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Proposal for Okanogan sockeye salmon enhancement discussed

Chelan County PUD
News Release
7/25/2005

Chelan County PUD fisheries managers Monday recommended the District assist in a program to rear sockeye salmon in Skaha Lake in British Columbia.

The program, launched by the Okanagan Nation Alliance, is aimed at returning sockeye after a 50-year absence to Skaha Lake, part of the Okanagan River system, increasing their current range. The juvenile fish then migrate into the U.S. Okanogan River and the Columbia past PUD dams on their way to the ocean. 

Chelan County PUD has agreed to enhance sockeye runs in the Okanogan Basin as part of Habitat Conservation Plans for Rock Island and Rocky Reach dams. The PUD already rears sockeye in Lake Wenatchee net pens to meet requirements for Wenatchee River Basin sockeye runs, but that program is not suitable for Okanogan sockeye. 

Shaun Seaman, PUD Fish and Wildlife director, said the Okanagan Nation Alliance program offers an opportunity for the PUD join a program that is well supported in Canada and shows great promise of success. Chelan County PUD would commit to the program for eight years, along with Grant County PUD, with a check-in at four years to make sure the program is on course. The two PUDs will split the cost for the next rearing cycle, putting Chelan County PUD’s share at about $145,000 for 2006.

Deana Machin and Howie Wright from the Okanagan Nation Alliance and Kim Hyatt of the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans also provided details about the program.

PUD commissioners will be asked to approve spending for the new program in August.

 In other business, commissioners:

• Canceled scheduled executive sessions for the evaluations of General Manager Charlie Hosken and General Counsel Carol Wardell. The PUD commission’s governance policy requires all five commissioners to take part in evaluations. PUD Commissioner Werner Janssen was not at Monday’s meeting.
• Announced they had developed a draft Balanced Scorecard strategy map to reflect the board’s long-term priorities and strategies at last Friday’s retreat in Chelan.  Initial discussion was held at the public, all-day session on July 22. Commissioners will continue developing their Balanced Scorecard at future meetings. 

***

PUD commissioners moved the start of the next meeting to 11 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 1, because of the number of items on the agenda.

Most PUD commission meetings are recorded, and a link to the audio is available on the PUD’s home page at www.chelanpud.org.

Kimberlee Craig
Public Information Officer
661-4320, direct line
679-6858, cell
kimc@chelanpud.org