Returning Salmon to the Spokane River Watershed

1908 — 1915: Three dams constructed on the Spokane River, blocking salmon returning to Spokane Falls as well as the Little Spokane and Hangman Creek tributaries.

1941: Grand Coulee Dam completes construction, blocking salmon return to the Upper Columbia Basin.

1955: Chief Joseph Dam constructed 51 miles downstream of Grand Coulee, further blocking the return of salmon.

Behind these dates is a story of hundreds of thousands of salmon being “blocked” from their natal waters, ecosystems being fundamentally altered, and tribal cultures and economies being gutted. The reasons, agree Tom Biladeau (the Anadromous Project Lead for the Coeur d’ Alene Tribe) and Conor Giorgi (the Anadromous Program Manager of the Spokane Tribe of Indians) are “complex.” They see the story of salmon being blocked as part of a larger historic wheel relentlessly powered by local, national, and internationally values and economies of a very different time.

A New Era

What’s not in debate is a vision, as Conor and Tom like to say, to “bring ‘um back.”

2012 – 2015: The Upper Columbia United Tribes (Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Colville, Kalispell, and Kootenai tribes) build upon a vision that has been simmering since the construction of the first dam to return salmon to the Upper Columbia. It was greeted by an array of hope, skepticism, and hostility.

A decade later the vision has taken root. A combination of factors is at play: rigorous research and planning, cultural and educational releases that captured the public’s imagination, acknowledgement of potential economic and ecologic benefits, and an interest in righting what many see as a “historic wrong.”

$2 million dollars funded the completion of what the UCUTs refer to as their Phase 1 report in 2019. The tribes provided 90% of what can be thought of as the “angel capital” to bring the vision to reality. Over the last couple of years state and federal agencies have begun buying into the vision by providing and pledging at least another $10 million to turbo charge the effort.

These funds are the down payment on a 21 year-process to complete Phase 2, an effort to fully test the feasibility of reintroducing salmon to our waters.

Learn More

The plenary session will provide “the big picture” of efforts, particularly as they relate to the Spokane River Watershed. This includes the salmon being targeted for return, the UCUTs phased approach to research, reintroduction strategies and fish passage; a habitat restoration effort to prepare our waters for the return of salmon; and continuing the cultural and educational releases that are foundational for public engagement.

The breakout session will dive into specifics such as the outmigration study that is currently being executed; rearing strategies being developed, and creation of “story maps” to help people of all ages understand what was once here and the vision for their return.

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