Spokane Salmon Restoration Collaborative Update

April 17, 2024

Recognition

The Spokane Salmon Restoration Collaborative (SSRC) received Washington State Recreation and
Conservation Office recognition as the Spokane River watershed lead entity. Partners were notified and
work has begun to convene the initiating governments and citizens committee.

Technical Team

Technical Team meetings were held on February 21st and March 20th, 2024. Meeting and follow-up
activities focused on:

  • EDT sample design for habitat surveys, eDNA, and temperature.
  • EDT data collection, including:
    • protocols
    • input forms
    • supplies and equipment list
    • quality assurance and control
    • data storage
  • Vendor options for sampling analysis
  • Development of data collection teams, including intern job description and posting
  • Collaboration with entities within Technical Team to meet data collection needs
  • Landowner outreach
  • Training
  • Field testing
  • Future possibility of benthic sampling
  • Updates on habitat projects and grant submissions

Outreach

Regular verbal and email communication has occurred with stakeholders, the technical team and
interested entities. A presentation at the Spokane River Forum Expo 50 H20 Symposium with regional
opinion leaders, agencies, tribes, stakeholders, and others is scheduled for May 30.

A full draft of the video Salmon and People on the Spokane River is complete. A second video (Nmúslstn,
That Which is Hoped For) was completed and provided to SSRC by the Spokane Tribe. Together, these
two videos will anchor web page outreach with past, current, and future understandings of salmon in
our watershed. Both videos provide foundational environmental, societal, economic, and cultural
perspectives.

The web site is projected to be launched by June 30, 2024.