STOI DNR Update-June 2023

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Spokane Tribal Fisheries

By: Dr Brent Nichols

Activity Highlights 

  • Continued Northern Pike Suppression in Lake Roosevelt 
  • Completed Net Pen Fish Health Checks 
  • Started Age-0 studies for 2023 
  • Boat maintenance and prep 
  • BPA Project Negotiations 

 Project Highlights/Status 

  • Project staff continue annual suppression and removal of Northern Pike from Lake Roosevelt. 
  • Project staff attended the First Salmon Ceremony at Chief Joseph Hatchery 
  • Attended the 100th Meridian/Columbia Basin Team biannual meeting in Boise, ID and coordinated with WDFW on sampling sites and schedules.  
  • Continuing annual water quality monitoring surveys and data collection. 

 

Grants Report 

The General Fund does not provide any support for Spokane Tribal Fisheries work. All Projects are 100% funded by external awards and grants. 

PROGRAM  FUND #  PURPOSE  AWARD  STATUS 
LR Cost Share  5601-1234  LR Costs shared with other agencies  $75,480  Current 
BPA LR Data Collection  5711-1241  Impact Mitigation  $2,000,000  Current 
BPA LR Northern Pike Suppression  5712-1321  Impact Mitigation  $491,537  Current 
BPA LR White Sturgeon Recovery  5719-1235  Impact Mitigation  $893,280  Current 
BIA Northern Pike Invasive  4414-1321  Invasive Species Removal  $71,910  Current 
BIA Northern Pike Invasive  4414-1321  FY23 Invasive Species Removal  $200,000  Awarded  
BIA Tribal Youth Initiative  4414-1319  Engage Tribal Youth in Natural Resources  $35,792  Current 
BIA Sturgeon Translocation  4412-1235  Support for White Sturgeon Recovery  $47,660  Current 
BIA Water Reuse Project  4414-1396  Water reuse improvements at hatchery  $1,640,460  Current 
BIA Fish Health Project  4414-1398  Fish pump & counter equipment  $101,439  Current 
BOR Water Reuse Project  4449-1398  Water reuse improvements at hatchery  $500,000  Current 
BCHydro White Sturgeon Recovery  2052-1369  White sturgeon genetics survey  $125,066  Current 
EPA Columbia River Restoration  5420-1393  Contaminant Status & Movement survey  $262,500  Current 
BOR Invasive Species Monitoring  Pending  Lake Roosevelt invasive species monitoring  $100,000  Pending 
    TOTAL:  $6,548,124   

Budget Status 

  • None overspent. 

 Community Engagement Activity Highlights 

  • Completed Student Discovery Week. 
  • Attended the Lake Roosevelt Forum bus tour and gave a presentation about the CRBRP project and LRFEP project to approximately 50 community members. 
  • Participated in regional coordination meetings included: 
    • FMCS 
    • Columbia Basin Collaborative group 
    • Northwest Power and Conservation Council 
    • Blocked Area Anadromous Working Group 

Personnel Status 

  • Interviewed and hired two seasonal Fisheries Technicians.  
  • Habitat Biologist needed to support the development of a Lead Entity. Position will be split between the LE and Fisheries, supporting existing habitat restoration work the Tribe is performing. Position Description being finalized. 

Challenges/Actions 

  • Future grant opportunities are hindered due to staffing and space requirements. 

Future Projects 

  • White Sturgeon food habits: BPA funded. 
  • Spontaneous autopolyploid testing of hatchery White Sturgeon; Equipment Ordered 
  • Analysis of genetic diversity produced from our repatriation program; BPA funded. 
  • Walleye and Sculpin Predation of juvenile White Sturgeon; Initiated 
  • Mark/Tag study of Rainbow Trout recruitment to Creel; Initiated 
  • Hatchery Water re-use improvement: BOR/BIA Design RFP Awarded to McMillen, Inc. 
  • Spokane River Arm Native Mussel Assessment: BPA Funded. 
  • Bureau of Reclamation Aquatic Invasive Species Project – This project will monitor invasive Driessen mussels and provide staff with funds to participate in regional AIS meetings and trainings. We are waiting for final approvals and funding through BOR for this project. 

 

Spokane Tribal Rangers

By: Bart Kieffer

Activity Highlights

Lake Roosevelt is nearly at full pool and we are ready for the busy weekend celebrating the fourth of July. One evening in the middle of the month wind storm, Rangers and police were called upon to perform two Rescue/Assists at the same time, one boat to little falls and the other boat went south to Hanson Harbor. Camping permit sales have increased, Shoreline anglers continue to have success at little falls dam and are closely monitored for permit sales. A couple of contacts made with firewood cutters. Bear hunters have been checked nearly every weekend this month.

Project Highlights/Status

The Duckworth jet boat has been serviced after break-in of the new engine and is moored at two rivers marina. Sir 0585 a 2022 Chevy has been received and placed into full time patrol status. Sir 0386 will be used as backup vehicle.

Budget Status

FY 2024 budge proposals were turned in on 06-28-2023.

Community Engagement Activity Highlights

Four new plastic swim docks purchased last fall were placed at locations on the Spokane arm.

Assisted with the repair of the launch dock at the A frame

Personnel Status

All Rangers are scheduled for work Saturday July 1st as crowds at the two rivers fireworks celebration often exceed a couple thousand people.

Challenges/Actions

Upcoming is the busiest weekend for the Columbia River campgrounds. Hundreds of people use this area for camping and the lighting of fireworks. Rangers monitor this area for permit sales and public safety multiple times a day.

 

Air Quality

By: Lucas Bair

 

Activity Highlights

  • Monthly calls with National Tribal Air Association as Region 10 representative for WA, ID, and OR Tribes. Two representatives per Air Quality Region (EPA map)
  • Standard Operating Procedures Meeting
    • June 21st
  • NTAA Roles and Responsibilities call
  • Grant Calls for CAA 103 & State Indoor Radon Grant

Project Highlights/Status

  • Met a few members form other tribal programs which will increase contact list on future problems or collaborations.

Grants Report

  • List grants you have, the grant award amount, what the grant is being used to complete, and status of compliance with funding agency. Work has been steady for all the included programs, and work plans remain on schedule.
  • Clean Air Act (CAA) 103
    • $190,000
  • American Rescue Plan Grant (ARP)
    • $51,750
    • Monitor replacement for Spokane Tribe
  • State Indoor Radon Grant (SIRG)
    • $31,750
    • Radon Work

Budget Status

  • SIRG was originally for 40k this year but was reduced by 9k before reward. Was informed after budgets went through. Budgets modified but are on track at this time.
    • Update: SIRG received more funding and will increase provided amount to the program by an additional $750.

Community Engagement Activity Highlights

  • No updates for this section.

Personnel Status

Currently the program just has one position with the current workload. As larger grants are being brought to our attention we hope to add more work with additional Personnel but these grants have not been written.

Challenges/Actions

  • Some days can be fast paced for a single person department, otherwise just keeping up on grant tasks remain in compliance and good standing on current grants.

Future Projects

  • Work with Utilities Manager on DERA Grant to possibly replace Diesel Garbage Truck(s).

 

Preservation Program

By: John Matt

 

Activity Highlights

  • June 8- Meeting with Jack Nesbit on website project
  • June 13- travel to Olympia to DAHP
  • June 14- Travel back from Olympia with four ancestral remains.
  • June 10- Climate change Zoom

Project Highlights/Status

June 2023: Collections staff undertook a mold remediation project to clean several bound Rawhide newspapers within collection, using proper PPE and procedures to keep the artifacts and staff safe and ensure no further contamination of the collections building. We are also continuing building our partnership with other heritage specialists in Spokane to provide aid and support for disaster recovery (SHEPARD), including a site tour of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture to view their facility and discuss strengths and vulnerabilities in terms of past and current disaster events. STIPP collections manager and collections assistant manager joined the planning department during their tour at the Wanapum Heritage Center, with the intent of learning about their process and decisions as we continue exploring ideas and planning out a heritage center and new repository for the Spokane tribe. Collections staff will also spend another week at the National Archives in Seattle to continue the multi-year project to digitize archival records held there, using those documents to build the archival record available at the STIPP archives and collections repository.

Grants Report

  • Quarterly update

Budget Status

  • N/A

Community Engagement Activity Highlights

June 2023: Collections staff is working with Summer Youth Program staff and STIPP staff to coordinate and plan two days in July where kids aged 15-16 years old from both Wellpinit and Spokane will attend a site tour of certain archaeological sites on reservation and a presentation geared towards career paths and skills associated with preservation, archaeology/anthropology, history, and curation.

Personnel Status

  • Tribal archeologist resigned on 6-27-23, paperwork submitted on 6-28-23 to HR for posting that position.

Challenges/Actions

  • None to report currently.

Future Projects

  • Working on FY 24 scope of work and budget for Bonneville Power Administration
  • Avista Grid Hardening project- on going until complete.

 

Range Program

By: Wendal Kane

 

For the month of June, Range worked on several projects as the field season came into full swing. One more rancher signed up for the open grazing period, with 7 head of cattle being added to the open range. The usual tasks of keeping track of cows, pushing cows away from highways and back into their appropriate grazing unit, and notifying ranchers of their herd’s whereabouts were completed daily. Previous tree and seed plantings were monitored for mortality and browse, and maintained via watering and spraying deer repellent. Scotch thistle patches near Ford and Wellpinit were mowed at the end of the month, with plans for herbicide application in the beginning of July. Flowering Rush treatments from May were monitored for success, and determined the best methods for future treatments. The Flowering Rush eradication project will be ongoing for several years, but the program is pleased with the success of the first treatments. Ongoing projects such as noxious weed survey, feral horse tracking, equipment maintenance, and project planning continued through the month.

 

Forestry & Fire Management Program

By: Randy Abrahamson

Forestry Administration

  • Prepared sale documents for tribal and allotted timber sales
  • Continued tracking allottee mailings with BIA for Cayuse Settlement
  • Continued development of updated Forest History
  • Continued TFMS Scaling Software finalization
  • Continued providing notification to Allottees.

TIMBER SALES

  • Frost Pocket- Rebones got started back to work on Tuesday. Phillip hauled a lot of rock for their road, but it may still too soft for hauling.
  • Rajewski crew have fixed their road and have equipment up there but haven’t seen any production yet.
  • Mima Mound- Pioneer is still making real good progress. They should be done with their half of Mima Mound in about 2 to 3 weeks.
  • Swiger crew was having break down issues, but are back up and running. They are making good progress.
  • We are still down a scaler, so Ray and Benny have had to do a little scaling. Kainan doing good job keeping up with mills up north. Ray and Benny doing a good job of keeping up with slash.

FOREST DEVELOPMENT

  • 25 Active Forestry Work Contracts. Inspections carried out Monday and Wednesday of every week. Progress reports being mailed out.
  • Precommercial Thinning layout ongoing in Aspen Grove and FireBreak project areas.
  • Site Preparation layout ongoing in Test Fire project area. Bid Package Released 6/23, Closes July 3rd.
  • GIS Mapwork ongoing.
  • Submitted information for potential project funding opportunity.
  • Preparation of 2024 FD Budgets ongoing.
  • Other daily tasks as needed.

PRESALES

  • Work still continues for the presales crew marking the Crow Hop Project Area.
  • Processing initial LIDAR data received with orthoimagery, Digital Elevation Model, point cloud and canopy height.
  • Continued Training new Forester.
  • Conducted various ID Team reviews for various project areas.
  • Recon for Wellpinit Lagoon completed.
  • Updated Allotment Tracking/Mass POA mailing to allottees.
  • Guard Cabin plot cruising continues.

FIRE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

  • Working on budgets
  • Working with HR to get the fuels Manager position posted.
  • Working with fuels one getting units out
  • Started our 7-day coverage.
  • Trying to get severity for the 4th of July.
  • Meeting with regional FMOs

FUELS

  • Ongoing forest work contract administration
  • Conducted bid opening for masticating units
  • Rx Burning completed
  • Continuing process for new mulching/masticating attachment for skid steer
  • Work on staff/crew BIA budget request for FY2024
  • 2 staff attended WA DNR Fire Academy
  • 2 staff attended Fire/Fuels Monitoring Workshop

GIS

  • Completing several parcel edits
  • Continuing conversion to AGOL for forestry
  • Researching and performing QC on forestry GIS layers
  • Continuing work on field application deliverables from Esri course
  • Daily tasks