Fish Restoration
The Fish and Wildlife department of the Colville Confederated Tribes has the largest budget of any CCT department, other than human health services. As members of this confederation, we believe in investing in the land.
We have recently opened an office in Nelson. Contact us regarding restoration work in Canada: James Baxter (509-419-9804) or Herb Alex (509-419-9801).
Sherman Creek Hatchery
Located between Kettle Falls and the CCT reservation boundary, on Sherman Creek, this Washington State hatchery operates with guidance from the Colville Confederated Tribes and the Spokane Tribe, and additional funding from the Bonneville Power Administration. The tribes have encouraged operations that support healthy populations of kokanee and rainbow trout, both species natural to the region prior to “Lake” Roosevelt’s formation behind Grand Coulee Dam.Okanagan River Salmon Restoration
The CCT Fish and Wildlife department collaborates with the Okanagan Nation Alliance to fund and oversee habitat restoration on the Okanagan River in the U.S., and the hatchery in Canada. CCT’s support allowed the Okanagan Nation to receive funding from U.S. agencies to enhance the river’s sockeye population. Learn more here.
Columbia River Salmon Restoration upstream of Grand Coulee Dam
The CCT is a member of the Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT), whose policy, research and advocacy continue to press government agencies to restore salmon passage to the upper river, into Sinixt traditional territory. The Sinixt Confederacy has also been conducting their own studies on Chinook Salmon since 2024, and spawning has been documented in Canada since 2024.
2024 Chinook Salmon Report
In the summer of 2024, the Sinixt Confederacy, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and Upper Columbia United Tribes released 59 acoustically tagged adult Chinook Salmon upstream of Grand Coulee Dam. Over three-quarters swam north into Canada. Some established spawning sites; some turned up the Kootenay River as far as Brilliant Dam, and some swam to Hugh Keenleyside Dam. Read the full report here.
Learn more about the values and principles underlying salmon restoration on the Spirit of the Salmon website.
Removing Invasive Fish in the Columbia River and its Reservoirs
Together with the Spokane Tribe, the CCT has worked hard to trap and remove invasive species, including the voracious Northern Pike. Pike and walleye threaten the prosperity of fish native to the Columbia and Pend Oreille Rivers, including the “Lake” Roosevelt reservoir. Funded in part by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the program to suppress non-native fish has been very successful in restoring some balance for kokanee, sturgeon and trout populations to recover.
