Watershed Rehabilitation Efforts to Re-Establish Summer Steelhead in Omak Creek, a Tributary to the Okanogan River

Omak Creek, a tributary of the Okanogan River, historically contained anadromous salmonids.  Omak Creek watershed is unique in that it is situated entirely within the Colville Reservation boundaries and is one of the few tributaries to the Okanogan River with confirmed natural reproduction of Upper Columbia steelhead, a species listed as threatened and targeted for recovery under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  The quality of aquatic habitat has been affected by historical land use and human development.  Hinderances to the reestablishment of anadromous salmonids in the watershed include barriers to migration, elevated water temperatures and large amounts of sediment delivered to the stream channel.  Sponsored by the Colville Confederated Tribes, a watershed plan and environmental assessment was developed by the Natural Resource Conservation Service in 1995 and became the design to initiate restoration activities in the basin.  Restoration actions include barrier removal, livestock management, riparian reestablishment, and road decommissioning with the goal to reduce high water temperatures in the lower reach and diminish sediment sources from the upper basin. Each year since 2002 the Colville Tribes Okanogan Basin Monitoring and Evaluation Project (OBMEP) has monitored and conducted redd surveys on the lower 5 miles of Omak Creek.  Adult catchment has also been conducted at a fish weir/trap on Omak Creek as part of a locally adapted steelhead broodstock program.  The total redd estimates in combination with spawner escapement are used to estimate total escapement with a high level of accuracy.  In 2002 the number of adult spawners was estimated at 160 compared to 273 estimated in 2010. In 2005 the percent natural origin production (adipose present) steelhead was estimated at 3.5% compared to 80.7% in 2010.  These represent a significant increase with potential correlations to habitat rehabilitation actions and fishing regulations of Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife with mandatory retention of hatchery fish caught and release of adipose present fish.  In addition to monitoring adult returns through spawner surveys and long-term trends, effectiveness of completed restoration actions are assessed through long-term studies of sediment yield and canopy closure.  Integrated resource management among multiple departments and adaptive watershed coordination are utilized to select actions towards improving habitat conditions to allow for a self-sustaining steelhead population in the Omak Creek watershed.