Success of a Locally-Adapted Steelhead Program in Omak Creek (Okanogan River), Washington

A No Net Impact statement in the Priest Rapids Salmon and Steelhead Settlement Agreement required unavoidable losses of steelhead associated with the operation of Wanapum and Priest Rapid dams on the mainstem Columbia River to be mitigated with the release of hatchery steelhead into the Okanogan River Basin.  From 2004 to 2007, steelhead populations in Omak Creek, a tributary to the Okanogan River, were supplemented with out-of-basin Wells Hatchery composite stock.  However, since 2007, the Colville Confederated Tribes, under contract with Grant Public Utility District, have implemented a locally-adapted hatchery program in which wild adult steelhead are obtained directly from Omak Creek.  The Okanogan program is to contribute to the recovery of the Upper Columbia summer steelhead population by maintaining and perpetuating genetic stocks from the Okanogan Basin rather than supplementing with hatchery fish of unknown genetic origin from outside of the basin.  Since the implementation of the locally-adapted hatchery program in Omak Creek, there has been an increased number of natural origin return (NOR). The Colville Tribe developed and continues to implement a management strategy to encourage natural recruitment based on escapement goals and percent-hatchery returns.