Federal hydropower projects, as well as private power utility systems, have had a devastating impact upon anadromous fish resources that once flourished in the Columbia River and it's tributaries.  Several areas have been completely blocked to anadromous fish by dams, destroying the primary food resource (salmon) for many native people; forcing them to rely heavily upon resident fish to replace these lost resources.  The Colville Tribal Fish Hatchery is an artificial production program that addresses the loss of anadromous fish resources in the Upper Columbia Sub-Region within the "blocked area" created by the construction of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee Dams.  This project enhances resident fisheries located in the Intermountain and Columbia Cascade Provinces, specifically within the Colville Reservation portion of the Upper Columbia, San Poil and Okanogan Sub-Basins.  The project particularly mitigates for anadromous fish losses through protection/augmentation of resident fish populations to enhance fishery potential (i.e. in-place, out-of-kind mitigation).  The Colville Tribal Hatchery (CTH) is located on the northern bank of the Columbia River just down stream of the town of Bridgeport, Washington on land owned by the Colville Tribes.  The minimum production quota for this facility is 22,679 kg (50,000 lbs.) of trout annually.

All fish produced are released into reservation waters, including boundary waters, in an effort to provide a successful subsistence/recreational fishery for Colville Tribal members and provide for a successful non-member sport fishery.  

The goal of the project as stated in the 2007 Statement Of Work (SOW) was to provide artificial production of fish that will help support and enhance tribal subsistence fisheries and non-tribal recreational sport fisheries within the Colville Reservation, including it's boundary waters.  The majority of the hatchery production provide "carry-over" fisheries rather than "put-and-take" fisheries.

In addition to the work elements, there are four primary goals for 2007:

1.   Reduce brook tout mortality at the hatchery.  In recent years brook trout mortality has been much higher than it should be.  Procedural changes have been made in 2006 that should improve brook trout husbandry.

2. Improve biosecurity at the hatchery.  Hatchery biosecurity risks were assessed in 2006.  Based on this assessment we have made physical and procedural changes that should substantially reduce biosecurity risks in 2007.  The biosecurity assessment will continue and necessary changes will be made.

3. Improve creel census techniques.  Creel Census techniques have been changed and are continually evolving so that the results are statistically valid and meaningful in developing stocking strategies.

4. Change M & E work so that data gathered is goal directed in order to answer specific questions rather than to merely gather data.

Significant efforts have been taken to increase and maintain the subsistence fisheries on and along the boundary waters of the Colville Indian Reservation.