Planning for Protecting and Restoring Salmon Habitat in Channelized Portions of the Okanagan River

1. Planning for Protecting and Restoring Salmon Habitat in Channelized Portions of the Okanagan River Colville Confederated Tribes and the Okanagan Nation Fisheries Commission

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3. HISTORY Due to channelization in the 1950’s, Okanagan River has been reduced by 15 miles/24km and only 4.3miles/ 7 km remain in a natural state Managed dykes have reduced riparian area and associated vegetation by 88% CCT and ONFC propose to develop a plan to prioritize restoration options of the 17km of channelized sections that will increase salmon habitat

4. OKANAGAN SOCKEYE Okanagan River supports 50% of the remaining sockeye production in the Columbia Basin Canadian Fisheries Authorities estimate less than 5000 sockeye will return to the Canadian mainstem to spawn in 2003 Okanagan Sockeye is a candidate for COSEWIC listing

5. SALMON RECOVERY GOALS Provide a long-term vision for the river and options for implementation through habitat protection and restoration The plan will be based on a long-term self-sustaining ecosystem approach that emphasizes natural processes and benefits all species

6. PROPOSAL OBJECTIVES Create a plan to restore the channelized section of the Okanagan River to produce an increase in sockeye salmon habitat that will outline: Identified protection and restoration locations and methods Prioritized areas for restoration Benefits, costs, risks and steps required for implementation

7. PROJECT DESCRIPTION Compile and record relevant information and knowledge Rank options for protecting and restoring river habitat with costs, benefits and risks of each option considered Fisheries Authorities and critical stakeholders will prioritize the options Finalize the plan

8. OBJECTIVES Long-term self-sustaining ecosystem based approach that emphasizes natural methods and benefits all species Habitat Plan will interconnect the various initiatives currently underway Provide a conceptual foundation so work can be carried out in a logical manner

9. PROJECTED OUTCOMES FROM HABITAT PLAN Secure riparian parcels to set back or remove dykes Replace existing VDS with rock pool/riffle complexes to develop spawning platforms Add riparian vegetation and habitat complexing with LWD After initial implementation, complex habitat would develop naturally, spawning gravels would be collected and silts redistributed to floodplains

10. BENEFITS TO SOCKEYE Reduced velocity and increased hydrological variability More natural migration route Additional spawning areas Provide escape and cover

11. PARTNERSHIPS ONFC and CCT have been working cooperatively in salmon restoration partnerships Okanagan Basin Technical Working Group (OBTWG) – Okanagan Nation Fisheries Commission, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection OBTWG and Douglas County Public Utility District working cooperatively on habitat restoration and mitigation projects