June, 2011 | Volume 2 Colville tribes fish & wildlife news

The Project Moves Ahead Special Thanks to the Continued from page 3 Project Partners process conducted by these agencies will CCT Fish and Wildlife plans to utilize INSIDE THIS ISSUE result in timely approvals so that the a temporary or pilot weir for the next project can proceed.” two summers and will be operating (one 2 2011 First Salmon Ceremony week in July, August, and September). In the meantime, staff is working to Fish and Wildlife Hires Chief “We want to observe and monitor prepare the equipment necessary to con- 2 Joseph Hatchery Manager fish behavior of summer Chinook, duct the weir operation. Components are sockeye, and steelhead,” said Joe Peone, Colville Tribal Member being ordered or built, and a small on-shore CCT Fish and Wildlife director. “It is work area is being developed to provide Graduates from Mt. Hood important to not interrupt migration 3 space for the assembly stage. The team is Fisheries Program of any fish present in the Okanogan also conducting public meetings to provide River.” For more information about this The Okanogan River information about the weir project. project, contact CCT Fish and Wildlife 3 Project Moves Ahead at 509.634.2113. 4 Bear Awareness

bear awareness and several hatchery site facilities. The Colville Confederated Tribes Fish Much of the structure is in place for the & Wildlife Department would like to chief joseph hatchery update headbox, which receives the incoming water and sends it along to incubators, inform you on what you can do to keep At the end of May, the Chief Joseph Hatchery (CJH) project was just over starts tanks, raceways and rearing ponds bears from visiting your neighborhood. 40% complete. About half of this work included the two acclimation facilities at prior to exiting via the fish ladder. The This is a serious problem considering For Additional Information Contact: Omak and Riverside, plus the housing located about a mile northwest of the hatchery. base slabs and portions of the walls have there were 128 bear complaints last year The housing site provides four houses for hatchery staff and six camping sites for Confederated Tribes of the been cast for concrete raceways. on the Colville Indian Reservation. visiting tribal members. The remainder of work to be completed is the hatchery and Colville Reservation If you encounter a bear: the water supply systems. The hatchery building is also under- “Last year, there were a lot of bear Joe Peone, Director of Fish If a bear approaches, move your family way. Concrete hatchery walls and the indoors immediately complaints called in, I put them down on and Wildlife A major function of Phase 2 has been focused on site work and underground storage building are scheduled to proceed Try to remain calm, don’t panic the list and get there when I can. Once 1 Colville Street PO Box 150 pipelines along with getting materials and equipment detailed and fabricated for Nespelem, WA 99155 in July. Work on the hatchery office Respect the bear’s space, I trap a bear, I don’t kill them, I relocate the entire project. Over two and a half miles of groundwater pipeline have been never approach a bear [email protected] building and the broodstock/fish ladder them miles away in the woods but if they placed and successfully tested. This pipeline will carry up to 18,000 gallons of water If you see a baby bear, complex will begin soon. Currently, there have found a good food source, they may Bonneville Power Administration per minute from the well field to the hatchery. Additionally, several thousand feet of don’t try to pet them are approximately 40 tribal members come back,” say’s Rick Desautel, animal Linda Hermeston, Project Manager underground pipelines (up to 42" diameter) have been placed on the hatchery site. Don’t scream or yell as this working on-site in various positions. may provoke a bear control technician for CCT. 905 NE 11th Avenue Work at the face of the dam along with the pipeline and controls through the dam’s Portland, OR 97232 Don’t run as this may trigger There have been reported sightings of irrigation port are scheduled to start soon. Work on the relief tunnel water pump a pursuit by a bear [email protected] bears in residential areas of Nespelem station has been deferred until the capacity of the well field is determined. Make yourself as large as possible and Tetra Tech speak in a calm voice to the bear and and Inchelium and this year there have John McGlenn, PE Site restoration is underway on pipeline corridors with seeding of disturbed areas move away giving the bear some space been several bear complaints. and leave the area 1420 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600 and re-paving of roadways and pedestrian trails. The Colville Confederated Tribes, When out camping keep children close “May and June is when they are coming Seattle, WA 98101 Corp of Engineers, State Parks, and the contractor are collaborating to ensure that all [email protected] areas are restored back to pre-construction conditions. In addition to underground If you spot a bear in a residential area out of hibernation and they are hungry call Rick Desautel at 509.631.1224 searching for food,” says Desautel. utilities and water pipelines, good progress is being made on the well pump stations

4 2011 First Salmon Ceremony The Okanogan River

The 2011 First Salmon Ceremony took place on Friday, June 10 and Saturday, Project Moves Ahead June 11th at the Omak Creek and Omak Longhouse. On Friday, CCT Fish and The plan to operate a temporary weir Wildlife staff were busy drying salmon and deer meat. Later that evening at Omak on the Okanogan River this summer is Creek, about 50 people came to enjoy the food and peoples company. The sunrise progressing forward for the Colville ceremony began at 5:30 am on Saturday at the Omak Creek where Colville tribal Confederated Tribes (CCT). The picket- elder Tom Louie gathered everyone together to speak about the importance of style fish trapping facility is scheduled salmon and to pray for there return in higher numbers. Colville tribal elder Mary to be tested for the ability to safely and Marchand began the 10am morning session at the Omak Longhouse with an opening effectively manage summer Chinook prayer and Mike Finley, Colville Confederated Tribes chairman welcomed everyone salmon for brood stock collection in attendance. and harvest in support of the Chief Joseph Hatchery. Tribal leaders from the Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) also participated throughout the event. Grand chief Stewart Phillip, chair of ONA, commented on Recently, all tribal environmental how it is good that their tribes and the Colville Tribes continue to work together and compliance permits to conduct the mentioned how they were happy to be a part of the celebration. Modesta Betterton, operation were secured. Stephanie “Pete” Osoyoos Indian Band elder discussed topics such as trade, traditions versus today, and Palmer, land use shoreline administrator how her tribe use to trade in the old days. Byron Louis, chief of the Okanagan Indian for the Colville Tribes, submitted the Band, spoke about waterways and cultural ties and about concerns for the salmon. Colville Tribal Member Graduates necessary permit applications and tracked their progress through the review process. Andy Joseph Sr., a Colville tribal elder, talked about stories handed down from actively participate in a science-based from Mt. Hood Fisheries Program Tribal permits were then used to support generation to generation. He shared his new book of stories and pictures of when he learning environment and create science the submission of a permit application to and his friends use to fish from the backs of horses. projects that can be shared with peers, Lincoln Feddersen, a Colville tribal member from Omak, , recently teachers, and educators. graduated with an Associate of Applied Science degree (A.A.S.) in Fisheries State and Federal agencies to obtain the Omak High School National American Indian Science & Engineering (NAISEF) Technology from Mt. Hood Community College. The commencement ceremony appropriate authorizations. Bryan Nass, Later that afternoon, Mary Marchand student award winners Elena Harry, Josiah Moses, and Vince Carden along with Will took place on Saturday, June 11, at the Earl L. Klapstein Track and Field Stadium in consulting biologist for the Colville and Andy Joseph Sr. blessed the new fish Kraske, Omak research studies teacher, attended the ceremony to do a presentation. Gresham, Oregon. Tribe, prepared the detailed Joint Aquatic NAISEF provides an opportunity for American Indian/Alaskan Native students to processing facility. Resources Permit (JARPA) application. After working for the Colville Tribes Fish and Wildlife program for approximately 14 years, Feddersen wanted to earn his degree and pursue a career at the Chief Joseph “You would probably find it hard to Fish and Wildlife Hires Hatchery. “I wanted to obtain my degree from Mt. Hood when I learned of the new believe the amount of environmental Chief Joseph Hatchery Manager “Many things have changed from hatchery, I wanted to work there,” said Feddersen. “This is a very important project documentation required to obtain the original design of the facility, and and I wanted to be a part of it.” government permits,” Nass said. “We In his new position, Phillips will be pouring over engineering drawings and needed to accurately explain all the various The Fisheries program at Mt. Hood is a two-year program offering a variety of responsible for planning, coordinating negotiating with the contractor have structural and operational aspects of the classes such as fishery techniques, fish biology, and equipment maintenance and repair and directing the fish culture operations been my focus. While these changes do weir project and provide an assessment of to name a few. “The fisheries classes are in-depth on all aspects of fish culture and necessary to meet the annual fish increase the overall cost, I believe they the potential impacts on the environment. field work,” said Feddersen. “The first year is mostly books, some lab classes, guest production objectives of the Chief Joseph are well worth the effort. Our goal is Every agency has unique resource issues speakers and field trips. In the second year, you put what you’ve learned to use. You Hatchery. He will oversee all phases of to have a fully functioning, modern to address, and we had to answer to all of learn step-by-step the process of raising rainbow trout in the college hatchery from construction of the new hatchery and will hatchery that will serve the Tribe well them.” He said, “We hope that the public incubating eggs, ponding fry, to release of the fish.” be responsible for developing policies into the future.” story continued on page 4 and procedures necessary for the safe and - Pat Phillips After graduation, Feddersen plans to work for the Colville Tribes Fish and Wildlife Pat Phillips was recently hired as the Old weir efficient operation of the facility. hatchery program. Lincoln carried a 4.0 in his last quarter of college with a 3.82 Chief Joseph Hatchery manager. He accumulative grade point average. We are proud of his accomplishments. Feddersen comes to us with over 20 years experience Phillips will also be responsible for maintenance and site improvements. “So is the first of six students to graduate from Mt. Hood Community College with an working for the Washington Department staffing the new hatchery and providing far it has been both challenging and very A.A.S. degree in Fisheries. In addition, four tribal members are attending different of Fish and Wildlife where he did employee training and development. rewarding. Most of my energy and time colleges to earn their Bachelor of Science degrees in Fisheries. hatchery work and provided oversight to He will formulate long and short-term is devoted to project management in the eight facilities, trapping operations, and plans and goals related to production, design and construction of the Chief For more information regarding the Salmon Intern Program, contact Joe Peone, several acclimation sites. operations, facilities and equipment Joseph Hatchery,” said Pat. CCT Fish and Wildlife director.

2 Chief Joseph Hatchery Update 3