Bridge Funding to Operate and Maintain Acclimation Ponds

This project will provide bridge funding to continue operations and maintenance associated with three acclimation ponds in the Okanogan subbasin. These acclimation ponds are used to improve distribution and abundance of naturally spawning populations of Chinook salmon in the Okanogan subbasin.

The first acclimation facility, St. Marys Pond was constructed with PCSRF funds (CCT01-4) and is used to acclimate spring Chinook. The other two acclimation facilities, Bonaparte and Ellisforde ponds, are irrigation district settling ponds owned by the Oroville/Tonasket Irrigation District (OTID). The OTID uses the ponds for six months out of the year to settle solids out of their irrigation water. In the past the settling ponds sat idle the remaining six months of the year. In an innovative partnership with the OTID - the Colville Tribes lease the irrigation ponds from the OTID for the remaining six months of the year to rear and acclimate fish. This arrangement has been profoundly valuable in gaining public awareness and support for salmon recovery efforts in the Okanogan subbasin. The use of the irrigation ponds to acclimate summer/fall Chinook has also provided good acclimation facilities at a fraction of the cost of building new facilities.

All three acclimation facilities are used to rear fish at very low densisties, using local stream water. Fish are reared for six months prior to release. Use of the ponds is vital to increasing the abundance, distribution, and diversity of naturally spwning populations of Chinook salmon in the Okanogan subbasin. The Colville Tribes do not currently have an alternative source of funding to operate and maintain these acclimation facilities through the fiscal year 2004-2005. The Tribes are working to develop an alternate source of funding for the future but require this bridge funding until an alternative source is identified.

Increase abundance, distribution and diversity of naturally spawning populations of Chinook salmon in the Okanogan subbasin.