First Foods. Salmon. Berries Water Game. Roots

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1 Tribal Perspectives on the Columbia River Treaty Paul Lumley (Yakama), Executive Director Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission 1

2 First Foods Salmon Berries Water Game Roots

3 the right of taking fish at all usual and accustomed places, in common with the citizens of the Territory, and of erecting temporary buildings for curing them, together with the privilege of hunting, gathering roots and berries Treaty with the Yakama Nation

5 Salmon Decline Columbia River salmon (chinook, steelhead, sockeye, coho, and chum) Commonly referenced returns of million salmon, which refers to the range of the mean of average returns over time. In years of high sockeye abundance, the total returns to the Basin are estimated to have exceeded 30 million salmon. millions of fish 1,754,334

6 Celilo Falls Tribal Fishery On the Columbia River near The Dalles, Oregon (inundated by The Dalles Dam in 1957)

7 Tribal Villages and Fishing Sites Destroyed by Dams and Reservoirs

8 Big River Big Dams The tribes never anticipated massive changes to the river when the treaties were signed in Our treaties are contracts with the United States. We reserved our rights to the First Foods.

9 Vanport Flood The Columbia River flooded in 1948, completely wiping out Vanport, Oregon Note: this city was built in a floodplain without adequate flood protection (levees)

Columbia River Treaty Mica Treaty came into force in 1964, no end date Canada builds three dams, US builds Libby no passage Twin goals: - optimize hydropower - coordinate flood control

10 Columbia River Treaty Mica Treaty came into force in 1964, no end date Canada builds three dams, US builds Libby no passage Twin goals: - optimize hydropower - coordinate flood control Treaty may be terminated with 10 years notice Tribes not consulted, no fish & wildlife coordination Keenleyside US Corps of Engineers dam Other dam Duncan Libby US Bureau of Reclamation dam 18

11 River Level at The Dalles Dam lower summer flow flow pushed earlier in the year

12 Permanent Floods Created Upriver to Protect Portland from Flooding Relocating a Church from Waldo Now under Koocanusa Reservoir Mica Dam built in 1973 Kinbasket Reservoir Drawdown Effects Vanport Flood, near Portland

13 Columbia Basin Tribes 15 tribes with management authorities and responsibilities affected by the Columbia River Treaty Formed Common Views First Nations G2G

14 Broad Regional Consensus Achieved: Modify the Treaty (U.S. Entity Dec 13, 2013) Recommendation Elements: Add ecosystem-based function Restore fish passage to historical locations Recalculate Canadian Entitlement (~$300m) Address flood risk management post-2024 Recognize Water Supply Interests Adapt for Climate Change impacts

15 Implementing Ecosystem-based Function Regional Recommendation integrates ecosystembased function by: Building upon current operations Incorporating existing Treaty flow augmentation Accommodating modifications to flow augmentation Incorporating dry year strategy Ensuring that modernized operations do not interfere with fish passage and reintroduction opportunities

16 Rethinking Floods Floods are natural, good and healthy for a river system. If you don t want to be flooded, don t move into a flood plain. These are permanent floods behind all these dams, to keep Portland dry. Dislocated tribal communities, damaged culture and a wrecked ecosystem. Was this a good deal? Now is the time to reconsider Flood Risk Management

Focusing on the role floodplain management and restoration plays in salmon restoration efforts Portland, October 18-20, 2016 Role floods play in ecosystem health Impacts of flood control on the

17 Focusing on the role floodplain management and restoration plays in salmon restoration efforts Portland, October 18-20, 2016 Role floods play in ecosystem health Impacts of flood control on the ecosystem Benefits of floodplain restoration Alternative flood control management to benefit fish Climate change impacts on floodplains Role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge in understanding and restoring floodplains

18 ,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000, ,000 0 Coho Sockeye Steelhead Chinook

19 Tribal elders taught us that if we take care of the First Foods, the First Foods will take care of us

Columbia River Treaty Update, Fish Passage and HB 3144

Columbia River Treaty Update, Fish Passage and HB 3144 2018 ATNI General Assembly, May 23 Held at Yakama Nation DR Michel and John E. Sirois Upper Columbia United Tribes Upper Columbia United Tribes Coeur