Management to Sustain Salmon Bearing Ecosystems
and Human Systems in the Okanagan Valley
Kim Hyatt1, Richard Bussanich2, Casey Baldwin3,Tom Kahler4,
Jeremy Cram5
1. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2. Okanagan Nation Alliance, 3. Colville
Confederated Tribes, 4. Douglas County Public Utility , 5. Washington
Department of Fish and Wildlife
Okanagan Water Science Forum, Osoyoos, B.C., Oct, 2015.
Introductory talk on behalf of the panel

Part 1: Thumbnail sketch of Okanagan
aquatic and human systems over the past 1012 thousand years.

Part 2: Collaborative restoration of
Okanagan-Okanogan salmon in Canada and
the U.S.,1994-2015.

Part 3: Lessons learned about salmon
restoration and management.


Part 4: Comments from the panel and
questions for the panel.
Okanagan Watershed and Restoration Sites (BC southern interior,
transboundary watershed, sub-basin of the Columbia R, wild Sockeye, Chinook and ESA
listed Steelhead return to Osoyoos L.-Okanagan R. but not Skaha or Okanagan Lake due to
dams).
2. Natural
systems
maintenance
1. Human
systems
maintenance
3. Salmon
restoration &
management
4. Water
management
systems
Postglacial Evolution of Okanagan Ecosystems
Ten to12 thousand
years ago, a breach in
the glacial dam at
MacIntyre Bluff
created a riverine
corridor for northward
invasions of biota from
a rich unglaciated
reservoir of species to
the south.
Okanagan aquatic ecosystems formed in a rich complex of lakes,
streams, wetlands & riparian corridors
Natural and human systems developed gradually over millenia until the
mid-1800s when agricultural and industrial development accelerated
rapidly with a wave of human population immigration and settlement from
eastern North America.
Ok River floodplain
in Oliver area circa
1930
“Disturbance regimes” imposed by development of human
systems increasingly dominate both terrestrial and especially
aquatic ecosystems in the Okanagan and Columbia River basins.
Fragmented river meander
Flood control channel
Penticton Dam
Irrigation and flood
control dams block
migration routes of
aquatic biota.
Channelization has
reduced 50% of the
Okanagan R. length
plus most of its
wetlands & flood-plain.
Human “systems” growth continues to threaten water quality, quantity
and ecosystem integrity in the Okanagan-Okanogan !
1. Groundwater supplies
2. Nutrients in effluents
3-4. Contaminants (PCB’s, PBB’s, DDT,
heavy metals, etc.)
5. Surface water supplies
6. Invisible barriers: temp, O2, NH3
7. Landfills & waste
8. Climate change impacts on water.
9. Storm runoff and sediments from
urban and agricultural development
Okanagan aquatic ecosystems are subjected to “disturbance regimes”
induced by discharge of nutrients, toxins, introduction of invasive
species, dams, channelization & ongoing development of irrigation, flood
control & engineered systems where water management represents a
common interface for interactions between aquatic and human systems.
Prudent water management in this arid landscape is key to the
sustainability of both natural ecosystems (biodiversity in lakes, rivers,
wetlands, riparian habitat) and human systems (agro-ecosystems, urban
ecosystems etc...).
Given a century of development, virtually all portions of valley-bottom aquatic
ecosystems are moderately to severely degraded relative to a reference condition.
Multiple threats to aquatic systems suggests a holistic ecosystem based
management approach is essential on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border
Understanding complex
biophysical mechanisms
controlling ecosystem
structure and key processes is
essential.
CATEGORY
Urbanization
Erosion/Sedimentation
Channelization
Climate Change
Water Quantity
Physical Quality (temp., O2)
Pollutants
agricultural
urban & industrial
Dams & Barriers
Exploitation
subsistence
commercial
recreational
None
Low
RISK
Medium
High
Severe
Trends in Adult Returns of Columbia and Okanagan River Sockeye
Salmon 1890s to 1990s
< 5000 adults
spawning in 3 of 5
yrs from 1994-2000
Status as of late 1990s:
• Depressed and fluctuating
with time-weighted average
for decline.
• Last anadromous Sockeye
Salmon stock of dozens that
formerly returned to Canada
through Columbia R.
• ESA listed Steelhead Salmon
migrate to hold in Osoyoos L
and then spawn and rear in
streams in both Canada and
the U.S.
• Upper Columbia Chinook
largely extirpated in Canada
and subject to hatchery
supplementation in U.S.
The 5-H’s of Okanagan-Okanogan Salmon
Restoration
• Habitat
• Hydrology
• Hatcheries
• Harvest
• Humanity
H1: Salmon Habitat Restoration Initiatives: ONA and Partners
1- HABITAT LOSS
• 84% River = channelized
• 50% River length = lost
• 90% Riparian vegetation = lost
Meander restoration plan
(ONA - ORRI project)
CHANNELIZED: 30 km
NATURAL: 3 km
Rough Cost = $1
million per km for
habitat supporting
< 5000 spawners
but habitat
diversification aids
several species
Dike removal and meander
connection complete
H1: Passage improvements in Antoine
Creek, Wa.
H2: Hatchery: Re-introduction Sockeye
Salmon to Skaha Lake: ONA and Partners
Skaha hatchery program has added as many
as 10-20 thousand sockeye per year to the
Okanagan run in the most recent years.
H2: Chief Joseph Hatchery- a state of the art
facility opened in 2013 and operated by CCT .
H3: Okanagan Hydrological Control Structures
Balance competing interests to achieve fish friendly
water management (FWMT Project - DFO and Partners)
Flood Protection
Water Use Demands
Recreation / Tourism
Environmental Values
New “tools” to improve compliance with Okanagan Basin
Agreement flows for fish
(b) spawning
RIVER FLOW (CMS)
RIVER FLOW (CMS)
(a) migration
(c) incubation
OBA preferred flow range
RIVER FLOW (CMS)
Observed flow range
PREFERRED RANGE
From 1982-1997 river discharge
exceeded OBA fishery flows in:
(a) 13 of 16 yrs for adult migration
(b) 7 of 16 yrs for spawning and
(c) 7 of 16 yrs for egg incubation &
fry migration
H3: FWMT Decision Support System (Hyatt et al, CWRJ 2015)
1 Climate and Hydrology Sub-model
Okanagan Water Mgt. “Rules” Sub-model
2
3
Climate and Water Temperature Sub-model
4
Kokanee egg to
fry emergence
sub-model
5
Sockeye sub-model
alevin
emergence
& fry recruit
eggincubation
sub-model
fry lake
rearing
smolt
production
6Historic Data: Retrospective Analysis
7
SAR
Current Data: Real-time Analysis
The FWMT System is a coupled set of biophysical models of key relationships (among climate,
water, fish & property) used to predict the consequences of water mgt. decisions for fish & other
water users.
FWMT may be used to explore water management decision impacts in an operational mode
employing real-time data, a prospective-mode going forward or in a retrospective-mode looking
back on historic water supply, climate & fish years.
H3: Juvenile bypass facilities at Columbia
River hydroelectric dams
Okanagan Sockeye abundance at Wells Dam 1961-2014
serves as one example of restoration success
Restoration
projects
1st ONA
Workshop
H4: Cooperative harvest plans exist among U.S. entities
and are under discussion by Canada and U.S. agencies
H5: Factors contributing to salmon
restoration successes to date
Strong leadership and champion(s) are keys to success (all displayed at times
by ONA, DFO, CCT, BC-FLNRO, U.S. PUD, WDFW participants ).
Identification of a common cause (e.g. salmon restoration) that unites rather
than divides.
Systematic, science-based analysis of limiting factors saves time and money if
initiated at the outset to identify worthy projects (hydrologic, habitat, and
hatchery initiatives all rely on a firm analytical foundation).
Success depends as much on sociology (“right personal chemistry”) as on
biophysical science i.e. optimism, energy, persistence and strong bonds of
trust among a core group of participants are critical ingredients.
Contrast and “experiments” to create it within an adaptive management context
are your friends.
Salmon are far more resilient than we give them credit for and will continue to
surprise.
Like at the opera, the story of Okanagan salmon restoration is full
of birth and death, work and play, agony and ecstasy plus some
lessons learned.
Conclusion: In spite of the catastrophic events of 2015, in the multi-year
salmon opera, it’s not over until the fat-lady sings!
Some Parting Questions
 How resilient will water resources, agriculture, human and biological
communities be to future pressures from interacting factors such as population
growth and climate change in the Okanagan and Columbia basins ?
 How should water quantity and quality be regulated in future and does this
differ markedly from the situation today ?
 What is an appropriate “balance” between human population growth,
increasing economic activity & fundamental issues such as maintenance of
water quality, native biota & ecosystem services ?
 What is an appropriate balance between wild fish restoration and hatchery
supplementation to support fisheries?
 Do continued actions to restore salmon and associated fisheries make sense
from ecological, economic or cultural perspectives and, if so, what steps are
needed to achieve success (e.g. new knowledge, new management systems,
governance and wealth distribution issues) ?
Questions for the Panel ?
Fisheries and Oceans
Canada
Pêches et Océans
Canada
Canada