Salmon Reintroduction Q&A with Conor and Casey
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- Published: Tuesday, 20 June 2023 20:18
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.