listening session to engage the public about treaty regime modernization.

Learn More

Date: Thursday, April 13

Time: 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Location:

Agenda:

  • Midnite Mine Superfund Site Community Involvement Plan
  • Updates to the cleanup approach
  • Upcoming Five-Year Review of the cleanup
  • Upcoming effluent pipeline construction and other work this construction cleanup season

Learn More

Click here for 15-minute WDFW Lake Roosevelt White Sturgeon fishing presentation. Background on the effort to rebuild the sturgeon population, the need to alter the fishing season, and 2023 regulations are provided.

For 2023, the white sturgeon fishing season will be from September 16 – November 30, and open from Grand Coulee Dam to the Canadian border. Most other regulations, including fork length, will remain the same.

From Lake Roosevelt National Area Recreation News Release

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is now accepting high school student applications for the 2023 summer Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) program. Participants will get paid to work, learn, and gain leadership skills. No prior experience is needed, just an eagerness to make a difference.

Up to nine total YCC enrollees will be recruited for positions at Spring Canyon, Fort Spokane, and Kettle Falls.

Click here for National Park Service web site that includes application. Applications must be received at the Coulee Dam Office by Friday, May 5, 2023. Send to National Park Service – YCC, 1008 Crest Drive, Coulee Dam, WA 99116, or email completed applications to brandi_hansen@nps.gov

Full NPS News Release

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will host two public meetings in late March to inform anglers of planned changes to future (including 2023) white sturgeon fishing seasons on Lake Roosevelt in northeast Washington.

Since 2018, the Lake Roosevelt sturgeon fishery has opened in mid-June and closed at the end of September. In 2023, it will transition to a fall fishery to take advantage of cooler water temperatures which reduce stress on wild adult sturgeon caught by anglers.

The two meetings on the changes to the Lake Roosevelt sturgeon fishing season will be:

* Wednesday, Mar. 22, 2023 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at WDFW Region 1 headquarters, 2315 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, and

* Thursday, Mar. 23, 2023 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Ag Trade Center, located at the Colville Fairgrounds, 317 W. Astor Ave., Colville

Click here for full WDFW news release

Soil in the upper Columbia River valley of Stevens County, Washington, may contain unnaturally high levels of metals, including lead and arsenic. Concentrations depend on many factors, including land-use history and soil disturbances such as landscaping and grading. Click here to learn more.

History shows that snowpack and precipitation destined for Lake Roosevelt can change quickly as winter turns to spring and Lake Roosevelt is managed for downstream flood control. In turn, spring lake levels can vary dramatically. For a weekly forecast, visit www.usbr.gov/pn/ grandcoulee/lakelevel/

This year, however, a little more certainty is available. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation reports that drum gate maintenance is necessary at Grand Coulee Dam because two drum gate seals are leaking. As a result, says the Bureau, “This will require Grand Coulee Dam to be drafted below elevation 1255 feet by mid-March and could last approximately six weeks depending on the damage to the seals.”

An August 2022 order extended a litigation stay through August 31, 2023, to resolve challenges to the Columbia River System Operations 2020 Environmental Impact Statement and Biological Opinions for salmon and steelhead. The Spokane Tribe of Indians and Coeur d’Alene Tribe became parties to the litigation in 2021 because operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System continues to cut off salmon, steelhead, and lamprey access to the upper Columbia River above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams, and fails to provide appropriate mitigation for the ongoing impacts caused by the operation and maintenance of these facilities.

The motion notes that as part of the stay “… the United States committed to developing strategies through inclusive regional collaborative processes that restore native fish and their affected habitats, honor the United States’ commitments to Tribal Nations, deliver affordable clean power, and satisfy other interests served by the Columbia River System projects.” The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service was engaged to support this effort. Every 90 days, parties to the motion provide the court a progress report.

EPA’s Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program announced awards totaling approximately $6.9 million across 25 projects to reduce toxics in fish and water throughout the Basin. Awards were based on a competitive, grant selection process.

The Spokane Tribe of Indians and Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CCT) were each selected to receive awards for Upper Columbia River/Lake Roosevelt activities. In addition, The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation will continue an initiative to track the status and trends of toxics in fish, water, sediments, and invertebrates in the Columbia River mainstem from Bonneville Dam to the Canadian border. And the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho received an award to monitor contaminant trends, transport, uptake, and transfer through the Kootenai River Ecosystem.

Pending EPA completing a final award agreement with each tribe, grant activities will begin in 2023. Below is a summary of STOI and CCT Lake Roosevelt awards:

 

Upper Columbia Basin Contaminant Status, Movement, and Remedial Pilot Study

Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation

Projected EPA Grant Amount: $262,500

Description: The Spokane Tribe of the Spokane Reservation will build on other work in the Upper Columbia Basin, including sampling conducted under EPA’s Upper Columbia River Remedial Investigation and Washington Department of Ecology’s recent 2019 biofilm study. This project will complement the recently funded Columbia River Mainstem Fish Tissue and Water Quality Monitoring Framework study led by the Yakama Nation. The proposed project will monitor a suite of contaminants of concern (COCs) across four media: surface water, bottom sediments, suspended sediments, and biofilm. The primary goals of the study are to: 1) identify areas where contaminant concentrations are elevated or exceed water quality and sediment quality standards set by the Spokane Tribe and EPA, 2) evaluate movement of contaminants transported through the river across media; 3) identify which contaminants are entering the food web via biofilm that are available to bioaccumulate up the food chain; and 4) test the feasibility of a sediment particle trap methodology that could be scaled up for large-scale restoration actions in the future.

 

Upper Columbia River Toxics Monitoring: Caring for Sʼnx̌ԝʼn tkԝitkԝ

Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation

Projected EPA Grant Amount: $350,000

The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation will undertake planning and piloting of an innovative environmental monitoring and risk communication program that centers the needs of Tribal members while being expansive enough to have relevance for all local residents and users of the 214-mile reach of the Columbia River from the US-Canada border through Lake Roosevelt and Lake Rufus Woods to the Chief Joseph Dam. The Tribe will sample fish tissue composites, beach sediment composites, and surface water (dissolved and total analyses), with approximately 20–25 samples per medium. The specific analytes proposed are among the top EPA priorities: metals including mercury, arsenic, copper, and lead; methylmercury (fish tissue only); PCBs (congener analysis); and DDT and its metabolites. The Tribe will determine sampling locations through community engagement and working with local project partners that have diverse constituencies. The ultimate goal is to reduce uncertainty around what activities and resources are safe for Tribal members and other local residents to do and use, and to initiate a program that will track future trends in contaminant levels.

To learn more about the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, visit epa.gov/columbiariver. EPA funded 14 projects in their inaugural round of grants in 2020. Visit https://bit.ly/3wvPo1r for 2023 grant cycle opportunities.

In May, grade 4-6 students and teachers will be taking field trips to explore the ecological, social and economic complexities of Lake Roosevelt’s watershed. At locations throughout the area, local resource specialists such as biologists and water quality experts from many different agencies will lead students through hands-on, minds-on environmental activities.

“We had to take a hiatus due to the pandemic,” said Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau. “I’m just delighted to say we’re back!!”

Interested in taking a class on an adventure? Contact us at info@lrf.org.

RIFS Update Map

During summer 2022, EPA released an updated, enforceable schedule and process for implementing the Upper Columbia River Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). This schedule was developed in association with Teck American Incorporated.

The RI/FS was initiated in 2006 as part of a Settlement Agreement between Teck American Incorporated (TAI) and EPA.  The remedial investigation will establish the nature, extent, and possible human health and ecological risks associated with contaminants in the Columbia River and Lake Roosevelt between Grand Coulee Dam and the U.S. – Canada Border, as well as contaminants in the uplands along the Columbia River valley.  The feasibility study will develop, screen, and evaluate remedial actions to address the risks.  

EPA divides the site into three “operable units” for RI/FS purposes. As shown on the map, Operable Unit (OU) 1 consists of the Columbia River from the Canadian Border to approximately Marcus (River Mile 708); OU 2 extends from River Mile 708 to Grand Coulee Dam. It consists of potentially contaminated uplands along the river valley. A map delineating OU 3 is not currently available.

The human health and ecological risk assessments are essential components of the RI.  EPA completed the Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) for the overall UCR site in 2021. Potential exposures in each operable unit were considered, and risks to some residents, workers and visitors were identified.  TAI submitted draft versions of the OU 3 (upland) baseline ecological risk assessment (BERA) and OU 3 RI Report in 2021.  The draft final version of the OU 3 BERA is due in February 2023 and the draft final version of the OU 3 RI Report is expected in June 2023. The draft aquatic BERA for the river (OUs 1 and 2) is expected in September 2023.   The draft aquatic RI Report for OUs 1 and 2 will follow completion of the aquatic BERA.

EPA’s schedule also establishes dates for the development of the FS for each OU after the RI Reports are complete.  The Forum will continue to work with partners to provide outreach as RI/FS milestones are complete and information made available to the public. To learn more about the Human Health Risk Assessment and studies supporting the RI/FS, visit www.lrf.org/publicguides.

EPA completed additional soil cleanup at 15 properties in Northport during the summer and fall of 2022. With the consent of property owners, cleanup was conducted at 14 residential properties and a common use area located at the corner of 3rd Street & Columbia Avenue. Cleanup included removing contaminated soil, typically to a depth of approximately 6 to 12 inches below ground surface at yard areas and to a depth of approximately 12 to 24 inches at garden areas, then backfilling with clean gravel and topsoil and restoration.

The cleanup work addresses a threat to people’s health from exposure to lead in their soil. This cleanup builds on previous soil cleanup work conducted in and around Northport in 2004, 2015, 2018 and 2020.

The Washington Department of Ecology continues to make progress on cleanup of the Northport waterfront area. The site is located on the Columbia River bank and shore next to the Northport City Park and around the boat launch. As described in the Forum’s summer 2022 newsletter, elevated levels of arsenic, copper, lead, and zinc that are a risk to human health and the environment were found in soil and sediment. The newsletter also summarized the Cleanup Action Plan (CAP), including public comments.

Ecology expects the Engineering Design for the adopted CAP to be complete and ready for public review in the spring of 2023. If all goes well, site cleanup will begin in the fall of 2023.

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3HBkHhK for more information.

National Park Service

2022 - 2023 Winter Access at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area

Visit https://bit.ly/3kM6llB for availability of facilities and services. For instance, winter access for camping is limited to the Kettle Falls, Fort Spokane, and Spring Canyon campgrounds.

Washington Department of Ecology

Water Rights Adjudication

Working with Federal partners at the Department of Justice, U.S Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Indian Affairs, Ecology is continuing to prepare for adjudication of water rights for Lake Roosevelt and its middle tributaries. The Governor’s budget for the 2023-25 biennium includes a request for $1.5 million to support this effort.

The Colville Confederated Tribes have requested a Federal Negotiating Team to assist with resolution of the paramount rights on Lake Roosevelt – those of the Spokane and Colville Confederated Tribes, along with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Visit https://bit.ly/3wuSDpX to view request.

Bureau of Reclamation

Grand Coulee Security Response Force Upgrades Project

The Bureau of Reclamation is preparing an environmental assessment for the Grand Coulee Security Response Force Upgrades project. The purpose of the proposed project is to (1) update existing security components that have reached their expected service life or do not conform with current security requirements; (2) create an integrated, hardened, physical perimeter around security assets and facilities; (3) consolidate security department administrative operations and access control offices; and (4) upgrade and enhance the SRF training facilities.

Reclamation proposes to relocate and install new guard stations, create improved inspection areas, establish additional or improved security cameras and lighting, and replace or install security gates, fences, and intrusion detection systems. Reclamation also proposes construction of new office and training buildings, installation of utilities, and training center access road improvements.

A scoping comment period was open Aug. 15 to Aug. 29, 2022. For more information, visit https://on.doi.gov/3wuOK4p

 

In the fall of 2022, the Lake Roosevelt Forum submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to EPA for the soil sampling results of 218 residential properties that were tested in 2014 and 2016. These properties are outside the town of Northport but within the Upper Columbia Valley that extends east and west of the Columbia River from the U.S.-Canada border to China Bend (about 40 miles).

“Transparency is the reason” said Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau, “The red-hot real estate market has led to historic buying and selling of properties in the area, and many of the people buying are new to the area. The Forum wants to help potential buyers see the results of soil sampling conducted with federal government oversight.”

“Also,” said Dunau “in 2023 EPA expects to update the national standards for Residential Soil Lead Guidance for Contaminated Sites. As tighter thresholds for triggering cleanup are expected, the need for transparency becomes that much greater."

EPA, however, withheld identifying each property’s soil sampling data, “… because the disclosure of this information would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” The United States Code cited [5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(6)] bases withholding information on a need to protect “… personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” 

There was nothing in the Forum request that pertained to releasing personnel or medical files. Based on a Supreme Court ruling, however, EPA interprets “similar files” to include all information that applies to a particular individual. In this case, the parcel number or physical address of property sampled.

The Forum’s FOIA request and EPA response is available at https://bit.ly/3R5BCMq

STATE LAW REQUIRES DISCLOSURE FOR REAL ESTATE TRANSACTION

In December, the Washington Department of Ecology updated its Dirt Alert “Selling or Buying Land or a Home in the Upper Columbia River Valley?” The Dirt Alert is shared as an insert to this newsletter.

Said Ecology “Potential buyers have the right to know about possible hazards in their environment, and sellers are required to disclose information about their property.” Specifically, sellers of property must disclose on “Form 17” if the seller knows of any soil contamination, which includes metals and adverse materials defects. Further, Ecology states “A buyer cannot waive the right to Form 17 if the answer to any of the questions in the Environment section are 'yes'." The buyer can also ask the seller and realtor if they are aware of any soil testing for metals on or near the property.

EPA not sharing soil sampling data does not relieve property owners from the requirement to disclose potential soil contamination, and potential buyers may still request soil sampling results from the seller when purchasing. New and existing properties owners may also inquire with EPA whether their property has been tested and, if so, may request a copy of the results.

EPA STRATEGY TO REDUCE LEAD EXPOSURES AND DISPARITIES IN U.S. COMMUNITIES

In October 2022, the “EPA Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities” was released. The Forum’s Winter 2022 newsletter (https://bit.ly/3WIG4lA) reviewed the draft strategy.

A performance milestone of the strategy calls for the following: “By June 30, 2023, evaluate and revise the Residential Soil Lead Guidance for Contaminated Sites to protect communities by further reducing the potential for exposure to lead in soil.”  Revisions to EPA guidance could impact the approaches taken to address contamination on residential properties within the Upper Columbia River site. In addition, EPA also is evaluating updates to Agency cleanup levels for lead-contaminated sites. The outcome from this evaluation could impact the total number of properties within the Upper Columbia River site that may be eligible for soil cleanup in the future.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently reduced the level of blood lead considered to pose a minimal risk to sensitive human populations such as young children. The CDC’s updated blood lead reference value is now 3.5 μg/dL; this blood lead value assumes a person ingests, or is exposed to, soil that has a lead concentration of approximately 50 parts per million (ppm).   

To date, higher lead levels, well above 50 ppm, have been used to trigger cleanup of contaminated properties through a phased approach.  For example, EPA’s latest round of time-critical removal actions completed in 2022 focused on Northport properties with soil lead concentrations above 700 ppm.  Properties with soil lead at or above 700 ppm were identified by EPA as posing the greatest potential risk to public health and thus prioritized for this round of cleanup.

LOOKING FORWARD

Since 2004, soil/yard cleanup work has been conducted at 76 properties in the town of Northport and surrounding area. These residential property cleanup activities have relied on voluntary agreements and special-purpose government funds while the public awaits completion of the Upper Columbia/Lake Roosevelt Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). As discussed in the companion newsletter article “RI/FS Status Report,” progress on the RI/FS continues. However, the EPA’s Record of Decision identifying final cleanup activities for this Site is expected to be many years away. In the meantime, EPA continues to work with federal, state, tribal and local government partners to identify additional cleanup funding and resources. Additional soil/yard cleanup within and outside of Northport remains under consideration.

 

 

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area News Release - 12/13/2021

Coulee Dam, WA – Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area invites you to come and enjoy the great outdoors no matter the season. With reduced staffing and resources during the winter, facilities and services are limited.

During the winter season, camping is only available in the Kettle Falls, Fort Spokane, and Spring Canyon campgrounds. Campsites are limited to:

Kettle Falls: loop 1

Fort Spokane: loop 1

Spring Canyon: lower loop

Reservations are required but can be made in advance or from the campground upon arrival with adequate cell phone service. Reservations must be made at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Individual campsites are available for winter camping at $11.50 per night.

There is no water service at Lake Roosevelt during the winter months. Vault toilets are available but will be cleaned on a limited basis. Please plan accordingly for water and restroom facilities.

Snow removal and sanding procedures run from November 1 to March 31 once two or more inches of snow have accumulated. The following locations are plowed on an as-needed basis:

  • Kettle Falls boat launch and campground loop 1 road. Parking pads at campsites 3, 6, 9, 10, and 13 will also be plowed.
  • Gifford boat launch
  • Fort Spokane boat launch and the campground road to the vault toilet will be plowed. Parking pads at campsites 1, 2, 3, and 4 will also be plowed.
  • Keller Ferry boat launch
  • Spring Canyon boat launch and lower campground loop road (but not individual campsites)

Additional locations may be plowed as weather and safety conditions allow.

All dumpsters and trash cans have been removed from our campgrounds, boat launches, and day-use areas. Please practice Leave No Trace principles and recreate responsibly by taking your trash home to dispose of it. Do not leave trash or dispose of it in fire rings. Under 36 CFR 2.14 (a) (1) visitors are prohibited from leaving refuse in places other than refuse receptacles as it is considered littering and may result in a fine of up to $200.

New gates are being installed at boat launches throughout the park. These gates will allow staff to close boat launches that are out of the water and protect lakeshore resources during the annual lake drawdown periods. Please remember that driving off road, metal detecting and digging of any kind are against park regulations.

All other Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area land is open to the visiting public to enjoy walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing opportunities as conditions permit.

Please check with www.nps.gov/laro for specific details about park operations.

As one of North America’s leading producers of critical minerals, Teck Resources Limited (Teck) is committed to providing the essential resources the world is counting on to make life better while caring for the people, communities and land that we love.

With longstanding roots in the Pacific Northwest, Teck’s U.S. subsidiary Teck American Incorporated (TAI), headquartered in Spokane, Washington has made several contributions recently to organizations and entities in Northeastern Washington. The following are recent examples of Teck’s commitment to caring for the needs of the community.

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area News Release

Starting October 21, campfires will be allowed in established fire rings in campgrounds and day-use areas and on lakeshores below the high-water mark throughout Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. Charcoal grills will also be allowed at this time.

Please remember that regulations require beach campfires must be less than three feet in diameter and must be at least ten feet from the nearest beach logs, structure, or vegetation. In addition, do not use or create rock rings for beach fires or dig pits for fires. Fires must be attended at all times and completely extinguished with water before you go to bed or leave your campsite. It is also illegal to burn chemically treated wood, painted wood, wood with staples as well as household garbage including plastic and cans.

For more information, check the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area website at www.nps.gov/laro

Under the direction of the Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT), the White Sturgeon Recovery Team is conducting a telemetry experiment on the western side of Lake Roosevelt across from Marcus. Buoys with receivers were placed here to detect the movements of juvenile white sturgeon fitted with acoustic tags. Researchers are asking people not to boat or otherwise disturb the area for the seven weeks the buoys will be in place.

Said Jason McLellan, a CCT fish biologist, “The purpose of the study is to estimate age-0 juvenile movement rates and behavior to help with determining and correcting causes of low survival of wild juveniles.” 

Since 1999, the Lake Roosevelt Water Festival has rung in the school year for upper elementary students in the Upper Columbia. Taking place at Kettle Falls swim beach and Sherman Creek fish hatchery, the festival went into hibernation in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID.

But the Festival came back strong in September as agency volunteers gave kids the gift of touching and doing to learn about the environment around them. This two minute video from WDFW is a wonderful way to share their joy and experience. 

A big thank you to agencies and tribes for making this happen:  Colville Confederated Tribes, National Park Service, National Weather Service Spokane, Spokane Tribe of Indians, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Forest Service.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) partnered with the National Park Service and others to install a CD3 (clean, drain, dry) unit at the Kettle Falls Marina. A dedication ceremony for the new unit will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11th at the marina.

It’s part of a state-wide program asking boaters to clean, drain and dry their power boat, sailboat, jet ski, kayak, or other watercraft body before entering the water. Doing so greatly reduces the chances of spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as weeds and mussels. AIS can degrade habitats, crowd out native species, and clog pipes and other infrastructure. Learn more about the CD3 program here.

An AIS self-certification form is required before launching any watercraft on Lake Roosevelt. Click here for more information and access to the form. 

EPA is performing additional soil cleanup work at 15 properties within Northport during summer/fall 2022. This includes 14 residential properties and a common use area at the corner of 3rd Street & Columbia. This cleanup work is being done to address threats to people’s health from potential exposure to lead in their soil. This 2022 soil cleanup work builds on previous cleanup work conducted in and around Northport in 2004, 2015, 2018 and 2020.

Contaminated topsoil will be removed – typically down to a depth of 6 or 12 inches – and clean soils will be installed to re-establish the original grades. EPA Region 10 is using an interim action level of 700 parts per million (ppm) of lead in the soil to guide the selection of properties for this year’s cleanup.

The soil cleanup work began during the week of August 15 and is expected to last 8 to 10 weeks. Click here for the EPA’s fact sheet describing this project.

Based on new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and EPA’s published Removal Management Level User’s Guide, EPA Region 10 has also adopted a lower lead removal action level in soil from 700 ppm (parts per million) to 400 ppm. Additional cleanup work may be performed in the future within Northport and Upper Columbia Valley to address properties with lower levels of lead contamination that exceed the new action cleanup level.

The Colville Confederated Tribes (CCT) are seeking volunteers to host small PurpleAir monitors at locations near the Upper Columbia River (Lake Roosevelt). Click here to complete a quick questionnaire to see if you’re a good fit to be a host. Selected volunteers will join a citizen science cadre contributing to the health of you and your neighbors.

This is part of a two-year EPA Environmental Justice grant received by CCT. Said tribal consultant Whitney Fraser, “We envision 52 air monitoring stations being distributed as close to the river as possible.”

Data will be collected and shared real-time via the web and mapping technology. It’s a big win for residents affected by annual events like wildfires and dust storms. “At a glance,” said Fraser, “you can see whether air quality near where you live is of concern and whether to take precautions."

Measuring the size and quantity of airborne particles, monitoring stations are the size of a camp stove. As the numbers increase, the risk to people increases as well. For those suffering from asthma and other respiratory ailments, this type of real-time information can allow people to take actions that limit their exposure to unhealthy air.

Working with the University of Washington, CCT is also trying to discern if it’s possible to identify a distinct “signature” from different readings. For instance, dust storms may have a distinctive ratio of particle size and quantity. Other examples would be wildfires, or industrial emissions from a smelter.

After the two-year grant period, Fraser hopes the network of monitors will remain active. The hard part according to Fraser is getting the volunteers and infrastructure in place. Once installed, they are fairly low-cost to maintain.

Please consider being a part of this important community-based air quality monitoring program.

A joint motion was granted to extend the pause in litigation (called a “stay”) challenging the Columbia River System Operations 2020 Environmental Impact Statement and Biological Opinion for salmon and steelhead.

“Specific to reintroduction,” states Exhibit 2 of the motion, “the Administration commits to developing and implementing a plan to explore providing full support for and funding of Phase II reintroduction actions as well as other reintroduction efforts in the Upper Columbia River. The Administration commits to summarizing the status of the plan and progress on its implementation for these actions by December 30, 2022.”

As previously reported, the Spokane Tribe of Indians and Coeur d’Alene Tribe became parties to the litigation in 2021 because operation of the Federal Columbia River Operation System continues to cut off salmon, steelhead and lamprey access to the upper Columbia River above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. By blocking this access, 40% of the previously occupied anadromous habitat in the Columbia River Basin was lost.

The Administration used the services of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) to facilitate the level of dialog and engagement necessary to achieve the stay. This work included the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration drafting a report “Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead.”

A priority action listed by the draft report is “Passage and reintroduction into priority blocked areas, including upper Columbia River.” Specifically,

“For upper Columbia River stocks, it is essential to provide passage into blocked areas. Establishing adult and juvenile passage to and from areas of the upper Columbia River blocked by high-head dams provides the highest and only reasonable likelihood of achieving mid-range CBP [Columbia Basin Partnership] goals for upper Columbia River stocks by 2050. This action helps address the blocked area threat by providing access to additional and more productive spawning and nursery areas.”

Although Columbia River Treaty negotiations remain a black box, the report also notes the urgency of “Maintaining and enhancing flow augmentation from Columbia River Treaty and U.S. storage projects for spring and summer juvenile migration.”

The Administration also committed NOAA and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to review comments to the draft report within 30 days of the close of the comment period, which is likely to be September 30th unless the comment period is extended.

News Release

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area   
Date: July 19, 2022
Contact: Denise Bausch, (509) 754-7830

Coulee Dam, WA — Due to compounding conditions, all fires at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area are prohibited effective 12:01 am, Friday, July 22, 2022, until further notice. No open flames are permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, all fires in NPS provided fire rings and boxes, shoreline fires, charcoal fires, tiki torches, incense burners, candles, and propane campfires.

Self-contained propane or gas stoves and lanterns are still allowed during the full fire ban. For the most current information regarding the fire ban in the Recreation Area, please call 509-754-7893.

Also, as a reminder, fireworks are always prohibited at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.

Year after year, Lake Roosevelt continues to provide extraordinary and diverse angling opportunities that attract enthusiasts from near and far. Thousands of hours of angling time are happily spent catching up to 200,000 fish annually. Rainbow Trout, White Sturgeon, Walleye and Smallmouth Bass are the most targeted species. And the fight to suppress Northern Pike, a voracious predator that devastates other fish populations, provides additional angling opportunities.

At the May LRF Recreational Fishery webinar, co-managers from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Spokane Tribe of Indians, and Colville Confederated Tribes summarized highlights for 2022. Annually, they invest over $8 million dollars to develop and maintain the fishery. In addition, the fishery contributes an estimated $16 million input to the local economies of the region.

Rainbow Trout and Net Pens

Over 561,000 rainbow trout were released into Lake Roosevelt in 2022. They are from 7 to 13 inches in length and 1 to 7 to the pound when released in May and will grow to about 18 inches by September. The long-term goal is to release up to 750,000 annually.

All rainbows released are triploids, meaning they are sterile and will not interbreed with wild trout. In addition, their adipose fin is clipped. Wild fish with an intact adipose fin should be released.

The goal is for a 5% annual return to creel, the estimated amount caught by anglers based on survey data collected by co-managers.

Supporting this effort is the WDFW Sherman Creek and Ford Hatcheries, the Spokane Tribal Hatchery, and 63 net pens located between Keller Ferry and Kettle Falls. Over 40 volunteers support maintenance of net pens and feeding needs from October through their release in May. 

Spokane Arm Rainbow Trout Supplemental Release

In 2019 the Spokane Tribal Hatchery acquired Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) funding to supplement the traditional net pen releases of rainbow trout. This has resulted in an additional 40,000 rainbow trout being released into the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt each year.

The fish are released between February and June and are larger in size then those released from net pens, varying from one to two pounds. This was made possible by the tribe recommissioning an abandoned fish acclimation facility to support five raceways. Combining the Spokane Tribal Hatchery rearing abilities with utilizing the raceways enables the rainbows to finish their growth and acclimate to river conditions.  

Walleye

Since 2002, WDFW (in cooperation with the Colville and Spokane tribes) has conducted Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) to monitor walleye. Monitoring enables managers to track the abundance, age, growth, condition, sex ratio, and age at maturity.

WDFW reports that the walleye fishery has remained stable and resilient over time. One consistent trend is that walleye grow more slowly in Lake Roosevelt due largely to less food availability. Another trend is that about 80% of walleye are age 3 years and younger, commonly measuring 12 to 16 inches.

Some year classes (when the walleye spawn and hatch), however, are much stronger than others. The last very strong year class was 2018. As a result, current abundance (and therefore availability) of walleye has taken a dip. However, larger walleye (16 inches to 22 inches) are currently more available because of the strong 2018 and previous year classes that are still in the system. If past is prologue, another strong year class will likely occur soon.

White Sturgeon

Since 2017, a white sturgeon fishery has been open thanks to surplus fish from U.S. and Canadian hatchery programs put in place in the early 2000s to help stem a decades-long population decline. Fishery managers believe the decline is due to on-going recruitment failure at the larval stage, the time from hatching to developing into juveniles.

Since hatchery programs began 20 years ago, over 160,000 sturgeon have been released. They are currently collected above the China Bend boat ramp at the larval stage before recruitment failure and transferred to the Sherman Creek hatchery. Here, they are raised for about one year and released in late winter/early spring.

Click here for WDFW Lake Roosevelt white sturgeon regulations. The slot limit of 50 – 63 inches fork length remains in place from 2021. New 2022 fishing regulations include no catch and release after the daily limit of one sturgeon per day has been achieved; and no sturgeon fishing from China Bend to the Canadian border will be allowed this year.

To support long term genetic diversity and other conservation goals, additional harvest changes are expected in 2023. The fishery harvest is expected to move to the fall as well as be shorter, and the slot limit will be tighter. Managers stress they are committed to annual stocking and maintaining a harvest. They are very pleased with the success of conservation efforts and what has become a very popular recreational fishery.

Northern Pike

This non-native invasive species is a voracious predator that devastates other fish populations. Northern pike can prey on fish that are 75% of their body weight and reproduce quickly. Managers, for instance, have caught females that are up to 26 lbs., each carrying about 127,000 eggs. Over the course of suppression efforts, 8,800 females have been removed with an estimated 442 million eggs.

In addition to threatening trout and other Lake Roosevelt fisheries, they can potentially move down the Columbia River and to other waterbodies like Banks Lake, thus threatening salmon, steelhead and other fisheries.

Suppression efforts, which include multiple strategies from gillnetting to offering rewards for their capture, are currently showing promising results. The number of fish caught per net is down from 4.37 in 2017 to 0.46 in 2021. In addition, nine eDNA monitoring sites changed from positive pike detections to negative 2021. Their primary pike location is concentrated in the northern section of the lake, e.g.—from Gifford to the Canadian border.

Click here to learn more about the northern pike reward program.

 

 

 

As part of the Community Project process developed by Congress in 2021, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers identified 15 projects to be considered for funding by the House Appropriations Committee for Fiscal Year 2023, which starts October 1.

One project would provide the Upper Columbia United Tribes $5 million to support implementation of their 21-year Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP) to reintroduce salmon above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. Funding would support design and planning of upstream fish collection facilities at Chief Joseph Dam and evaluating juvenile Sockeye salmon behavior and survival. Results of juvenile studies will inform the future development of downstream passage facilities.

This will build on momentum from an outmigration research study that began earlier this spring. At sites in Lake Roosevelt, the Spokane River, Hangman Creek and below Chief Joseph Dam, over 3,900 juveniles were fitted with PIT tags, and over 700 with acoustic tags. Tag information will allow researchers to evaluate their behavior and survival as they migrate downstream and, for a lucky few, upstream 2-3 years later. The research team includes the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Coeur d’Alene, Spokane and Colville tribes, and the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUTs).

“2023 will be the 82nd  anniversary of salmon being blocked from moving past Grand Coulee Dam,” said Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau. “The Congresswoman is adding her voice and influence to the growing number of sovereigns and interests committed to reintroducing salmon while also protecting affordable power generation.”

With over 1.3 million visitors frequenting the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area annually, peak season for summer enjoyment is now in full swing.
 
Click here for the Forum’s Lake Roosevelt recreational map and guide, providing information on fishing, camping, concessions, regulations, lake levels and more.
 
Click here to stay abreast of NPS alerts that could affect your stay.
 
 
NPS updates for a safe, fun visit
 
Aquatic Invasive Species: To protect against quagga/zebra mussels, boats must be clean, drained and dry. Click here for required self-certification form that must be placed in the windshield of your launch vehicle where it can be easily seen. At the Kettle Falls boat ramp, a clean, drain and dry boat cleaning station has been installed.
 
Fish cleaning stations closed: All stations are closed until further notice due to accumulated oil from fish clogging septic systems. Learn more.
 
Temporary boat-in campground closures: The following boat-in campgrounds will be temporarily closed to replace pit toilets with vault toilet facilities. Goldsmith Campground, closed July 11 – July 21; Penix Campground, closed July 18 – July 28, 2022; and Ponderosa Campground, closed August 15, - August 25. The schedule is subject to change. Learn more.
 
Fire Restrictions: On July 22, all fires at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area were prohibited until further notice. Visit the NPS alerts page for updates.
 
Mobile Visitor Centers: Two trailers are going to public events, campgrounds, and other locations with interpretive and logistical information to keep visitors informed and engaged.

The clock is ticking on an end of July deadline to reach a stay extension on litigation challenging the Columbia River System Operations 2020 Environmental Impact Statement and Biological Opinion for salmon and steelhead.

While Snake River salmon runs garner most of the media’s attention, the Spokane Tribe of Indians and Coeur d’Alene Tribe are also parties to the litigation. They joined the case in 2021 with a focus on Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams cutting off access to salmon, steelhead and lamprey in the upper Columbia River. By blocking this access, 40% of the previously occupied anadromous habitat in the Columbia River Basin was lost.

Therefore, contends the Spokane Tribe, “… the salmon restoration effort within the Columbia River Basin will only succeed when there are healthy and harvestable populations of anadromous fish above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams.” To date, federal agencies have declined to fund tribal efforts to reintroduce salmon above Chief Joe and Grand Coulee.

In June, a federal mediator indicated an extension of the deadline is being sought while plaintiffs and defendants can continue to negotiate in good faith. Whether the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene tribes will be supportive of an extension is not known. Stay tuned.

 
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The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) took public comments on their Northport Waterfront Cleanup Action Plan from May 2 through June 1, 2022. Click here  to visit the Ecology website with background information and details, including slides from a May 17 public meeting.

The cleanup site is in Northport’s town park and boat launch waterfront area. Sampling for the Remedial Investigation Report showed arsenic, copper, lead and zinc at elevated levels in soil and sediment, posing a risk to human health and the environment. Ecology identified the source of contamination as associated with legacy metals from the Le Roi Smelter and the Teck Metals Ltd. Smelter in Trail, British Columbia.
 
Development of this cleanup plan is another milestone in a multi-year process. The engineering design is expected to be complete by March 2023 with construction beginning in September 2023. The estimated cleanup cost is projected to be $4.9 to $5.4 million.
 
As shown in Figure A, the site is separated into five cleanup areas: Seasonal Beach, Hillside, Jetty, Bay and Bayshore.
 
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Figure B summarizes the combination of cleanup actions planned for each area. More specifics are shared in Ecology’s public presentation slides and the draft cleanup action plan.
 
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Questions clarified at the public meeting included:

*  Construction will take place over the course of a year when water levels are low and in-water work is not required. Funding has been secured as part of Washington State’s capital budget.
*  For the seasonal beach and other areas, fill and cap materials will be the same type of cobble/soil that was excavated. A public beach is not being created.
*  If existing road and related infrastructure is harmed, funding can be used to fix damage.
*  The public dock area will improve boat access via excavation that will increase water depth by about 2.5 feet. It does not include any infrastructure improvements to the dock.
*  The boat launch will only be closed when construction in that area is occurring.
*  The hillside area will provide new and enhanced recreational opportunities while also protecting sensitive riparian areas.

Click here to review public comments received during the comment period and Ecology’s responses.
From Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area News Release dated June 7, 2022
 
Coulee Dam, WA – The fish cleaning stations located throughout Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area will remain closed until further notice. While evaluating and trying to repair the Fort Spokane fish cleaning station and associated septic system, it was discovered that the accumulated oil from the fish remains have coated the sand in the drain field so thoroughly that water can no longer filter through the sand and instead, sits on top and clogs the septic system. To keep the existing fish cleaning station operational, the entire septic system would need to be redesigned, including electrical engineering, more powerful motor, and installing a new drain field. This is the third drain field at Fort Spokane destroyed by the fish oils in the past 30 years and there is no available space for a fourth.
 
This is happening at all Lake Roosevelt fish cleaning station drain fields and is neither environmentally nor economically sustainable. We are looking at more cost effective, low maintenance, environmentally friendly options that can be implemented in more areas throughout the park. As we test some of these options in the field, we will gather public comments to help determine our next course of action.
 
As a reminder, Title 36 Code of Federal Regulations 2.14(a)(7) prohibits disposing of fish remains on land or in waters within 200 feet of boat docks or swimming beaches, or within developed areas. Please either clean your fish according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recommendations on your boat or clean your fish at home. Do not dispose of fish remains in park dumpsters. During Sturgeon season, however, WDFW regulations require anglers to bring retained whole sturgeon to shore prior to cleaning to allow checks for compliance with the slot size limit rule. 
 
For more information, email Denise Bausch, National Park Service.

The higher than normal run off in the upper Columbia River has caused the debris boom at the China Bend facility to breach.  This is currently allowing floating debris to enter Lake Roosevelt at China Bend and flow downstream with the normal river currents.  Boaters are advised to use caution during these conditions.

A temporary collection boom will be installed at river mile 702.  Mile 702 is approximately 1 mile south of the Highway 395 bridge at Barney’s Jct.  The temporary boom will originate on the west shore, or Ferry County side, of the river and extend approximately 1000 feet upstream toward the middle of the river.  This log boom will be tied to an anchored barge on the upstream end and terminate at shore on the Ferry County or west side at Bisbee Creek across from the Boise Cascade plywood mill. 

There will be no navigable passage between the anchored barge and the west shoreline.  All boats must pass on the east or Stevens County side of the anchored barge.  There will be a series of orange navigation buoys and flashing warning lights marking the log boom and anchored barge. 

Again, do not attempt to pass between the anchored barge and the west or Ferry County shoreline. 

This temporary debris boom will be removed once repairs to the debris booms at the China Bend can be made.

Contact Columbia Navigation Inc with questions at ericw1962@gmail.com.

Thank you to the many people who presented and participated in our May 19th Lake Roosevelt Recreational Fishery Webinar.

Click here to view the webinar on YouTube.

The depth and diversity of information shared was remarkable. Here are some helpful timecodes to help you navigate to what you are most interested in.

 

4:17 Rainbow Trout Hatchery & Net Pen Report

26:11 Walleye Report

50:28 Sturgeon Report

1:14:13 Northern Pike Suppression

1:33:56 Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area Update

1:43:52 Water Forecast & Lake Operations

1:52:28 Question & Answer Session

Walleye, a non-native fish introduced to Lake Roosevelt decades ago, has a devoted following.  They can be a challenge to catch as they migrate great distances within the 130 mile reservoir and react to fluctuating lake levels. Anglers taking a walleye home enjoy a fine-flaked fillet with a subtle, sweet flavor.

Danny Garrett with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will share the latest information about their health and availability at the Lake Roosevelt Recreational Fishery webinar May 19th, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. There is no cost to participate.

Register Now 

Since 2002, WDFW (in cooperation with the Colville and Spokane tribes) has conducted Fall Walleye Index Netting (FWIN) to monitor walleye. Monitoring objectives include gathering trend data on abundance, age, growth, condition, sex ratio, and age at maturity. Pulling the results together,  Danny will share results such as cohort strength being highly variable over the study period and that angler harvest has reduced abundance of large walleye. This and other information highlight both the resiliency of walleye and challenges to consider.

The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has completed a draft cleanup plan for the Northport Waterfront. The site is located along the shoreline of Northport City Park. As shown in the graphic, contaminated materials from legacy smelter operations would be capped or removed from five designated cleanup areas in the 10.7 acre site. The plan, Ecology notes, will also “… encourage recreation in cleaned up areas.”

Ecology is hosting an online public meeting to provide an overview of the plan and respond to questions.

Date: May 17, 2022

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Join online via Zoom: https://bit.ly/NorthportCAP

Join by Phone: Dial 253-215-8782, enter the Meeting ID 881 7536 0585 #, and the Passcode 480648 #

Background Materials

Comment Period and Submissions

From May 2nd – June 1st, Ecology will be accepting comments on the draft plan. Staff will respond to all comments and publish the responses. Comments can be submitted online, via postal mail or email.

Next Steps

After receiving and responding to comments, Ecology will begin engineering design for the cleanup. The draft engineering design report will also be made available for public comment.

Big Rainbow TroutHow would you like to land a 10 lb. rainbow trout like this one in Lake Roosevelt?

Tim Peone, Manager of the Spokane Tribal Hatchery, will clue you in as part of the Lake Roosevelt Recreational Fishery webinar May 19th, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. There is no cost to participate.

Register Now                     View Agenda

In 2019 the Spokane Tribal Hatchery acquired Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) funding to supplement reservoir wide net pen rearing project releases. A key part of this funding was recommissioning an abandoned fish acclimation facility to support five raceways. By combining the hatcheries rearing abilities with utilizing the raceways to finish their growth and acclimate to river conditions, a larger size rainbow trout is now available to anglers.

Tim will review stats on the supplemental fish released between February and May, user experiences from past years, angling opportunities and what to expect moving forward.

Kids Stringer of FishAttention all anglers and lovers of Lake Roosevelt recreation. It’s time to discover what’s up and get ready for a wonderful 2022 season.
 
A Lake Roosevelt Recreational Fishery webinar will be hosted by the Forum May 19th, 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. There is no cost to participate.
 
 
Thousands of anglers spend between 250,000 and 400,000 hours a year enjoying Lake Roosevelt’s fishery. Tribal and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) natural resource managers will share the latest information on rainbow trout, walleye, sturgeon, and northern pike. Topics will cover rainbow hatchery and net pen production, status and availability of walleye and sturgeon populations, incentives to assist with northern pike suppression, regulatory conditions and more.
 
Said Mitch Combs with WDFW, “As co-managers, we’re very fortunate to work together on such an amazing and diverse fishery. The webinar is one way we can reach out to the public, media, clubs and others to learn more about the fishery, how to enjoy it and understand how we all work together to make it successful. ”
 
The webinar will also include updates for using National Park Service facilities and what to expect for lake levels throughout the summer.
KF Chinook release.cropJuvenile Chinook salmon from Northeastern Washington are once again making a run to the ocean.
 
Blocked from these waters for decades due to dam construction, over 4,500 juveniles are being released from various locations in Lake Roosevelt, the Spokane River, Hangman Creek and below Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams.
 
It’s part of an “outmigration” research study. Over 3,900 of the juveniles are being fitted with PIT tags, and over 700 with acoustic tags. Tag information will allow researchers to evaluate their behavior and survival as they migrate downstream and, for a lucky few, upstream 2-3 years later. The research team includes the U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, the Coeur d’Alene, Spokane and Colville tribes, and the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUTs).
 
Big picture, this is the beginning of implementing the 21-year Phase 2 salmon reintroduction Implementation Plan introduced by the UCUTs last fall. Partnerships with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and others are key to achieving the ultimate goal of reintroducing a sustainable salmon population to our region.
 
At release sites, prayers and ceremonies were offered for the juveniles as they journey downstream. Lots of people are rooting for them and learning from them.

A critical component of the Upper Columbia River (UCR) Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS) is conducting a Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment (BERA). The BERA evaluates the risk of chemicals (primarily metal contaminants) to plants and wildlife on land and in water. 

Under the terms of the 2006 Settlement Agreement between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Teck American Incorporated (TAI), TAI is responsible for conducting studies and funding surveys to inform development of the BERA and the Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) for the UCR Site.   The HHRA is also a key component of the RI and, under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, EPA is responsible for that element of the RI.  The HHRA for the UCR Site was finalized in 2021. 

In June, TAI sent EPA a document titled draft Interim Partial Upland BERA.  This partial BERA report   evaluated the upland portion of the UCR Site, not the Columbia River portion of the site.  The focus of the upland BERA is exposure of terrestrial plants and animals to contaminants in soil in an approximately 100 square-mile (64,000 acres) area east and west of the Columbia River that extends from the U.S.-Canada border to China Bend.  The final UCR Site boundary is determined by the extent of contamination. 

In July, TAI sent EPA a document titled the draft Interim Partial Upland Remedial Investigation draft RI report. This draft RI report summarized the activities conducted to characterize the conditions within the upland portion of the site, including sources of contamination, nature and extent of contamination, and the transport and fate of contaminants identified. The results of the draft upland BERA and the final HHRA will be used to identify focus metals for evaluating the nature and extent of contamination in the upland RI.

The draft BERA and RI for the upland portion of the site are under review by EPA and the Participating Parties (Colville Confederated Tribes, Spokane Tribe of Indians, Washington State represented by Ecology, and U.S. Department of Interior). EPA and Participating Parties review TAI’s work with EPA being responsible for approval. Citizens for Clean Columbia will also review the documents and provide comments to EPA.

In 2022, expectations are that the draft BERA and RI for the aquatic portion of the site will be submitted to EPA and the Participating Parties for review. A process will then occur by which the upland and aquatic work products are combined into a site-wide BERA and RI. EPA will update the public with fact sheets and public meetings during the course of document development and finalization.

Once the HHRA and BERA are complete, the RI/FS can then progress to determining what, if any, type of cleanup or other actions are needed. These cleanup actions will be evaluated in the FS. If cleanup is required, EPA will write a Proposed Plan, summarizing the selected cleanup actions, and EPA will announce a formal public comment period and organize at least one public meeting.

The legislature approved starting adjudication of Lake Roosevelt water rights. Adjudication will also include the area that drains into Lake Roosevelt between the confluence with the Spokane River and downstream from the mouth of the Colville River.

Adjudication is a legal process that results in all water users receiving certainty about their water rights. This includes both users issued permits by Ecology and claims to water made before the state adopted its water code.

Ecology’s 2020 “Water Resources Adjudication Assessment Legislative Report” recommended adjudication. The report states that “The claims of the Colville and Spokane Tribes over the Columbia River pose one of the most profound uncertainties of water management in the state. Adjudication is the only tool to bring tribal water into alignment with state law.”

Water Rights in Play

The Bureau of Reclamation holds state issued water rights with an apparent 1938 priority date. These rights are used to irrigate over 670,000 acres of Columbia Basin Project farmland. It’s also used to supply water to the Odessa subarea as part of the Lake Roosevelt Incremental Storage Program.

The Colville Tribes claim a senior water right for their land reservation of over 470,000-acre feet with a priority date of 1872. Both the Colville and Spokane tribes claim immemorial water rights to meet fish and wildlife needs.

Ecology notes, however, that “… there is uncertainty and disagreement as to whether the state can protect or regulate these [tribal] rights.” In the face of this uncertainty, the Colville Tribes petitioned for adjudication in 2019 and the Spokane Tribe did not object.

Considerations

Ecology believes adjudication would streamline consideration of future large-scale water projects on both reservation and non-reservation land. Such projects, for instance, could be part of irrigating tribal lands or developing new water storage capacity.

Regarding fish passage, Ecology states “The legal assessment of tribal water rights in the Upper Columbia River, particularly Lake Roosevelt itself, has been a missing piece of this entire management system.” Currently, salmon reintroduction efforts being led by the tribes are based on continuation of current lake operations.

While the adjudication process plays out over a projected 10-to-20-year time frame, related water issues will also be playing out. For instance, Columbia River Treaty negotiations could significantly impact lake operations and water flows; assumptions will continue about continuing to supply water to the Columbia Basin Project; desires to support downstream municipal, industrial and agricultural users will continue unabated; and new large-scale projects will continue to be proposed (see pumped storage article in this newsletter).

As such, the road to certainty through adjudication will also be weaving through a dynamic path.  

What’s Next

During the current state biennium ending June 30, 2023, Ecology expects to delineate water sources, identify water users, and prepare a statement and plan. The Attorney General’s office will then file a petition with the court to proceed with adjudication.

Continuing the effort into future biennia will rely on the legislature continuing to fund the effort.

The Bureau of Reclamation gave the thumbs up for two separate projects working to bring pumped storage power to Lake Roosevelt. Reclamation selected Daybreak Power, Inc. and Columbia Basin Hydropower to receive a preliminary lease under the Lease of Power Privilege program. A LOPP is a contractual right given to a non-federal entity to use a Reclamation asset, such as a dam or conduit, for electric power generation consistent with Reclamation project purposes. The two preliminary lessees will study the case management of Lake Roosevelt waters and lands associated with operating Grand Coulee Dam and the Columbia Basin Project.

Selection for the LOPP program does not change the need for project proponents to meet complex federal and state regulatory approvals, including consultation with the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

Currently, the John W. Keys III Pump-Generating Plant at Grand Coulee Dam is the Northwest’s only pumped storage facility. The pump-generating plant contains 12 pumps that lift water from the Columbia River up the hillside to a canal that flows into Banks Lake. The lake provides irrigation water to over 670,000 acres in central WA. Six of the units are pump generators that can be reversed to generate clean, renewable hydroelectricity when demand exists.

The interest in building new pumped storage projects relates in large part to climate change. States, utilities, and municipalities are pursuing goals to replace fossil fuel power plants like coal with carbon-free power such as wind and solar. When the wind isn’t blowing or the sun shining, pumped storage energy has the advantage of being available to pick up the slack.

Banks Lake Pump Storage Project

In development for about a decade, this proposed project would essentially expand the use of Banks Lake. As additional water is pumped up to Banks Lake, a new inlet would allow water to flow through pipes about 300 feet underground to a subterranean powerhouse. Here, three generating units could produce up to 500 megawatts of power—enough to meet the annual electricity needs of over 300,000 homes. Pipes would be used to return the water to Lake Roosevelt just above Grand Coulee Dam.

The project is being developed by Columbia Basin Hydropower, a company that provides administration, operations, and maintenance for hydroelectric facilities owned by the three Columbia Basin irrigation districts. The projected cost to construct is $ 1.5 billion.

Halverson Canyon Project

In the last year, Daybreak Power, Inc. came into the picture with a proposal to study the construction of a 399-foot dam in Halverson Canyon. This is about 35 miles upstream of Grand Coulee Dam on the Lincoln County side of Lake Roosevelt.

A new upland reservoir capable of holding 29,000-acre feet of water would be connected to the dam and Lake Roosevelt through 10,000 feet of water conveyance pipes. The force of falling water released from the reservoir would turn up to nine turbines capable of producing 2,650 megawatts of electricity (enough to power about 1.7 million homes annually.) Daybreak estimates the cost of constructing this project to be $4.9 billion.

National Park Service

WINTER SERVICES

During the winter season, camping is only available in the Kettle Falls, Fort Spokane and Spring Canyon campgrounds. Reservations are required. Throughout the recreation area, no water service is available, and all dumpsters and trash cans have been removed. For more detailed information on available services, visit https://bit.ly/3Hx8ub2

Lincoln County

PORCUPINE BAY ROAD SLOPE STABILIZATION

A combination of vegetation, anchors and blankets are being installed over about 13,000 sq. ft. of slope below Porcupine Bay Road to reduce the possibility of the hillside sloughing into the water. Erosion is a key concern after Porcupine Bay Road (which is maintained by Lincoln County and provides public access to the Park Service Porcupine Bay Campground) washed out in 2017 due to a landslide. In 2019, Lincoln County reopened the road as part of a complex project to shore up and stabilize the hillside.

Fisheries

Thanks to the efforts of the Spokane Tribal Hatchery and WDFW’s Sherman Creek Hatchery, 600,000 rainbow trout triploids with their adipose fin clipped were raised and transferred to 63 net pens distributed between Keller Ferry and Kettle Falls. 45 net pens are operated by volunteers from the Lake Roosevelt Volunteer Net Pen Program and 18 by WDFW. The trout will be released from the net pens in May for anglers to enjoy.

Columbia River Treaty

The United States and Canada held the eleventh round of negotiations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty on December 9, 2021.  The tenth round took place on June 29-30, 2020.  “During this round,” reported the U.S. State Department, “the United States and Canada discussed ecosystem priorities, post-2024 flood risk management, and Canada’s desire for more operational flexibility.”

Bureau of Reclamation

CAYUSE COVE SHORELINE STABILIZATION

The Bureau of Reclamation began phase two of the Cayuse Cove Slope Stabilization project, which is located approximately 8 miles upstream of Porcupine Bay Campground on the Lincoln County side. Construction work includes stabilization of about 300 feet of shoreline with anchors, a cellular confinement system, rock, topsoil and planting. The project will stabilize the shoreline and halt bank erosion to prevent inadvertent exposure and loss of sensitive resources. The staging area was set up at the Porcupine Bay boat launch in December. Phase two construction will continue through May 27, 2022. This includes some access to the Porcupine Bay boat launch being reduced.

GRAND COULEE GENERATING UNITS G22–G24 OVERHAUL COMPLETION

A major overhaul of hydroelectric power generating units 22, 23 and 24 inside the Nathaniel “Nat” Washington Power Plant at Grand Coulee Dam are complete.

Each 805-megawatt hydroelectric unit (enough to meet the power needs of over 600,000 homes annually) was refurbished to ensure the mechanical and electrical surfaces were restored and returned to like-new condition.

Activities included approximately 6.5 million pounds of steel being removed from each unit once every component down to the turbine runner was fully taken apart. Once disassembled, each component was then sand blasted, welded, ground, polished, and repainted before reassembly.

The result of this multi-year, multi-million-dollar effort is that critical power supply is secured for years to come. In addition, the generating units will now operate with less wear and tear, making them more reliable and efficient.

EPA is seeking public comment on a draft “Strategy to Reduce Lead Exposures and Disparities in U.S. Communities.” EPA’s goal is “… to strengthen public health protections and address legacy lead contamination for communities with the greatest exposures and promote environmental justice.”

Of particular importance to the Upper Columbia Valley communities, the strategy includes an objective to reduce exposure to lead in soils. EPA’s 2021 Upper Columbia Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) identifies exposure to lead in soils as a health concern in these communities. The Valley is approximately 100 square miles (64,000 acres) east and west of the Columbia River that extends from the U.S.-Canada border to China Bend (about 40 river miles).  Lead contamination in this area is linked to historic smelter operations that resulted in deposition of hazardous substances on surface soil.

As explained in the HHRA and EPA draft strategy, children and adults can be exposed to lead through incidental ingestion, e.g.—children touching their mouth with their hands, gardening, or from fine particles of soil dust that gets tracked into homes and contaminates house dust. Exposure to lead is particularly dangerous to children under six because their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults and their brains are actively developing, which makes them more susceptible to adverse health effects. 

Setting New Standards and the Upper Columbia Valley

The draft EPA strategy calls for setting new soil-lead hazard standards as well as adopting new recommendations for screening sites.

EPA’s Upper Columbia HHRA considered a range of thresholds for determining potential soil-based lead cleanup in the Upper Columbia Valley. These thresholds will be used in the future Remedial Investigation Report and Feasibility Study to recommend further action that may be needed to protect public health.

Figure A summarizes the low, medium and high range the HHRA identified for EPA considering action, the number of residential and aerial decision units currently sampled that would be affected, and properties currently cleaned up as part of taking early action to address those in the “high” range.

Currently, 700 parts per million of lead is the time-critical soil cleanup action level used for properties sampled from 2014 – 2016 and offered cleanup. This is the same action level EPA used to identify additional properties within the town of Northport that received cleanup in 2020.

A new standard in an updated final EPA strategy may result in a lower threshold for action.  If the new standard is stricter than the current standard, more properties in the area may fall within the range of lead levels that warrant potential cleanup. For more background on HHRA findings regarding lead in the Upper Columbia Valley, visit www.lrf.org/environment/2020-public-guide

Public Comments

To read the draft strategy and/or provide public comments, go to www.epa.gov/lead. Comments are due by March 16, 2022. This site will also post listening sessions EPA is scheduling

Background

The Midnite Mine Superfund site is a 350-acre, inactive uranium mine located on the Spokane Indian Reservation. A legacy of the Cold War, uranium mining from 1954 to 1981 left more than 33 million tons of waste rock, unprocessed ore and low-grade ore (also known as protore) laced with contaminants. Contaminants include radionuclides and heavy metals resulting from mining, transport activities and related operations.

Human health issues such as cancer effected tribal members that worked on the mine or were exposed to radioactive dust brought into homes, lands and other facilities due to poor safety protocols and equipment.  Tribal members are currently warned against eating fish from Blue Creek, using creek water in sweat lodge ceremonies, or eating wildlife such as elk and deer.

After mine closure, legacy issues included two large open pits partially filled with water and several pits backfilled with waste rock. In addition, contaminated surface water and groundwater from the pits entered Blue Creek, which flows 3.5 miles to the Spokane River (also known as the Spokane Arm of Lake Roosevelt and the Upper Columbia River).

After years of litigation and regulatory activity, the mine was added to the superfund list in 2000, EPA selected a cleanup plan in 2006, Newmont and Dawn mining companies were found liable in 2008, and cleanup of the site began in 2016.

Cleanup Activities to Date

This is a snapshot of cleanup activities. A tremendous amount of engineering and complex construction is occurring to achieve these results.

  • Strategically, mine waste is primarily being consolidated into the two largest open pits (called Pit 3 and Pit 4).
  • Pit 4 has been lined at the bottom with drain rock and vertical wells installed. The wells are needed to assure contaminated water from on-going seepage and groundwater can be transferred to a water treatment plant. Currently, contaminated water from the pit is being moved to the south pond. In addition, the pit has been backfilled to about 85%. In 2022, backfilling will be completed and the capping and revegetation process will begin.
  • Pit 3, the largest open pit at the mine, will begin to be backfilled in 2022 by placing drain rock, a liner and starting to build the vertical wells.
  • The water treatment plant built in 1988 will continue to operate until 2023. This plant will be torn down and placed into the pits along with the waste rock under the water treatment site. Treated water from the plant is currently discharged directly into a tributary to Blue Creek.    
  • In 2022, a new water treatment plant will begin construction and is expected to be operational in 2023. In addition to operational improvements, the new plant is designed to treat less contaminated water because the need for ongoing treatment will decline as cleanup in Pits 3 and 4 are complete. Newmont Mining will be responsible for operating the water treatment plant in perpetuity.
  • In 2021, construction began on a closed pipeline that will move effluent from the new water treatment plant to the Spokane River via a route that hugs Blue Creek. Once discharged into the river, the water quality in “the mixing zone” will meet tribal water quality standards as dilution takes place. Completion of the pipeline is expected in 2022.

Completion of the cleanup activities is scheduled for 2027. After that, on-going monitoring will be used to determine if additional cleanup is needed.

Technical Assistance Needs Assessment

In 2021, EPA also conducted a Technical Assistance Needs Assessment (TANA) for the community near the Mindite Mine site. The goal is to identify additional community outreach and support that EPA can offer.

Tribal members cited overcoming mistrust of the U.S. government, concerns of racial bias, and receiving mixed messages as among their concerns. Providing more robust and regularly updated outreach materials, regularly scheduling in-person meetings, and using “plain language” with graphics to explain information more clearly were among the recommendations. There were also calls for a health study to address ongoing health concerns of tribal members.

The TANA was released in November and available at https://semspub.epa.gov/work/10/100369943.pdf

EPA 2021 MIDNITE MINE CLEANUP STATS

CONSTRUCTION

  • Crushed 500K CYDs of material
  • Place 1.5 million CYDs of mine waste into Pit #4 WCA
  • South Pond and pump station commissioned
  • Pumped 22.5 million gallons of water from Pit #3 to South Pond
  • Installed 10,500 ft of HDPE pipe
  • Paved 2,400 ft of two-lane road
  • Awarded $20 million contract for the construction of the new water treatment plant
  • Treated 66 million gallons of water as of Nov. 3, 2021. Discharged 45 million gallons under NPDES permit

WORKFORCE

Employed 112 people

Employed ~ 55 tribal members

71 construction workers

Operated:

  • 12 x CAT 745 haul trucks
  • 6 x CAT excavators
  • 2 x fuel trucks
  • 4 x bull dozers
  • 2 x water trucks

Maintained our equipment at overall operational readiness rate over 90%

126,000 hours worked without a lost time accident or fatality

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) continues to make progress on plans for cleaning up smelter-related metals contamination in Northport’s Town Park and boat launch waterfront area.

Visit the Forum’s summer 2021 newsletter for a summary of cleanup options.

During May 2021, the public had an opportunity to review and comment on the draft Northport Waterfront Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). The RI explains the extent and locations of contaminants, and the FS evaluates cleanup options. Since then, Ecology responded to comments and finalized the RI/FS.

The next step is completing a draft Cleanup Action Plan that compares the cleanup options and identifies a final, preferred cleanup remedy. Ecology anticipates this plan will be available for public review and comment in early 2022. The Forum will publicize the comment period via at least or at the minimum our electronic newsletter and social media. After Ecology considers public comments and potentially revises the plan in response, they will publish a final Cleanup Action Plan. If the plan changes significantly due to public input, then another draft will be available for review and comment.

Ecology posts project updates and documents on their website at https://bit.ly/3xGp2tx

In the summer of 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offered voluntary soil sampling to property owners located within Northport town limits. Historically, lead and arsenic have been detected at elevated concentrations in soils surrounding the Upper Columbia River, including Northport, Washington.

Eligibility for the 2021 voluntary soil sampling opportunity was limited to properties within Northport that had not been sampled as part of previous voluntary soil sampling events. EPA began reaching out to eligible property owners in July 2021 to offer participation in the sampling event. In September 2021, the EPA conducted soil sampling at 43 properties where consent for access was voluntarily provided by the landowner.

EPA will assess lead and arsenic concentrations in soil samples. The sampling data will help identify potential properties where unacceptable risks to public health may exist, and where additional actions may be necessary.

EPA is funding the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation to develop a fish tissue and water quality monitoring framework to track the status and trends of toxics in the Columbia River. The tribe is partnering with the U.S. Geological Survey, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and Washington State Department of Ecology to develop the framework.

The $188,378 grant, which is funded through EPA’s Columbia River Basin Restoration Program, is the beginning of a multi-year effort to track the status of toxics in fish, water, sediments, and invertebrates in the mainstem Columbia River between Bonneville Dam and the Canadian border. Data that describe previous studies characterizing toxics in the study area have been compiled and will inform the experimental design of the monitoring program.

Currently, the group has established the project vision and expectations, compiled and evaluated historical data, is presenting to and receiving input from diverse stakeholders, and developing a community engagement and outreach plan. Over the next year, monitoring design considerations and field and laboratory protocols will be developed as part of the long-term monitoring program.

The Lake Roosevelt communities lost a great friend and advocate for protecting our lands and waters.

John Roland was a Senior Hydrogeologist with the Washington Department of Ecology’s Eastern Regional Office Toxics Cleanup Program. He specialized in Upper Columbia basin activities since 2004. This included taking the lead for state participation in the Upper Columbia River and Lake Roosevelt RI/FS. His knowledge of this complex undertaking was encyclopedic.

As a Forum board member and advocate, John was always known for being resolute with tireless integrity and a gentle manner. An avid outdoorsman, being in nature and with his wife was his happy place.

In 2019, The Forum was fortunate enough to interview John for a Getting to Know article featuring him. Said John of the people in our communities, “They are independent, proud and resilient, all want a better greater upper Columbia, each bringing culture and values that add to the uniqueness of the area. On my best days I’m proud to say we’re working together to protect future generations by supporting a healthy, upper Columbia River Valley and river extending through Lake Roosevelt.”

John’s most recent work included developing options for cleanup of the Northport City Park shoreline area. If all goes well, cleanup will begin in 2023 or 2024. One cleanup option includes creating an overlook with a park bench facing the river. The Forum would like to work with Ecology and the Town of Northport for that bench to honor John’s tireless work for a safe, clean environment.

In October the Upper Columbia United Tribes introduced a visionary, 21-year Phase 2 Implementation Plan (P2IP) to reintroduce salmon above Chief Joseph, Grand Coulee, and Spokane River dams. The cost is projected to be $176 million, or about $8.4 million annually. The plan neatly concludes with the 100-year anniversary of Grand Coulee Dam being completed, the marker for salmon being lost to upper Columbia tribes in the U.S. and Indigenous Nations of Canada.

Said Carol Evans, Chairwoman of the Spokane Tribe of Indians Business Council, “My ancestors’ relationship with salmon is since time immemorial. It’s in our creation and oral stories. Seeing the salmon across the river … so plentiful, so large you could just walk across the river on their backs.”

Summer/fall Chinook and Sockeye are the focus of reintroduction efforts. The expanse of the vision includes potentially opening nearly 1,200 river miles of habitat. Imagine adult salmon once again swimming to the Canadian border and beyond; or taking a right from the Columbia to go over 80 miles up the Spokane River before hanging another right and going more miles up Hangman Creek to the Coeur d’Alene Reservation in Idaho; or moving up other tributaries like the Sanpoil and the Little Spokane rivers.

P2IP builds off the successfully completed Phase 1 Report that was released in 2019 and favorably reviewed by the Independent Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB). In addition, cultural and educational releases that began in 2017 have both captured people’s imagination and demonstrated the efficacy of the effort.

Go to lrf.org to see summaries of Phase 1 efforts in the summer 2021 newsletter or salmon reintroduction webinar.

P2IP Implementation

Using phrases like “stepwise” and “adaptive management,” P2IP reminds one of how NASA approached reaching the moon. Within the vision were complex tasks and subtasks being carried out over years. With each success or failure, adjustments large and small were made to achieve the end goal. “Fortune,” as the proverb says, “favors the brave.”

The scientific framework for salmon reintroduction is grounded in a life cycle model (LCM) developed during Phase 1. As assumptions in the model are tested with on the ground efforts and additional research, the LCM model will be updated to replace assumptions with validated results. Future efforts will then be adjusted accordingly.

During the first six years of P2IP, activities will focus on baseline research studies and establishing interim facilities.

Some highlights:

- Developing facilities to annually raise and release 50,000 – 200,000 juvenile summer/fall Chinook and Sockeye respectively.

- Using acoustic, radio and passive integrated transponders (PIT tags) to evaluate salmon behavior, survival, and sources of mortality as they migrate downstream as juveniles and then return upstream as adults.

- Using trap-and-haul to move returning adults past one or more dams currently blocking their way (Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams on the Columbia River, and Little Falls, Long Lake and Nine Mile dams on the Spokane River).

- In the equivalent of ancestry.com for salmon, using genetic sampling to track generations of salmon families released and where they are returning to.

Salmon Reintroduction Above Grand Coulee: Potential Habitat Areas
UC potential salmon habitat map news

Said Conor Giorgi, the Spokane Tribe of Indians Anadromous Program Manager, “Phase 1 involved a lot of tabletop exercises. Phase 2 is research studies to evaluate salmon survival as they migrate out of the Spokane River and upper Columbia, then as adults coming back. This sets us up for Phase 3, which will determine how a permanent reintroduction program can proceed.”

While the number of juveniles being raised and released sounds like a lot, it pales in comparison to the millions released from hatchery programs throughout the Columbia River Basin.

In addition, planners are using existing infrastructure. Said Casey Baldwin, senior research scientist with the Colville Tribes, “Taking advantage of some of the staffing and infrastructure that’s already in place, it’s not a huge build-out.”
Said Tom Biladeau, a Habitat Restoration Biologist with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, “When it comes to restoration, we’re trying to take a holistic approach to how all these ecosystems tie into one another.”

Funding
Various sources such as Washington state, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, tribes, and Avista Utilities have thus far pledged $1.2 million. The tribes are actively working with state and federal partners to achieve the full level of funding necessary to implement P2IP.
“We have always welcomed our neighbors with open arms,” said Hemene “Gene” James, Secretary-Treasurer of the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Council. “We cannot get to our ultimate goal without our friends, without our neighbors, without our adversaries. It’s going to take a large number of peoples and parties to fix a century’s worth of damage.”

Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area Press Release

Coulee Dam, WA – Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area invites you to come and enjoy the great outdoors no matter the season. With reduced staffing and resources during the winter, facilities and services are limited.

During the winter season, camping is only available in the Kettle Falls, Fort Spokane, and Spring Canyon campgrounds. Campsites are limited to:

Kettle Falls: loop 1

Fort Spokane: loop 1

Spring Canyon: lower loop

Reservations are required but can be made in advance or from the campground upon arrival with adequate cell phone service. Reservations must be made at recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777. Individual campsites are available for winter camping at $11.50 per night.

There is no water service at Lake Roosevelt during the winter months. Vault toilets are available but will be cleaned on a limited basis. Please plan accordingly for water and restroom facilities.

Snow removal and sanding procedures run from November 1 to March 31 once two or more inches of snow have accumulated. The following locations are plowed on an as-needed basis:

Kettle Falls boat launch and campground loop 1 road (but not individual campsites)

Gifford boat launch

Fort Spokane boat launch and campground loop 1 road (but not individual campsites)

Keller Ferry boat launch

Spring Canyon boat launch and lower campground loop road (but not individual campsites)

Additional locations may be plowed as weather and safety conditions allow.

All dumpsters and trash cans have been removed from our campgrounds, boat launches, and day-use areas. Please practice Leave No Trace principles and recreate responsibly by taking your trash home to dispose of it. Do not leave trash or dispose of it in fire rings. Under 36 CFR 2.14 (a) (1) visitors are prohibited from leaving refuse in places other than refuse receptacles as it is considered littering and may result in a fine of up to $200.

All other Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area land is open to the visiting public to enjoy walking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing opportunities as conditions permit.

Please check with www.nps.gov/laro for specific details about park operations.

 

Applications due: February 8, 2022

Webinar on December 14, 2021

Clean Water Act Section 123 Columbia River Basin Restoration Program Request for Applications: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is issuing two Request for Applications (RFA) from eligible entities to improve water quality in the Lower Columbia River Estuary and/or the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin through specific actions to reduce toxics, increase toxics monitoring, and/or increase public education and outreach on pollution prevention to reduce toxics.

Eligible projects must address at least one of the following project categories: eliminating or reducing pollution; cleaning up contaminated sites; improving water quality; monitoring to evaluate trends; reducing runoff; protecting habitat; or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge. Priority for funding will be given to projects which are consistent with federal fiscal years 2021 and 2022 (FY21/22) funding priorities as described in the RFA. 

EPA is offering an informational webinar on Dec 14, 2021. We encourage potential applicants to attend one of the sessions to learn more about the Columbia River Basin Restoration Program and the grant application process. During the webinar, EPA will highlight any changes to the program, review eligibility criteria, funding limits and mandatory cost share requirements. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions. Pre-registration is not required.

More information about this funding opportunity and the informational webinar can be found at: EPA’s Columbia River Basin Website.

Applications must be submitted electronically by Tuesday, February 8, 2022 11:59 pm (Eastern) through www.grants.gov by following the instructions in the RFA. 

More information: ColumbiaRiverBasinGrant@epa.gov

Informational Webinar

Tuesday, December 14, 9:30-11am (Pacific)

Click here to join 12/14 webinar on your computer or mobile app (Microsoft Teams)

Or call in (audio only) at 1-206-800-4483;

Phone conference ID: 960 563 595#

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has opened white sturgeon fishing from China Bend Boat Ramp upstream to the Canadian Border. Its open seven days per week from Sept. 1-30, 2021.

Also remaining open until September 30 is the Lake Roosevelt white sturgeon fishery from Grand Coulee Dam to China Bend Boat Ramp (including the Spokane River from Highway 25 Bridge upstream to 400’ below Little Falls Dam, Colville River upstream to Meyers Falls Dam and the Kettle River upstream to Barstow Bridge).

Check the WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet for details on definitions and regulations.

Visit https://spokanetribalfisheries.com/current-fishing-trends/ for the latest fishing trends.

A picture can, indeed, tell a thousand words. The Le Roi Smelter (also known as the Northport Smelter) is shown above. It handled copper ores between 1901 and 1911, and lead ores between 1916 and 1921. What’s highlighted in the foreground is the clinker and granulated slag wastes that operation of the smelter deposited on the waterfront.

Today, this is the idyllic site of Northport City Park, boat launch and waterfront area. Beneath cobbled and soiled surfaces of these areas lay the legacy of heavy metals from the smelter. Extensive soil sampling by the Washington Department of Ecology in 2019 identified ecologic and human health cleanup needs for copper, lead and zinc. Of the 329 samples taken for each, state screening levels were exceeded 33 to 66% of the time.

In May, Ecology invited the public to comment on the draft Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). To view Ecology’s documents and webinar presentation, go to their web site via this short url: www.bit.ly/3gKbLcy

Cleanup Options

As shown in the graphic, Ecology created five investigation and cleanup areas.

Seasonal beach cleanup options are both the most challenging and complex. Sediments in this area are either exposed as a walkable floodplain surface or beneath the river’s water based on seasonally alternating river flows. These flows also affect the options to achieve cleanup. Ecology’s options (e.g., cleanup alternatives) focus on identifying the best mix of 1) excavation and replacement of existing soils, 2) capping soils with material to avoid exposure, and 3) enhancing a side channel that would permit continued flow during lower river levels. As an order of magnitude, based on the option selected between 2,100 and 2,800 truckloads would be required to remove and replace 8,500 and 11,500 cubic yards of material.

Hillside cleanup options envision doing it in a way that also creates a new public amenity for ensuring safe recreational options. As shown in the graphic, 1 foot of contaminated soil would be replaced in conjunction with building a walking trail that includes a picnic shelter, tables, and benches. This provides definition to fencing and plantings to manage and limit access to other hillside areas. This limits further excavation and replacement needs to three small areas.

The jetty cleanup envisions re-armoring by securing the toe, armoring the sides and capping the jetty itself to permit continued foot traffic along the crest.

The public dock and bay cleanup would jointly excavate and replace soils within 6 feet of the dock to improve boat access by increasing the depth of water at the bottom of the ramp by about 4.5 feet. The bay flat along the jetty would be capped with clean streambed-appropriate material.

The Bayshore area cleanup would see capping the existing surface with 1.5 feet of rounded rock and streambed appropriate material.

Cost and Timeline

The three proposed options to clean up the seasonal beaches range in cost, for feasibility study purposes, from $4.6 to 7.5 million. The estimated cost for the Jetty, Bay, Bayshore and Hillside is $600,000 and incorporated into this range.

The next steps for Ecology are to respond to public comments to the draft RI/FS, finalize the RI/FS, and complete a Cleanup Action Plan. The Cleanup Action Plan will describe the specific cleanup option chosen. There will be final public comment solicited prior to engineering design, permitting, contracting and construction.

Ecology estimates cleanup can most likely begin in 2023 or 2024 during the times when river levels are low enough for cleanup areas to be fully exposed and construction equipment can operate at and above the water line.

 

Waterfront_Cleanup.JPGHillside_cleanup_option.JPG

 

 

EPA will conduct more voluntary soil sampling in the town of Northport on properties not sampled in 2003-2004. Click here for EPA flyer.

EPA reports that in Summer 2021, they “…will offer voluntary soil sampling to property owners located within the Northport town limits. Eligibility is currently limited to residential properties that have not been previously tested. We are reaching out to eligible property owners by the end of July to offer participation in this sampling event. For those properties where the landowner or property representative provides consent for voluntary soil testing, EPA plans to sample in Summer/Fall 2021. Soil sampling results will be provided to the landowner as soon as they are available. EPA will analyze lead and arsenic levels in sample results to determine which properties may need additional action.”

This builds on 2004 EPA testing where soil sampling that was done on 191 properties, of which 33 had soil removed and replaced. In 2020, EPA cleaned up an additional 15 properties. These properties became eligible for cleanup when EPA lowered the removal action for lead due to advances in scientific understanding of lead exposure to young children and babies.

EPA offered Teck American Inc. (TAI) the opportunity to perform the soil sampling. TAI declined the opportunity, noting that they believe the source of this contamination (the Le Roi/Northport smelter) is a separate source of contamination than what TAI agreed to evaluate as part of the Upper Columbia River RI/FS.  

A determination as to what properties may receive additional soil cleanup will be made after the testing process is complete. If EPA identifies potentially responsible parties, the agency may seek cost recovery for these efforts.  Click here for EPA’s Upper Columbia River Remedial Investigation & Feasibility Study web site.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Colville Confederated Tribes and the Spokane Tribe of Indians cooperatively manage the Lake Roosevelt Fishery. In addition, the Volunteer Net Pen project provides critical support to maintaining 45 of 63 net pens distributed throughout Lake Roosevelt.

As Figure A shows, angler catch for all species varies between 113,000 and 204,000 fish annually. And the estimated number of hours anglers spent fishing varies between 246,000 and 390,000 hours per year. Rainbow Trout, White Sturgeon, Walleye and Smallmouth Bass are the most targeted species by recreational enthusiasts. The fight to suppress Northern Pike, a voracious predator that devastates other fish populations, provides additional angling opportunities.

Updated_Fig_A.JPG

Check the WDFW fishing pamphlet for the latest rules and regulations.

Rainbow Trout

In May, over 526,000 triploid (meaning they are sterile) Rainbow Trout were released from 63 net pens located between Keller Ferry and Kettle Falls. About 8 inches when released, they grow to 12 inches by mid-July and 18 inches by September. In addition, the Spokane Tribal Hatchery raised 30,000 1 to 2 pound rainbows for release in the Spokane Arm and Spring Canyon/Keller Ferry.

All hatchery/net pen Rainbow Trout are marked by removal of the adipose fin to ensure anglers can tell hatchery from wild trout. The harvest regulation is five hatchery Rainbow Trout per angler per day. All wild trout with an intact adipose fin must be released.

White Sturgeon

In June, the White Sturgeon fishery was opened from Grand Coulee Dam to China Bend Boat Ramp. There is a daily limit of 1 sturgeon and annual limit of 2 sturgeon. Those harvested must be between 50 inches and 63 inches fork length.  Fork length is measured from the tip of the snout to middle of the fork in the caudal fin (tail).  How long the fishery will remain open has not been determined, making it critical to regularly check WDFW rule changes.

This fishery is available due to White Sturgeon hatchery programs that began in 2001 in British Columbia (BC) and 2004 in Washington.  Efforts from Canadian and U.S. governments and tribes seek to reverse a decades-long decline of White Sturgeon in the Upper Columbia, including restoring natural recruitment.

With survival of hatchery-produced juvenile sturgeon higher than anticipated, the surplus became available for Lake Roosevelt harvest beginning in 2017.

Northern Pike

Anglers should kill ALL Northern Pike caught.

This non-native invasive species is a voracious predator that devastates other resident fish populations. Importantly, if they move down the Columbia, they will devastate salmon and steelhead populations. They also foul the ecosystem by introducing parasites and diseases, and competing with other species for food resources.

To meet the challenge, over $1 million is spent annually to suppress Northern Pike in Lake Roosevelt. Funding comes from BPA, tribes, utilities, and others.

In 2020, over 3,400 pike were removed from the system.  This brings the total of pike removed since 2015 to over 16,000. This spring, managers used gillnets as the focus of suppression efforts. For the summer, electro fishing will also be used to target juveniles.

Pike were first captured in Lake Roosevelt in 2007 and are now routinely captured in fisheries surveys throughout the northern section of Lake Roosevelt and the lower section of the Kettle River.

______________________

Catch a Northern Pike, Make $10

The Colville Confederated Tribes are again offering rewards for catching Northern Pike.

Participants receive $10 for every Northern Pike caught and properly deposited at a drop off location. Go to www.cct-fnw.com/northern-pike for reward program rules and drop off locations. Over $11,000 was paid out last year!!

_____________________

Want to Know What’s Biting Where?

Visit www.spokanetribalfisheries.com/current-fishing-trends

Creel clerks from the Spokane Tribal Fisheries, the Colville Reservation and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife are regularly uploading data to servers to provide near real-time access to catch information.

The Forum’s Upper Columbia Salmon Reintroduction Webinar in May brought together over 200 participants from diverse backgrounds. To view the three-hour webinar, go to
www.lrf.org/webinar.

Many thanks to the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUTs) and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) for helping organize the webinar. Here are some highlights and takeaways.

Collaboration Counts
In 2014, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council supported a multi-phase approach to investigate salmon reintroduction as part of adopting their 2014 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Amendments. Since then, a 15 Tribes coalition, WDFW and others are putting this approach into practice using best available science.

John Sirois, the UCUT Committee Coordinator and Colville Confederated Tribes member, summarized outcomes of Phase 1 efforts that other presenters built on. He also
thanked the Independent Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB) for their encouraging and thorough review of Phase 1 research.

Culturally, Sirois said matter of factly, “Nearly 80 years without salmon is too long for tribes and the ecosystem. Together, we must bring them back.”

Habitat is Available
A key question is whether sufficient habitat in the mainstem and tributaries above Grand Coulee is available to support reintroduced salmon. The short answer is yes, with Phase 1 studies showing 711 miles available for Chinook. There is also high spawner capacity in the Sanpoil River for Sockeye, while Lake Roosevelt has more than enough production to function as a nursery lake for the species.

Brian Bellgraph, Fisheries Research Scientist with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), summarized a very sophisticated, complex modeling study to evaluate Columbia River mainstem habitat for fall/summer Chinook between Kettle Falls and the Canadian border (about 47 miles).

Relying on thousands of data points and supercomputer processing, a model with an over 90% accurate prediction rate provided encouraging results. 25 to 85 acres of  suitable habitat that can support the spawning activities of 6 to 32 thousand adults were found to be available. The majority of, and best, habitat was located from Northport to the Canadian border. This reach of the river is shallower, has swifter flows, and features streambed conditions that are preferred by Chinook.

Assumptions used in the PNNL modeling were based on the range of river flows seen by current hydropower operations. Bellgraph and others also noted there are encouraging indicators of habitat availability on the Canadian side of the Columbia River.


Donor Stocks and Risks to Resident Fish
Phase 1 studies show non-ESA donor stocks are available. A major point of investigation, however, is assuring reintroduction of salmonids does not become counterproductive by introducing diseases to resident  fish species.

WDFW has taken the lead role in assessing this risk. Jed Varney, Senior Veterinarian in the WDFW Fish Health Unit, presented on this work. Varney explained that Lake Roosevelt is considered a separate watershed from below Chief Joseph Dam because there are diseases found in the lower Columbia that are not found above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. Of the 21 fish species in Lake Roosevelt, WDFW and co-managers identified a particular virus (technically termed the IHN MD clade) to be of most concern to Redband Trout.

For adult Chinook to be moved safely to Lake Roosevelt to support Phase 1 activities, WDFW worked with the USGS Western Fisheries Research Center to develop a novel, highly innovative test. In a three-day turn-around, Chinook collected from upper Columbia hatcheries received a clinical exam and test. Those found to be healthy and negative for IHN were cleared for transport to Lake Roosevelt.

Cultural and Educational Releases
Casey Baldwin, a research scientist for the Colville Tribes, and Conor Giorgi, the Anadromous Program Manager for the Spokane Tribe of Indians, described cultural and educational releases as “a parallel path to the phased approach.” Here, the focus is on supporting and reconnecting with tribal cultural ceremonies, outreach, educational programs, and harvest opportunities. Said Giorgi, “This is about reconnecting the people with salmon and the salmon with the habitat.”

2019 saw the initiation of ceremonial adult Chinook releases. With these releases, managers also included a science-based component to add to the scientific awareness and understanding of the phased approach.

Although the pandemic did not make ceremonial releases possible in 2020, the Colville Tribes were able to release 50 summer Chinook adults with acoustic tags into Lake Roosevelt, and 100 adults with pit tags into the Sanpoil tributary. Acoustic tags emit a signal that allows receivers located throughout the river system to track fish movements.

Baldwin noted that data from tracking these fish is currently being analyzed. Already, however, managersreported that salmon released are pinging receivers in Canada and below Chief Joseph Dam.

After release of salmon into the Sanpoil in August, 36 redds (a spawning nest) over a five-mile reach were counted in October. Baldwin commented “That of the 100 fish released, only 38 were female. So this suggests a really high conversion rate of fish released to redds counted.”

Giorgi reported that the Spokane Tribe also conducted adult releases of summer/fall Chinook in 2020. Fifty were released into Tshimikain Creek and 50 released into the Spokane River. In the fall, 15 redds were counted in Tshimikain Creek.

In addition, the Spokane Tribe and Coeur d’Alene Tribe released juvenile Chinook in 2020. The Coeur d’Alene tribal release was in Hangman Creek, a tributary of the Spokane River that is over 70 miles from the Columbia. Of the more than 1,400 juveniles released, 69 successfully migrated past 3 dams on the Spokane River as well as Grand Coulee Dam and Chief Joseph Dam, none of which have fish passage facilities.

Lastly, Giorgi reported that of the 90 juveniles released in 2017 that successfully made the journey to the ocean, four were found coming back up the Columbia. Said Giorgi, “These cultural and educational releases are demonstrations of the feasibility of returning Chinook to the blocked area. They give us a lot of hope of what’s to come.”

Said Rodney Cawston, the Colville Tribal Business Council Chair, at one of the ceremonial releases, “We have strong prayers today because our ancestors, our elders at the Ceremony of Tears, they had strong prayers that one day we could see these fish return back to the river, back to our people.”


Phase 2: What’s Next
Thomas Biladeau, a Habitat Restoration Biologist with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe, gave the public the first view of the Phase 2 plan that is expected to be released this summer.

Phase 2 will further evaluate the feasibility of fish passage and salmon persistence in the region. Biladeau describes it as “where the paddle meets the water,” its
objectives include:
• Test the key biological assumptions made in Phase 1
considered critical for the success of the reintroduction
effort.
• Establish the sources of Chinook and Sockeye donor
stocks and broodstock that will be used to produce
the juveniles and adults required to conduct biological
studies and test fish passage facilities.
• Develop the interim passage and hatchery facilities
required to evaluate reintroduction.
• Provide the data and analyses needed for Phase 3
decision-making. This includes data necessary to
determine the need, type, and costs of permanent fish
passage systems and hatchery production facilities.


Phase 2 is projected to take a minimum of twenty years and over $100 million to complete, although the total cost and time depends on the outcome of studies completed in the first stage. The first stage will occur over the next 6 years, and includes developing hatchery and rearing capacity, establishing a trap-and-haul upstream fish passage program, and a suite of behavior and survival studies.

The hatchery and rearing facilities envisioned will supportreleasing 100,000 or more juvenile Chinook and Sockeye annually.

An early study being developed with USGS focuses on juvenile Chinook survival. Acoustic telemetry would assess survival across dams, juvenile behavior as they approach dams, and the migratory habits from multiple release locations. Managers would also like to expand this study to include movements of juvenile Sockeye to be released in the Sanpoil River.

A large-scale PIT tag study would be used to assess things like how far downstream juveniles are making it, how many are coming back from the ocean, and how those returning adults can be collected for transport and studied for behavior in the blocked area.

Said Biladeau, “Over these first few years, we have a pretty good idea of what things will look like. Specific steps and needs for adaptive management get hazier the farther out we try to see. Monitoring and studies will help us choose how to continue to progress.”

Securing sufficient funding to fully implement Phase 2 is a challenge. To date, the Bonneville Power Administration has declined to use Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program funding to support efforts. In the meantime, tribes and partners such as WDFW will continue to seek funding from other sources to fund Phase 2 as best  they can.


Partner Enthusiasm
The webinar concluded with leaders from the Colville Confederated Tribes (Jared Erickson), NW Power and Conservation Council (Patty O’Toole), Stevens County (Wes McCart), WDFW (Chris Donley), and the UCUTs (DR Michele). To a one, they were complimentary and enthusiastic about progress to date.

Michele noted that the tribes commissioned an economics report that showed the value and need to properly balance power and flood risk management benefits with the value of protecting and restoring ecosystem functions “for the benefit of all people.”

McCart commented that “Nature finds a way. We just need to help it along a little bit here. I’m excited about where this may go, and as local elected officials we’ve  been very supportive of what the UCUTs are doing.”

O’Toole encouraged all sovereigns and stakeholders to “increase communication and coordination” to meet the challenge of achieving multi-jurisdictional support. “These issues are complex and what I’ve learned is that it’s really easy to talk past each other.”

Donley built on O’Toole’s comments, saying “There are a lot of challenges at the federal level and the state level to figure out who has what authorities to make this a reality. But the biggest challenge beyond policy, the technical and the bureaucratic, is to be aspirational. To stay focused on what’s right culturally and environmentally. The aspirational and coordination can lead us to get beyond today’s general rules and thinking of what’s allowed to go on above and below Grand Coulee Dam.”


Jarred Erickson summarized the general feeling and those  of the tribes when he said, “It just warms my heart to see us moving forward on all of this. If you think about it, the
Columbia River is like a big artery that goes to our heart. At our cultural release ceremonies, there were elders crying. This is our way of life.”

 

Thirty years ago, two really important things happened. First, a newly minted graduate from the University of Washington’s master’s degree program in toxicology joined the Washington Department of Health (WDOH). His name: Dave McBride.

The second is that WDOH released its first Lake Roosevelt fish advisory which also happened to be the first fish advisory issued in Washington. The advisory focused on limiting sport fish consumption due to dioxins coming downstream from the Celgar pulp mill in Castlegar, British Columbia.

Beginning in 1993, Dave became the go-to-guy for assessing fish tissue, water quality and other data of keen interest to Lake Roosevelt communities. Steady and patient as he worked his way through dioxin, lead, mercury and PCB issues, his work provides the foundation for people confidently and safely recreating and playing on Lake Roosevelt. Said Dave, “I didn’t always provide answers people wanted to hear. But I always gave them the best information we had to make their decisions.”

Reflecting on 30 years of work on Lake Roosevelt, Dave has been “pleasantly surprised that the volume of contaminants that entered the lake over the past decades has not led to unusually high concentrations in fish, water and sediment. Lead in soil remains an issue.” That’s translated into good news for swimming, beach play and angling on Lake Roosevelt.

Dave, however, does not see a day when contaminant levels will make fish advisories a thing of the past. While organic compounds like PCBs and dioxins can break down over time, heavy metals like lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium will stay in the system forever.

Statewide, Dave is gratified by the progress being made in reductions of legacy contaminants such as PCB and DDT. “We can see that success is being made and can be observed by monitoring contaminants trends in osprey eggs showing declines in many of the bad actors over the past decades,” said Dave. PFAS and other compounds, however, are now threatening the environment. “Prevention is key. It’s really expensive and difficult to get these human-engineered toxics out of the system ounce they are released.”

Because contaminants and human health will always need monitoring, Dave’s best advice to the community is to “Stay engaged and make sure agencies are doing what they should be doing.” He’s confident that will be the case for Lake Roosevelt. Said Dave “I’m amazed by the number of people who stay engaged in this process year after year. It’s the type of community I’d be proud to live in.”

The grassroots dedication to education and outreach provided by the Forum, Citizens for a Clean Columbia and others is essential. Dave notes that agency campaigns such as the WDOH “Eat fish, be smart, choose wisely!” are good. But they also come and go based on budget priorities. Communities, on the other hand, will always be on the frontline of caring for their neighbors.

“Hopefully,” said Dave, “COVID has given governments and communities a better appreciation of what public health does.” Experience shows achieving confidence in messages starts with consistent public engagement.

Dave’s retirement from WDOH, however, isn’t really retirement. Dave’s off to Switzerland to direct a pharmaceutical lab that identifies counterfeit drugs being pawned off on unsuspecting consumers. His kids promise to visit Mom and Dad although they are a bit busy themselves. His son will be pursuing a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Utah, and his daughter is currently on a research vessel in the Gulf of Mexico exploring life at the bottom of the ocean.

According to Dave, “My kids inherited my wife’s smarts and good looks.  I gave them my warped sense of reality and my allergies.” The Forum believes, as always, the truth is more subtle.

On behalf of all the people Dave has touched with his good work and caring nature, THANK YOU! And please send chocolates.

Use these resources to make sure your prepared for an awesome time:

For the latest NPS information and alerts for LRNA, visit www.nps.gov/laro/planyourvisit/conditions.htm. Examples of alerts are restrictions due to fire, drought or pandemic conditions.

Go to the App Store or Google Play to download the free NPS app for information on education programs and facilities.

Visit www.lrf.org/recreation for our popular Enjoy Lake Roosevelt recreation map and guide. You’ll find a directory of public, tribal and private services, points of interest, applicable regulations, fees and permits, the latest fishing trends, and boat launch information.

With over 1.5 million visitors in 2020, the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (LRNA) was more popular than ever as people headed outdoors during the pandemic. Over the winter and spring, NPS staff has been repairing and replacing septic and water systems, painting, and more to prepare for 2021.

Here are some updates to help with trip planning.

Campgrounds

All vehicle-accessible campgrounds are open. Making a reservation is now required. Visit recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777 to choose and pay for your campsite. Because cell service is very spotty at Lake Roosevelt, visitors are encouraged to make reservations before arriving at the campground.

Fees are now $23 per night from May 1 through September 30. The increase reflects the cost of implementing a reservation system, as well as compliance with a legal requirement to maintain fee charges to be at or near that of other campgrounds in the area.

Group gathering limits, masks and other social distancing requirements will reflect CDC and state guidance. As these can change quickly, visiting the LRNA information and alerts page is strongly recommended before traveling.

What’s Not Open

Due to the pandemic, the following facilities are expected to remain closed:

  • Fort Spokane Visitor Center
  • Floating toilets
  • Fish cleaning stations

In addition, the restroom facility at the Fort Spokane boat launch is closed until further notice while extensive septic system repairs are designed and completed.

Boat Launches

The boat launch fee payment has also been automated.  At a launch, users will use their smart phone to scan a QR code to access the payment system. Visitors can also purchase a weekly or annual boat launch pass through pay.gov.

Concessions

Concessions at Kettle Falls, Seven Bays and Keller Ferry marinas are fully operational. Visit their web sites to learn about their services, e.g.—houseboat rentals, food, fuel and sewage pump out.

Pack-it-in, Pack-it-out

Whether you’re camping overnight at a beach or enjoying a day trip, it’s critical for all garbage and human waste to be responsibly collected and disposed. With floating toilets not available this year, it’s particularly important to plan accordingly. In addition, all overnight boat camping requires bringing an appropriate toilet device.

 

An Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) mussel free self-certification is required before launching watercraft at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. This includes those with annual boat launch permits and non-motorized watercraft. Vehicles not properly displaying this form will be ticketed by law enforcement rangers. Click here for forms.

You can now learn about national parks from those who know them best – the NPS staff! Interactive maps, self-guided tours, things to do and more are available for your mobile phone.  The official NPS app gives you tools to explore the country’s 400 national parks. Download this app for free through the App Store and Google Play.

A variety of resources for planning a great time on Lake Roosevelt are always at the ready on the Lake Roosevelt Forum’s recreation web page. Whether you need to know the current lake level to launch your boat, where to get a fishing license, how to reserve a campsite, points of interest or fishing trends, a visit to our website will give you the best information.

Click here for recreation webinar featuring National Park Service & WA Department of Fish & Wildlife updates.

 

Click here for Spokesman Review summary.

 
Click here to access last week’s Upper Columbia Salmon Reintroduction webinar.
 
“Presentations,” said Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau, “provided an extraordinary cultural, technical and policy overview filled with hope and promise.” The 200 plus people registered represented a diverse mix of U.S. and Canadian Columbia River Basin interests. Participants included tribes and first nations; federal, state, provincial and local governments; non-government organizations; policy makers and natural resource managers; and the general public.

The Bureau of Reclamation announced that starting May 29th, the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center and “One River, Many Voices” laser light show will be available. The Bureau also announced dam tours will not resume this calendar year.

To safely re-open the visitor center and return the laser light show, Reclamation will follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fully vaccinated visitors are no longer required to wear a mask. 

“The health and safety of the public and our employees remains our number one priority,” said Grand Coulee Power Manager Coleman Smith. “We recognize the visitor center and laser light show are important to the Grand Coulee community and beyond. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding with the new safety guidelines we have in place.”

The visitor center will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PDT, seven days a week. The laser light show will begin at 10:00 p.m. through July 31. Beginning in Aug. 1, the laser light show will start at 9:30 p.m., and it will run at 8:30 p.m., beginning Sept. 1 through Sept. 30. Start times are subject to change. 

For a full list of the changes and safety guidelines, please visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/grandcoulee/visit/index.html or call 509-633-9265.

 

Online Public Meeting for Northport Waterfront RI/FS
May 19, 2021, 6:30 p.m.
 

Join via WebEx: https://watech.webex.com/watech/onstage/g.php?MTID=e8395fb3f266fe97e3bf9f49a8fbfba9f  

Join by phone: 1-415-655-0001, Access code: 133 245 0665

Click here for Ecology notice with additional information, including options for cleanup and sending comments.

The Washington Department of Ecology is directing cleanup of smelter-related metals contamination on Northport’s Town Park and waterfront. Operations from the former Le Roi Smelter (also known as the Northport Smelter) deposited clinker and granular slag wastes on the waterfront.

At the meeting, Ecology will share details and answer questions about the RI/FS. The RI explains the extent and locations of contaminants, and the FS evaluates cleanup options. Three cleanup options have been identified that vary in approximate planning-level cost from $4.6 to 7.6 million dollars.

Comments will be accepted from May 3 to June 2. Ecology will respond and publish comments made during the public comment period.

Based on their assessment and public comments, a draft cleanup action plan for what will be done will be developed for public review and comment before final cleanup begins.

Join us in keeping up to date on key issues. For opinion leaders, elected officials, natural resource managers, policy makers, environmentalists, tribal members and concerned citizens from both sides of the border. The first two webinars will feature Recreational Opportunities and Upper Columbia Salmon Reintroduction.
 
Recreational Opportunities
May 13th, 10:00 a.m. – Noon
Dan Foster, National Park Service Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area Superintendent, will be the keynote providing the latest information on 2021 Operations and Programs, e.g.— availability of campgrounds, COVID-19 guidelines, fees and visitor opportunities. WDFW will focus on recreational angling opportunities, current regulations, and management priorities.
 
Upper Columbia Salmon Reintroduction
May 20th, 8:30 a.m. – Noon
Join tribal fishery managers and others for an exclusive review of salmon release efforts, next steps and related actions. This one stop webinar will share the exciting progress being made and how various efforts are being knit together.
 
Click here to see agendas and register for one or both webinars. While there is no cost to participate, registration is required to receive a zoom webinar link.

Referring to the Spokane and Columbia Rivers as “… the Spokane Tribe’s metaphorical grocery store,” on February 25th the Spokane Tribe of Indians joined 10 other fishing, conservation and environmental groups challenging the Columbia River System Operations 2020 Environmental Impact Statement and Biological Opinion for salmon and steelhead.

The Spokane Tribe has joined the lawsuit as an intervenor plaintiff. Their submittal to the court focuses on the effects of constructing Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams. These federal projects cut off access to salmon, steelhead and lamprey in the upper Columbia River Basin, including into British Columbia. By blocking this access, 40% of the previously occupied anadromous habitat in the Columbia River Basin was lost.

Therefore, contends the tribe, “… the salmon restoration effort within the Columbia River Basin will only succeed when there are healthy and harvestable populations of anadromous fish above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams.” For the Spokane Tribe, a timeless cultural way of being and a critical food source are at stake.

The litigation the tribe is joining is extraordinarily complex and dates back to 2001. The cause for litigation is that within the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) are 13 anadromous species of salmon and steelhead, and two resident species (bull trout and sturgeon) listed under the Environmental Species Act (ESA). The ESA requires that federal agencies operating the FCRPS ensure their actions are not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of a listed species or destruction of critical habitat.

In January 2021, Earthjustice and its co-plaintiffs filed their 8th complaint contending that NOAA Fisheries, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have not met their obligation. The Spokane Tribe’s complaint contends agency actions are in violation of the ESA, Northwest Power Act, the National Environmental Policy Act and the Administrative Procedures Act.

 

National Park Service

Visitor Use Site Management Plan Adopted

The Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (LRNRA) Visitor Use Site Management Plan was completed in September. This effort, which began in 2017, focuses on nine priority sites.

As funding is available, NPS reports that management strategies and improvements will be made “… to address a broader spectrum of visitors’ needs and interests, including diversified camping facilities and enhancements to day-use and boat launch areas as well as parking areas, roads, entrances, trails, docks, fish cleaning stations, and other visitor facilities. Implementation of management strategies and improvements will enhance visitor experience and visitor safety and reduce impacts to the national recreation area’s natural and cultural resources.”

Prescribed Burns

NPS conducted pile burns this fall as part of their wildland fire management activities. Focal areas in Stevens, Lincoln and Ferry counties were chosen based on the priority to decrease forest fuel loads adjacent to recreation areas, residences, and structures.  Benefits include reduced small fuels, which are primary fire carriers; decreased risk and intensity of uncontrolled wildfires; increased nutrients for trees and understory, and increased understory plant diversity and natural reseeding of trees.

COVID-19

LRNA continues to monitor the pandemic and work closely with state and local public health officials. Visit www.nps.gov/laro for the most current information regarding availability and services at campgrounds, marinas, and other facilities.

 

Bureau of Reclamation

Third Power Plant Renamed

On August 12, U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary David Bernhardt announced the renaming of the Grand Coulee Dam’s Third Power Plant to the “Nathaniel ‘Nat’ Washington Power Plant.” The name change honors the father-son duo who was instrumental in the conception, construction, and implementation of operations at the dam. The announcement was made during a virtual roundtable event hosted by Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA).

Modernization of Grand Coulee Generating Units

Completion of the mechanical overhaul of Unit G-22 in the third powerhouse is slated for early 2021. Previously, Units G-23 and G-24 were overhauled. Based on lessons learned, assessing modernization of Units G-19, G-20, and G-21 is in process.  Reclamation, Bonneville Power Administration, and the Corps are conducting an optimization study that will take 2–3 years. As with previous overhaul projects, the goal is operating with maximum flexibility, efficiency, and durability over a 40+ year time horizon.

Go to https://www.usbr.gov/pn/grandcoulee/ for a fun, informative video showing time lapse images of generating unit overhauls.

Temporary Closures

In support of the recommended guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Bureau of Reclamation temporarily closed the visitor center, and dam tours are not available until further notice.

 

The Columbia River Basin is the last major watershed in the U.S. not infested by zebra and quagga mussels. An intergovernmental network continues the effort to keep these unsightly and potentially economically devastating organisms from our waterways.

For the first 11 months of 2020, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) detected more boats than ever fouled with non-native organisms. At watercraft check stations in Spokane and Pasco, WDFW inspected more than 32,000 watercraft and found 25 carrying invasive mussels. Another 632 watercraft were decontaminated with standing water found in 168. This is particularly significant because 112 watercraft were last on waters known to be infested with aquatic invasive species.

For Lake Roosevelt, the National Park Service (NPS) reports conducting 281 boat inspections in 2020. 20 of these included plant decontaminations. Inspections occurred between May and September, 1 to 3 times a week. With COVID 19 limited staffing, inspections took place at the busiest boat launches, e.g.—Kettle Falls, Fort Spokane and Spring Canyon.

Cassie Hagemann, LRNA’s Aquatic Invasive Species specialist, also reported inspections were an excellent opportunity to educate boaters that it’s mandatory to complete and post a self-certification form that their watercraft is free of aquatic invasive species. Said Hagemann, “About 50 percent of the people were familiar with the self-certification form from when it was introduced as a voluntary program. The other 50 percent were mostly cooperative, especially because we were able to answer questions and explain the importance of keeping invasive species out of our waters.”

Northport Cleanup

Metals smelting dating back to the turn of the century contaminated soils in the town of Northport, putting children’s health at risk. Building on work initiated in 2004, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted another round of cleanup in the town.

EPA cleaned up soil on 15 properties within Northport town limits from August 3 through September 25, 2020.  With consent of property owners, the cleanup included residential properties and common use areas at Lyn Kaste Gould Memorial Park, the lawn at the Northport Community Library, the play area at the Northport Community Garden, the lawn at the Northport American Legion vacant lot, and the lawn at the Northport Welcome Center.

EPA contractors replaced contaminated soil with clean soil in close coordination and communication with property owners. EPA controlled dust by spraying water and monitoring the air to ensure dust suppression was effective. Following the removal action, the EPA On-scene Coordinator conducted a walk-through with each property owner or representative to describe the excavation, backfill, and restoration work.

In 2004 EPA offered voluntary soil testing to Northport residents. 191 properties were sampled, and 33 properties were eligible for emergency soil removal and replacement with lead results greater than 1,000 ppm (parts per million).

Areas for the 2020 soil removal were identified based on an October 2019 review of 2004 data reports of properties within Northport town limits with lead levels near or above 700 ppm. The threshold of 700 ppm is the same level EPA used when working with Teck American to clean up 18 residential properties outside of Northport town limits from 2015 – 2018. Use of this lower threshold represents advances in scientific understanding of the adverse developmental effects of lead to young children and babies.

A Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment (BERA) is the next big milestone for the Upper Columbia River Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (RI/FS). The BERA and Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) are required to complete the Remedial Investigation (RI). The purpose of the RI is to fully assess the site and inform next steps to protect human health and the environment.

Development of the UCR RI/FS Site Baseline Ecological Risk Assessment (BERA)

The BERA evaluates risk (i.e., the potential for adverse effects) to wildlife on land and in water.  

As shown in Figure A, this requires examining exposure pathways for chemicals of potential concern (COPCs) that might result in plants and animals being adversely affected. COPCs found to be the cause of unacceptable ecological risks will be identified in the Remedial Investigation, then further evaluated in the Feasibility Study for possible cleanup or other remedial actions.

Fig A

Although done under EPA oversight, Teck American Incorporated (TAI) is responsible for completing the BERA. Per the settlement agreement guiding this process, TAI’s work is reviewed by EPA, who also works with other government parties (“participating parties”) to consider their review comments. Participating parties include the Colville Confederated Tribes, Spokane Tribe of Indians, State of Washington (represented by the Washington Department of Ecology), and U.S. Department of the Interior. Interior agencies include the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The draft BERA is not expected to be completed until sometime in 2022.

BERA Status Report

All field and laboratory studies have been performed for the BERA, including river associated surface water, beach sediment, fish tissue, mussel and crayfish, fish, sediment and porewater (water between the grains of sediment) sampling. It also includes upland soil sampling in a 100-square-mile Upper Columbia Valley area.

The river sampling is quite complex and has occurred in three phases. Essentially, investigators are continuing to evaluate how and to what extent metals and other chemicals present unacceptable risks to the benthic invertebrate community (aquatic sediment-dwelling bugs such as mayflies, mussels, and crayfish). In addition to sediment and porewater chemistry analysis, bioassays are used to evaluate risks to organisms from exposure to contaminants in sediment or porewater. Risks in these communities can harm the benthic life directly.  These risks also may negatively affect fish and wildlife as they work their way through the food web and up the food chain.

A Phase 3 Sediment Study was the final BERA field study. This included sediment facies mapping in the entire northern section of the UCR Site (a 40-mile river reach) and additional sediment and porewater sampling in three generally representative areas of interest (AOIs): Deadman’s Eddy, China Bend and Evans.

Two main objectives are to better characterize 1) sediment bed attributes (done through sediment facies mapping), and 2) sediment and porewater conditions in the three AOIs to help assess the risks to benthic organisms and the nature and extent of contamination in this portion of the Site. To help with this, a survey also was conducted to consider the composition and diversity of the benthic community more fully.

TAI completed a data summary report, approved by EPA, for the sediment facies mapping study in September 2020 and TAI will submit the draft data summary report for the sediment and porewater sampling at the beginning of January.

Next Steps

TAI will develop a draft BERA report for terrestrial (upland) and river associated investigations in 2021. After EPA provides comments, including those they integrate from participating parties, TAI will complete a revised draft. EPA will then initiate release of the draft BERA for public comment (most likely in 2022).  

Due to this timeline, the Forum does not expect the feasibility study (which requires the remedial investigation be complete) to begin before 2023. The feasibility study will evaluate potential cleanup or other alternatives to address human or ecological risks the remedial investigation identified as a possible concern.

Migrating needed water to Odessa farms from deep wells to surface water irrigation continues to progress. Construction of the East Low Canal expansion is complete with only some related road construction remaining. One of the eight or more distribution systems needed to connect the canal water to farmland is also complete and design work is in process for three more.

This is all part of the multi-year Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program. State and federal efforts have secured enough water to move up to 90,000 acres of farmland from the severely declining Odessa aquifer to surface water. For a decade, infrastructure projects like this are steadily making this transition happen through partnerships and funding from the Washington Department of Ecology, the Bureau of Reclamation, irrigation districts, and landowner participation enabled through bonds issued by the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District. Millions of dollars have been invested with millions more being sought to fully build out the potential of this effort.

30,000 acre feet of this water—enough to support 10,000 acres of irrigation—comes from the Lake Roosevelt Incremental Storage Release Program. This results in the lake being drawn down 12 to 18 inches each August for a very brief time. Another 30,000-acre feet of water is being secured through coordinated conservation programs with Columbia River Basin irrigation districts.

Upper Columbia Salmon Reintroduction

This is a story of resilience and passion. Starring salmon in the Upper Columbia, the storyline is evolving with embers of hope that are beginning to catch fire.

In 2017, the Spokane Tribe of Indians released 753 yearling chinook in Tshimikain Creek, which is located on the eastern side of the Spokane’s Reservation. As Tshimikain enters the lower Spokane River, its waters flow through Little Falls Dam, into Lake Roosevelt and the Columbia River about 26 miles downstream. Using PIT (Passive Integrated Transponder) tags, the tribe tracked their migration to the Pacific. 89 of these fish were detected in various bypass facilities, estuary trawler nets, avian colonies, and adult fishways (ladders).

A stir occurred at the 2019 Lake Roosevelt Forum Conference when the Spokane Tribe announced one had made it to the ocean by avoiding all the nets, hooks, birds, sea lions and orcas, then travelled back up the Columbia through 9 salmon ladders and found its way into the Colville Tribes Chief Joseph Hatchery ladder.  The Colville Tribes gladly returned this fish to the Spokane Tribe.  Although it was only one fish, it was a good start and a remarkable accomplishment for this particular fish. 

In 2020, the Spokane Tribe announced three more chinook from the 2017 release made their journey to the ocean and back to the Columbia. One was detected at McNary Dam, another at Wells Dam, and the last picked up by a tribal fish processor above the Dalles Dam.

In 2019, the Colville Tribe conducted a series of ceremonial releases at Kettle Falls, Keller and in Lake Rufus Woods between Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams. The ceremonies were a powerful celebration of the spiritual connection between the tribes and the salmon and brought national attention to salmon reintroduction upstream of Grand Coulee Dam.  That same year, the Upper Columbia United Tribes (which includes the Colville Tribes, Coeur d'Alene Tribe, the Kalispel Tribe, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the Spokane Tribe) published the Phase I feasibility study to reintroduce salmon to the Upper Columbia.

Mark 2019 as the year the braiding of culture and science began officially stirring imaginations.

2020 Releases

In July, the Colville Tribes released 50 chinook into Lake Roosevelt, half near Grand Coulee Dam and the other half up by Northport. The results of this study are pending, but the plan is to learn about survival, behavior, fallback below Grand Coulee Dam and if the fish will also utilize habitat in Canada.

In August, the Colville Tribal Fish and Wildlife (CTFW) department released 100 adult chinook salmon into the Sanpoil River, a tributary to the Upper Columbia. The adult salmon ranged from about 8-20 pounds and were provided by the Wells Fish Hatchery.   

In a hopeful sign, CTFW Senior Research Scientist Casey Baldwin reported that "Most of the chinook stayed in the area and a lot of them spawned." Continued Baldwin, "We were able to document 36 redds (spawning nests) in about a 6-mile reach from West Fork downstream. The fish held there through the late summer and started spawning in October. It looks like we had really good survival and conversion to spawning."

This summer the Spokanes released 50 adult chinook in Tshimikain Creek and 50 to the Spokane River below Long Lake Dam. Like the Colvilles, they’re tracking to see if they’ll stay, survive and spawn. And like the Colville Tribes experience, the early signs are hopeful with a survey of Tshimikain in early October documenting 20 redds.

Said Conor Giorgi, Anadromous Program Manager with the Spokane Tribe of Indians, “We’re finding that the habitat can support spawning activity for adult chinook, anecdotally confirming some of our assessments from Phase 1.”

To the east, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe conducted their first cultural release of adult salmon in Hangman Creek on June 26th. The Hangman descends from Idaho before entering the Spokane River less than two miles downstream of the iconic Spokane Falls in downtown Spokane.

75 adult chinook salmon from the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery were released to much fanfare. Tribal Council member Hemene James captured the moment with these thoughts about the future for salmon. “Let’s enjoy today for what it is, a return of something that was at the very center of our existence.  A place where political deals were made, where marriages were made, where you got to see cousins and relatives that you only see certain times of the year when the fish were running.  So let’s enjoy today as much as we can and keep the fight [to bring salmon back] going tomorrow, cause I promise you as long as I have breath going, the fight will continue.”

2020 also marked the second straight year the Coeur d’Alene Tribe released juvenile salmon with help from students participating in “Smłich (Salmon) in the Classroom”.  This educational program engages K-12 students in the science of reintroduction while revitalizing the salmon culture.  Information generated through the program is helping to spawn excitement in the community. 

In late March more than 1,450 yearling chinook salmon were released into upper Hangman Creek, 331 kilometers upstream of the current anadromous zone and behind five hydroelectric projects without fish passage facilities.  By July, the first Coeur d’Alene fish reared on the Reservation in over 100 years were confirmed to have survived the downstream journey to the Pacific.

The Science of Reintroduction Continues

The Phase 1 Reintroduction Plan focused on pre-assessment planning. Based on an array of research and studies, Phase 1 concluded non-ESA donor stocks are available; the disease risks identified are manageable; that sufficient habitat and other conditions exist to support their life cycle; and that technology exists to move adult and juvenile fish past Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams.

Scientists and researchers are now hard at work on the Phase 2 Implementation Plan. With expectations of the plan being ready for release in the spring of 2021, Phase 2 focuses on experimental, pilot-scale salmon reintroductions and interim passage facilities. Specifically, they are looking at a range of issues at various life stages such as juvenile migratory and passage survival, adult return migration behavior, and spawning success.

Tribal Commitment and WDFW Support

It’s a complex, multi-year process that the Upper Columbia tribes are fully committed to. Without federal support, the tribes are largely relying on their own resources and leveraging partnerships with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and others.

“The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fully supports salmon and steelhead reintroduction efforts into the Blocked Area of the Columbia River and we are eager to assist where needed with staff expertise and funding, when available,“ said Chris Donley, WDFW’s regional fish program manager. “We’ve assisted with disease testing by processing samples in our Olympia Labs and subsidizing the cost of the sample processing to reduce costs to the tribes.”

Tribal passion for salmon reintroduction rests on a foundation of striving to restore the physical and spiritual health of members. At the same time, they see reintroducing salmon as critical to the ecosystem and a benefit to local economies.

The journey, however uncertain, continues. It’s a story of resilience and passion. 

On September 28, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bonneville Power Administration signed a joint Record of Decision (ROD) that will support ongoing operations, maintenance, and configuration of 14 federal dams that compose the Columbia River System. The ROD memorialized the preferred alternative previously published in the nearly 5,000-page Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The EIS also includes new biological opinions for species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act.

This is the culmination of a process triggered by a May 2016 federal court order that rejected the NOAA Fisheries 2008/2014 Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion (BiOp) and ordered a new BiOp that included direction to complete a National Environmental Policy Act process for the Columbia River System Operations. The Opinion and Order stated the operation plan should “…evaluate how to ensure that the prospective management of the CRS is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species, or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat.”

Reactions to the ROD are mixed

Reclamation Regional Director Lorri Gray said, “The selected alternative meets the purpose and need of the action and a majority of the EIS objectives, balancing the co-lead agencies’ abilities to meet statutory project obligations while also complying with the requirements of the ESA, Clean Water Act and other applicable laws.”

Said Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, “Based on the best available science, the Columbia River System Operations Record of Decision confirms what we already knew, our dams and river system are essential to our region.”

Environmental groups immediately voiced their concerns. Said the Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition, “Salmon and fishing advocates are deeply disappointed by the Final EIS and the 2020 Biological Opinion.”

Said Todd True, the Earthjustice attorney who brought the original legal challenge on behalf of conservation and fishing groups and in conjunction with the Nez Perce Tribe and the State of Oregon, “This is the final step in a four year process that has failed our region in profound ways. The differences between the plan adopted by these agencies today and the plan the court rejected in 2016 are hard to discern.”

This fall, a new round of litigation began that included the State of Oregon filing a 60-day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation. Two other 60-day notices of intent to sue were also filed. One by Earthjustice representing a coalition of 11 conservation groups and the other a tribe.

The Forum’s spring 2020 newsletter detailed expectations for the Columbia River EIS effect on Lake Roosevelt.

If you turn the clock back to 1991, a young woman named Lynne Brougher traveled to Lake Roosevelt for the first time. She’s been a fixture serving our communities for two federal agencies ever since. On August 1, 2020, Lynne retired from the Bureau of Reclamation.

“To know Lynne is to know what people mean when they refer to someone as solid,” Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau said. “I just never had to worry about her being responsive, the quality of information we were receiving, or her sincerity. If she could help, she would.”

Lynne first came to the area as the South District Interpreter for the National Park Service (NPS) at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area. By the time she joined Reclamation in 2007, she was NPS’s Chief of Interpretation. For Reclamation, she was their Public Affairs Specialist stationed out of Grand Coulee Dam.

A core perspective for Lynne is “balance.” At both the Reclamation and NPS, she was dedicated to their individual missions. At the same time, however, she was an equally devoted member of the community. She’s found striving to balance federal vs. community perspectives and priorities is as much art as science. The Brougher method is to keep talking and finding ways to work together.

A simple example is lake levels during the Fourth of July weekend. At that time of year, the NOAA Fisheries 2008 Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion required a full lake by the end of June to ensure adequate water supply in the fall and winter. This operation meant high lake levels on the busiest weekend of the year, causing beaches people count on for recreation to be underwater. Finding balance resulted in federal agencies voluntarily keeping lake levels down a couple of feet to expose beaches, then filling the lake after the holiday weekend.

“There will always be tensions,” said Lynne. “There have been times in the past it was pretty stressful. When I first came, NPS had several encroachment issues (people building over the federal property line), and the community wasn’t happy about the removal of private docks.” Looking forward, she recognized that balancing environmental sensitivity and supporting recreation while delivering power, irrigation, and flood control benefits will continue to be challenging, but the key is to understand everyone’s perspectives and work toward common goals.

Another perspective is to appreciate what you have and take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Lynne stated, “I’m a native of Detroit. But dating back to when I spent summers on my grandparent’s farm, I knew I preferred the rural lifestyle. And as I went through college, I discovered how much I enjoyed education and talking to the public and students about the environment, history, and natural resources.”

So, when Lynne applied for a volunteer position with the Student Conservation Association right out of college, her focus was on following her interests not the money. “I got a uniform, travel, housing, and a tiny stipend,” said Lynne. “But what I really got was the doorway to a career I love.”

Lynne laughed when she recalled what she thought when that career took her to Lake Roosevelt. “I was thinking I was headed to the greenery of the Cascades not the high desert.” But she quickly told friends and family she found clover of a different sort. “Where else can you be in a rural area with ocean, cities, trees, rain forests, and mountains all within a 4- to 6-hour drive?”

Thankfully, Lynne and her family will continue to call Wilbur, WA their home.  You may see her walking along Lake Roosevelt on one of her favorite beaches during the non-summer months. “It’s quiet, open and expansive. It is not unusual to see a variety of wildlife. Why move? This is as good as it gets,” said Lynne.  Or you may see her volunteering. “I look forward to having the time to be of service in my community.”

Carry on Lynne. We look forward to seeing you out and about.

The River Mile (TRM) network program received a two-year, $100,000 EPA Environmental Education (EE) grant. It will support TRM’s efforts to engage K-12 students in real-world STEM through scientific research, data collection, and analysis. Field activities such as studying crayfish and water quality testing enable students to consider the effect of invasive species and water quality on the health of the watershed.

TRM was started by the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area education specialist Janice Elvidge in 2008 and has since expanded throughout the Columbia River Watershed. Currently a network of over 200 educators, 4,200 students, and hundreds of other partners, including scientists, are exploring the essential question, “How do relationships among components of an ecosystem affect watershed health?”

A major feature of TRM is teacher training that includes curriculum, workshops, materials, kits, and scientists volunteering to provide invaluable expertise and support. Said Elvidge, “The EPA grant is an exciting opportunity to continue expanding The River Mile network’s reach, and specifically that of the Crayfish Study.”

Reaching schools and classrooms in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, highlights of the EPA TRM grant include:
*  Providing training and workshops to assess crayfish populations and water quality to at least 50 educators,
*  Engaging at least 1,200 students from predominantly low-income communities in conducting field activities and research made possible through TRM teacher training and associated materials and kits,
*  Developing new materials such as a field guide for identifying crayfish, and an online mapping tool (ArcGIS) to collect and share data, and
*  Offering opportunities for teachers and students to present results to other schools and at conferences.

Supporting this effort are scientists and educators from the University of Idaho and UI Extension, the University of Washington, Oregon State University Ext., and the University of Illinois. Other partner organizations supporting the citizen-science activities include the REACH Museum in Richland, WA, Spokane Riverkeeper, and Oregon State Parks.

The program manager for the EE grant is Rick Reynolds, founder of Engaging Every Student. Based out of Oregon, Rick has worked with TRM since 2017. He has been a passionate educator and developer of educational resources for over 25 years, including authoring or co-authoring 18 books and curriculum guides, such as TRM’s Investigating Crayfish + Freshwater Ecosystems. “It is so exciting to see how engaged students are by inquiry into the native and invasive crayfish found in their local watersheds,” said Reynolds. ”Crayfish are also an ideal indicator species of water quality, which students can learn how to identify and submit data about that is important for researchers and wildlife managers. By providing students with opportunities to explore the health of animal communities in nearby freshwater ecosystems, we also provide them with powerful motivation to be good stewards of our land and waters.”

Three other 2020 EE grants were awarded in EPA Region 10 (the Northwest). These included an Adopt-A-Stream program in Alaska; water quality and conservation literacy in the Palouse, Washington; and air quality biomonitoring in Seattle’s Lower Duwamish and South Beacon Hill neighborhoods.

Started in 1992, EPA has awarded nearly 4,000 EE grants nationally to promote environmental awareness and stewardship that include providing students and the public skills to take responsible environmental protection actions.

The Lake Roosevelt Forum received this EE grant on behalf of TRM and will serve as its fiscal agent and provide administrative oversight. For more information about participating in TRM, check out www.therivermile.org or contact Janice at Janice_Elvidge@nps.gov.