Since 1910, water from Salmon Creek has been stored in Conconully Reservoir, which is delivered to orchards and fields within the Okanogan Irrigation District, via ~ 12 miles of Salmon Creek.  In addition, a dam was constructed on Salmon Lake, which augments storage of Conconully Reservoir.   Water from the North Fork of Salmon Creek is diverted into Salmon Lake via a feeder canal.  Both reservoirs are near the town of Conconully, about 17 miles northwest of Okanogan. Two pumping plants supplement the  water supply during water-short years.  Shell Rock Pump Station lifts water from the Okanogan River, and Duck Lake Pumping Plant withdraws water from Duck Lake.

Salmon Creek, a tributary to the Okanogan River, is considered to be one of the most significant opportunities to restore summer steelhead in the Okanogan Basin.  This project reconnects the Okanogan River with approximately 11 miles of habitat conducive for spawning and rearing of summer steelhead.  During controlled water releases in 2003, approximately 25 cfs was required for fish migration downstream of the diversion dam.  During 2008 a "low-flow" channel was constructed downstream of the diversion dam which provided suitable fish passage conditions at approximately 10 cfs.  The low flow channel extended the duration of water available through a 12-year water lease program.  

Evaluation of the migration conditions and the stability of the low-flow channel will be conducted over the next several years.  Minor modifications of the low-flow channel will be implemented concurrent with identification/evaluation.  Large-scale modifications will involve evaluation, design, permitting and heavy-machinery.  The large scale modifications will likely be implemented after the water release for that year.  Coordination and exchange of information with the irrigation district, landowners along Salmon Creek, local government, state fish and wildlife and other natural resource management entities will continue.