On July 11, 2012, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians joined the growing ranks of Northwest states and tribes that are working in partnership with BPA, the Corps and Reclamation in an unprecedented set of agreements designed to improve habitat and strengthen fish stocks in the upper Columbia River Basin over the next 10 years.
The agreement makes available approximately $39.5 million over 10 years, including $2.5 million for land acquisitions for wildlife habitat. The Tribe has identified habitat projects to benefit Endangered Species Act listed bull trout as well as west slope cutthroat trout and mountain whitefish. In addition, the new agreement provides for the Tribe, Corps and BPA to work together on improving water management actions in late summer and early fall to improve downstream water temperature for bull trout and other aquatic species.
The Kalispel Indian Reservation is located approximately 55 miles north of Spokane in Pend Oreille County. Established by an executive order of President Woodrow Wilson in 1914, the main reservation consists of 4,654 acres along ten miles of the Pend Oreille River’s east bank near Usk, Washington. The Tribe’s Natural Resource Division manages nearly 5,300 acres of reservation lands and 2,450 acres of federal wildlife mitigation lands. The state of Washington recognizes the tribe as a co-manager for the Pend Oreille River watershed area.
