Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 1752 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Talayco, N. 2001. Okanagan/Similkameen Subbasin Summary. Northwest Power Planning Council. |
| Organization | NWPPC |
| URL | https://www.nwcouncil.org/media/21765/e_Appendix_2001_Okanogan_Subbasin_Summary_Main_Report_Text.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | In October of 2000, the Northwest Power Planning Council adopted a revised Fish and Wildlife Program for the Columbia River Basin. The new program is intended to be more comprehensive than, but complimentary to, regional efforts related to the Endangered Species Act, State-sponsored recovery and watershed planning and coordination efforts, and tribal recovery initiatives. The revised Program calls for an ecosystem-based approach for planning and implementing fish and wildlife recovery. To accomplish this, the Program divides the Columbia Basin into ecological provinces that are further divided into individual subbasins. At the heart of the Program is the subbasin plan consisting of a comprehensive description of the basin general ecology including the identification of specific fish and wildlife needs. Future action strategies and project funding are to be based upon these identified needs. Subbasin summaries are an interim step to allow near-term implementation of the revised Fish and Wildlife Program until comprehensive subbasin plans can be completed. The information provided in this document satisfies the summary requirements for the Okanogan subbasin. Accordingly, this report presents a compilation of known and existing data on anadromous fish and fish habitat for the United States and Canadian portions of the Okanogan River Watershed. Seventy-two subwatersheds were examined. The report also provides data and context for wildlife, land use, human population patterns, and overall resource management issues. Portions of the Similkameen watershed are included where additional anadromous fish distribution and access dictate. The Okanogan Subbasin Summary is the first report being generated from within the Columbia Cascade Ecoprovince. The Methow, Wenatchee, Lake Chelan, Entiat, and Upper (mainstem) Columbia subbasins comprise the remainder of this province. The Okanogan watershed comprises one the of the largest geographic subbasins in the Columbia River Basin; ﾕ The Factors influencing salmon survival and population status extend beyond the geographic boundaries of the Okanogan, and of the United States. Thus, coordination between basins, and in the Canadian portion of the watershed, is essential. ﾕ There are significant needs and factors identified across all species, lands, and habitats that will require substantive actions in this basin; ﾕ Near-term actions are needed in key subwatersheds; ﾕ Land ownership throughout the watershed/subbasin is predominantly in private ownership; ﾕ The basin is reasonably data rich in terms of geology, land use and climate, however, gaps in data for key environmental attributes, especially basin hydrology, land use impacts, and riparian and rangeland function, exist; ﾕ Because of the geography of the basin, it is doubtful that salmon can be recovered, or overall ecological functions improved, without near-term actions, followed by longterm strategic planning; ﾕ The use of artificial production strategies, such as supplementation, is an inextricable part of recovery planning; ﾕ The effects of harvest in relation to this subbasin are poorly defined; ﾕ Recovery efforts will have to be closely linked with passage improvements at all mainstem hydroelectric projects as well as with existing tributary and Okanogan river mainstem water withdrawal and diversions; ﾕ All species of anadromous salmonids have experienced a long-term, and in most cases, severe decline in abundance, diversity and habitat productivity; ﾕ Many resident fishes are also in decline, especially in the Canadian subbasins. ﾕ Sockeye and steelhead represent the primary species for recovery and protection focus; spring chinook the best opportunity for restoration and reintroduction. ﾕ Many issues are also applicable to summer/fall chinook salmon; ﾕ Temperature issues predominate the factors influencing salmon survival in the mainstem Okanogan River;Resident and Wildlife related habitat issues are ill-defined, but impacts to ecological function are pervasive; ﾕ Passage is a key component of the Canadian watershed limiting factors; ﾕ The Okanogan Basin is fortunate to have a sophisticated and coordinated infrastructure focused on salmon recovery. The Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board provides one example that integrates many efforts; ﾕ The Canadian portion of the watershed suffers from a lack of funding mechanisms, however, it is not lacking an overall impetus to address critical fish and wildlife issues; ﾕ The subbasin planning process represents one of the best opportunities to support the Canadian tribes, citizenry, and governmental entities in initiating a host of new recovery options and funding strategies that will benefit the US portions of several fish and wildlife needs; ﾕ The Okanogan basin has lacked detailed and coordinated assessment effort in the past. Thus, many new needs have been identified, and ﾕ Goals, objectives, and strategies need, and will receive, continued refinement. |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Okanagan; Similkameen |
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| Project status | complete |
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