Okanogan/Similkameen Subbasin Summary September 27, 2001 Prepared for the Northwest Power Planning Council Editor Nina Talayco, Golder Associates Subbasin Team Leader Chris Fisher, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Contributors (in alphabetical order): Carmen Andonaegui, WSCC Ramon Latham, CTCR Tom Scott, OTID Bill Baer, USFS Hilary Lyman, CTCR John Stormon, WSDOE Heather Bartlett, WDFW Craig Nelson, WSCC Tom Sullivan, OID Clayton Belmont, WSDOT N. John Olyslager, Golder Woody Trihey, ENTRIX Kelly Cooper, USFS Associates, Canada Paul Wagner, Golder Associates Julie Dagnon, Okanogan County Christine Ramsey, NMFS Nancy Wells, USFS Jeff P. Fisher, ENTRIX Dawn Machin, Okanogan Nation Keith Wolf, Golder Associates William Gray, USBOR Alliance, Canada Howie Wright, Okanogan Nation Constance Iten, WDFW Don Robison, USEPA Alliance Deborah J. Knaub, ACCOE This document has not yet been reviewed or approved by the Northwest Power Planning Council Okanogan/Similkameen Subbasin Summary Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 U.S. Okanogan/Silmilkammen Subbasin Description ....................................................................... 5 General Description ................................................................................................................... 5 Fish and Wildlife Resources............................................................................................................ 41 Fish and Wildlife Status........................................................................................................... 41 Wildlife .................................................................................................................................... 60 Watershed Assessment............................................................................................................. 66 Limiting Factors....................................................................................................................... 69 Artificial Production ................................................................................................................ 69 Existing and Past Efforts.......................................................................................................... 72 Proposed Actions by Management Agencies........................................................................... 76 Subbasin Habitat Reports (Limiting Factors Analysis) ................................................................... 77 Introduction.............................................................................................................................. 78 Okanogan Watershed Characteristics and Conditions............................................................. 81 Fish Distribution and Status..................................................................................................... 93 Methodology For Developing Habitat Limiting Factors Assessments By Subwatershed In The Okanogan Watershed ............................................................................................................... 97 Fisheries Resources and Habitat Limiting Factors Ratings by Subwatershed....................... 112 Summary of Action Item Recommendations by Sub-basin ................................................... 213 Literature Cited ...................................................................................................................... 215 Subbasin Management ................................................................................................................... 224 Chinook.................................................................................................................................. 224 Sockeye .................................................................................................................................. 225 Steelhead ................................................................................................................................ 225 USDA Forest Service............................................................................................................. 225 USDI Bureau of Land Management....................................................................................... 226 Washington Department of Natural Resources...................................................................... 226 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife ....................................................................... 226 Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation................................................................... 227 Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board............................................................................. 228 Okanagan/Similkameen Subbasin Summaryii September 27, 2001 Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board (UCSRB) ............................................................ 228 Transborder Coordination and Ecosystem Planning Processes ............................................. 229 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies........................................................................................... 232 Statement of Fish and Wildlife Needs ................................................................................... 237 Canadian Okanagon/Similkameen Subbasin Description.............................................................. 243 General Description ............................................................................................................... 243 Fish and Wildlife Resources.......................................................................................................... 248 Fish and Wildlife Status......................................................................................................... 248 Habitat Areas and Quality...................................................................................................... 259 Watershed Assessment........................................................................................................... 350 Limiting Factors..................................................................................................................... 351 Artificial Production .............................................................................................................. 351 Existing and Past Efforts........................................................................................................ 351 Present Subbasin Management ...................................................................................................... 355 Existing Management............................................................................................................. 355 Subbasin Recommendations .................................................................................................. 360 References...................................................................................................................................... 360 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix A Culverts Appendix B Dams in the Okanogan Basin as Identified by WDFW Appendix C Fish Species Appendix D Endangered Species Act Listings for Steelhead Trout and Spring Chinook Salmon Appendix E Wildlife Species of the Okanogan Appendix F State Listed Wildlife Species Appendix G Hatchery and Genetic Management Plan (HGMP) for Upper Columbia Appendix H Confirmed Methow/Upper Columbia Agreement on Abundant Hatchery Returns Appendix I USDA Forest Service Schedule of Proposed Actions for 2001 Appendix J Subbasin Maps Appendix K Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Strategic Options for Okanogan Spring Chinook Appendix L CTCR Strategic Options for Okanogan Summer/Fall Chinook Okanagan/Similkameen Subbasin Summaryiii September 27, 2001 LIST OF LFA APPENDICES Appendix A Okanogan Overview Maps for Fish Distribution within the Entire Basin Appendix B Chinook, Sockeye, and Steelhead Fish Distribution Maps Of The Washington Okanogan/Similkameen Sub-Basins Appendix C Photographs of Select Sub-Basin Conditions Appendix D Canadian Okanagan/Similkameen Subbasin Summary Appendix E Chinook, Sockeye, and Steelhead Fish Distribution Maps of The Canadian Okanogan/Similkameen Sub-Basins LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Selected Subbasins of the Okanogan/Similkameen Watersheds...................................... 11 Table 2: Forests of the Okanogan Basin.........................................................................................15 Table 3: USGS Flow Records for Okanogan and Similkameen Rivers, 1911 – 1996 (USGS, 1995). ................................................................................................................................................. 17 Table 4: Base Flows (cfs) for the Okanogan River, as Set by WSDOE in 1976 (NMFS, 1998). .. 18 Table 5: Okanogan Subbasin City Populations and Growth Rates 1990-1998. (OFM, 1998)...... 19 Table 6: Okanogan Subbasin Land Ownership (NRCS, 2000). ..................................................... 21 Table 7: Approximate Total Acreage of Land Use Types in the Okanogan Basin ........................ 22 Table 8: Grazing Use in the Okanogan Subbasin. .......................................................................... 23 Table 9: Summary of USFS Riparian Area Acreage Monitored in 1997. (Percent of total acreage that meets or is moving towards forest plan objectives.) .......................................................