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 Spirit of the SalmonCRITFC's Watershed InitiativeYears of habitat destruction and careless use of water and land resources in the Columbia Basin have wrecked havoc on the salmon. The tribes' Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit or Spirit of the Salmon plan, the Northwest Power Planning Council's Fish and Wildlife Program and numerous other federal, state and tribal programs call for the restoration of watershed habitats. However, it is the four Columbia River tribes that have taken the lead in watershed restoration in partnership with their neighbors.The tribes developed a package of watershed enhancement projects that could begin immediately and secured an allocation of $6 million for implementing the projects in 1996 and 1997. The Northwest Power Planning Council--a regional body charged with making up for fish and wildlife losses caused by federal water development in the Columbia Basin--approved the $6 million expenditure in April 1996. The funds are mitigation dollars from the Bonneville Power Administration--the region's hydroelectric power marketing agency. This year tribes, landowners, watershed councils and government agencies are working together on watershed restoration projects in the Methow, Yakama, Umatilla, Imnaha, Deschutes, Clearwater and other Columbia River subbasins. Some examples of the activities they have undertaken include, converting irrigation systems to minimize water withdrawals from streams; riparian fencing to keep livestock out of streams; riverbank stabilization; and streamside revegetation. These projects are consistent with the 23 subbasin plans contained in Volume II of Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit that cover restoration and management actions for each of these subbasins above Bonneville Dam where most of the tribes' ceded lands are located. ("Ceded lands" refer to the areas the tribes gave to the United States in 1855 treaties.) These subbasin plans integrate recommendations for habitat restoration, artificial propagation, and passage improvements at the watershed level. In acknowledging the mixed patterns of land ownership throughout the Columbia Basin (federal, state, tribal, private), Volume II emphasizes the need for cooperative partnerships and alliances for watershed restoration. Among federal, state and regional plans for salmon recovery, the tribal salmon plan is the only one that provides an implementation plan. "Columbia River Basin Watershed Activities: A Twelve-Year Plan (1993-2004)" is a strategy for implementing Volume II of Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit. It emphasizes cooperation and coordination through tribal partnerships with government entities, watershed councils and groups, industry and private landowners. The Twelve-Year Plan structures a long-term, locally driven, basin-wide program for watershed restoration and management, to replace the current fragmented, project-by-project approach. A key component of the Twelve-Year Plan is demonstrating success in the short-term through a suite of "early-action" projects. The 1996 Early Action Watershed Package is a set of habitat restoration projects, developed by the tribes, based on the following principles: Timeliness:The projects are ready for immediate, on-the-ground implementation. Agreements have been negotiated with landowners and permit processes initiated.Partnerships and collaboration:Tribes, landowners, states, local governments, watershed councils and federal agencies have all been involved in the development of the projects and are participating in their implementation. All of the projects include cost shares of at least 10 percent. The Bonneville Power Administration money is serving as a catalyst to leverage other available funds. In many cases, the participating tribe has not received a penny of the project funding. The tribes are more concerned about getting the work done than who receives the money.This effort will promote successful partnerships:Diverse individuals and groups will have made real habitat improvements by working together at the watershed level with their neighbors.Science-based, watershed approach to decision-making:The projects rely upon the region's best science: They are consistent with ongoing regional salmon recovery efforts, including the Independent Scientific Group's assessment in its Return to the River report, the Northwest Power Planning Council's Fish and Wildlife Program, the Strategy for Salmon and its 1997 project prioritization process, as well as Wy-Kan-Ush-Mi Wa-Kish-Wit. The projects provide support in habitat enhancement for the 15 supplementation (artificial propagation) projects recently approved through the federal court-ordered U.S. v. Oregon process.Each of the projects includes a monitoring and evaluation component, which will provide important information about salmon restoration in a timely manner. Because the projects focus on watersheds, they provide benefits for all species, including resident fish and wildlife--not only for salmon. Financial and biological accountability:The projects are locally managed and aimed at maximizing the dollars spent on-the-ground. Financial and biological reporting requirements will identify and quantify the direct benefits for salmon resulting from the projects in terms of increased survival at each life stage.The tribes believe this community-based approach, which emphasizes on-the-ground, scientifically based solutions at the local level, is the most effective way to restore Columbia Basin watersheds. |
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