Lake Roosevelt Forum Bus Tour Highlights Progress, Challenges, and Collaboration

Community members, tribal leaders, scientists, state and federal agency representatives, environmental advocates, and others climbed aboard a bus at the Kettle Falls Visitor Center for the annual Lake Roosevelt Forum Bus Tour on June 10. Throughout the day, attendees traveled along the shoreline of Lake Roosevelt, stopping at key locations to learn about ongoing restoration efforts, fishery management, environmental cleanup projects, and the partnerships working to protect one of the region’s most important natural resources.

While each stop focused on a different topic, the speakers shared a common idea: protecting Lake Roosevelt requires long-term commitment, collaboration, and community involvement.

The tour’s first stop at the Sharpening Stone near St. Paul’s Mission in Kettle Falls offered a cultural experience that set the tone for the day. Before discussions began, attendees were welcomed by members of the Colville Confederated Tribes and given the opportunity to witness traditions that continue to play an important role in tribal life today.

Tribal youth performed a drum ceremony that served as both a welcome and a prayer for the safety of those preparing to participate in an upcoming canoe journey down the Columbia River. The ceremony, which is also typically performed as part of preparations for the annual Salmon Festival, sought to demonstrate the deep cultural connections tribal communities maintain with the river and its resources.

Participants were reminded that the day’s discussions on fish restoration, water quality, and environmental stewardship are about more than science and policy, they are also about preserving traditions, honoring ancestors, and protecting resources for future generations.

Following the ceremony, Colville Confederated Tribes Chairwoman Cindy Marchand welcomed attendees to a presentation on salmon reintroduction efforts. Representatives discussed the progress made to restore salmon to waters where they have been absent for generations, and the extensive coordination taking place between tribes, local and state agencies, and researchers.

Speakers emphasized that salmon restoration is not just about bringing back a fish species, but also restoring cultural traditions, ecological balance, and historical connections to the Columbia River system.

From there, the group traveled to Sherman Creek Fish Hatchery where participants toured the facility and learned about trout production programs that support recreational fishing opportunities throughout Lake Roosevelt. Fishery managers discussed how hatchery operations contribute to both recreation and conservation goals, while up- dates from the Spokane Tribe’s creel program provided insight into angler use of the reservoir and fish population trends. National Park Service representatives also discussed recreational opportunities around the lake and ongoing efforts to balance recreation with stewardship of the area’s natural resources.

The tour’s next stop at Marcus Island shifted the focus toward environmental contaminants and water quality. Presenters discussed the legacy of Midnite Mine and ongoing studies examining contaminants in the Columbia River system. Representatives from the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Lead Entity outlined efforts to identify and reduce sources of pollution entering local waterways. Their work includes coordinating projects aimed at reducing toxic contaminants before they reach the river system in an effort to improve long-term water quality and ecosystem health.

By late morning, the bus arrived at Northport City Park, where discussions centered on the Upper Columbia River cleanup. Washington Department of Ecology representatives Nick Acklam and Brendan Dowling provided updates on cleanup activities and broader environmental work occurring throughout the region. Following those presentations, Citizens for a Clean Columbia President Jay Berube discussed the organization’s role in helping residents stay informed and engaged throughout the decades-long clean- up process.

Berube explained that Citizens for a Clean Columbia was formed to keep local voices part of discussions surrounding contamination linked to Teck Resources operations in Trail, British Columbia. Through a technical assistance grant, he said the organization has been able to hire independent experts to review studies and provide feedback to agencies conducting investigations. The organization works closely with technical advisor Dr. Joe Wickman, a chemist, and physician-researcher Dr. Ruth Etzel to review reports involving ecological risks, human health assessments, sediment transport, contamination studies, and cleanup planning. Berube noted that community representatives have been able to review technical reports before they are released publicly and help ensure local concerns are addressed.

After lunch overlooking the Columbia River, attendees traveled to North Gorge for one of the most detailed presentations of the day. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Project Manager Bonnie Arthur provided a comprehensive overview of the Upper Columbia River cleanup process and the progress made since the EPA first became involved in the project in 1999 at the request of the Colville Confederated Tribes. Arthur emphasized that multiple agencies, tribes, scientists, and technical experts are reviewing reports produced through the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study process.

The remedial investigation phase identifies contamination and assesses risks, while the feasibility study evaluates potential cleanup options. Arthur explained that the upland portion of the project is ahead of the aquatic portion and has moved into the feasibility study phase, while river investigations remain focused on determining the extent and risks of contamination. “I’ve been working in this field for almost 40 years. I have never seen anything like it to have this many scientists contributing and this many community members involved,” Arthur said.

She noted that the project involves collaboration among EPA, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Colville Confederated Tribes, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, the Interior Department, and community organizations such as Citizens for a Clean Columbia. One of the most immediate actions underway is a voluntary residential yard cleanup program in Northport and surrounding communities. EPA representatives announced that contractors recently mobilized to begin work on approximately 50 residential properties identified through supplemental soil sampling. More than half of the sampled properties exceeded EPA screening levels for lead contamination.

Cass Galasso, who oversees the effort, said the cleanup prioritizes homes with children age 7 and younger and women of childbearing age because they are most vulnerable to lead exposure. Arthur said that, while the overall cleanup process is lengthy, agencies do not wait until every study is complete before taking action. Early cleanup efforts, such as residential yard cleanups and previous projects at locations like Black Sand Beach, allow agencies to reduce risks while gathering information that can help guide larger cleanup decisions in the future.

Department of Interior Project Manager Jeff Johnson followed with a discussion of long-term stewardship responsibilities. Representing six federal agencies, including the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Geological Survey, Johnson described the challenge of balancing environmental restoration with management of critical infrastructure such as Grand Coulee Dam.

Johnson explained that researchers continue studying the movement of slag and contaminated sediments throughout the river system. Understanding how those materials move, settle, or become buried over time will help guide future cleanup decisions and ensure protection of both natural resources and infrastructure.

The final educational stop brought attendees to China Bend, where discussions shifted from contaminants back to fisheries and aquatic ecosystems. Colville Confederated Tribes Biologist Jason McLellan provided an update on white sturgeon recovery efforts. McLellan explained that, while adult sturgeon continue to spawn naturally in the Upper Columbia system, very few young fish survive to adulthood. To address that challenge, tribal and state partners collect larvae, rear them in hatcheries, tag them, and release them back into the river, he said. The program has been successful enough to support both recreational and tribal fisheries while researchers continue investigating why naturally produced juvenile sturgeon struggle to survive, according to McLellan.

The conversation then turned to invasive species where Holly McLellan of the Colville Confederated Tribes described ongoing efforts to control northern pike, an “aggressive predator” capable of consuming fish nearly its own size. Participants were shown examples of zebra and quagga mussels and learned about monitoring programs designed to prevent the invasive species from becoming established in Lake Roosevelt. “It’s one big effort by all of us,” McLellan said, while describing the collaboration among tribes, state agencies, and federal partners.

Since monitoring began, agencies have dramatically reduced northern pike numbers through coordinated suppression efforts, including netting programs and angler reward incentives. According to McLellan, catch rates have declined from roughly three northern pike per net to fewer than one-quarter fish per net, reflecting years of coordinated management efforts.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Biologist Tyler Parsons concluded the fisheries presentations with an update on walleye populations. While walleye remain abundant and support a popular fishery, he said managers continue evaluating their impacts on native species and future salmon recovery efforts. Parsons explained that Lake Roosevelt’s walleye population has remained relatively stable for more than two decades, though larger fish have become less common.

Researchers continue studying the fishery while balancing recreational opportunities with broader ecosystem goals.