Natural resources, including flora and fauna have shaped the culture of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho (Tribe or KTOI) for thousands of years. The aboriginal territories of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho people were far reaching with traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering activities extending into British Columbia, Western Montana, and all of Northern Idaho; many of the areas and resources traditionally used by the Tribe have been lost, anadromous salmonids no longer journey up the Upper Columbia River and its tributaries, and wapato no longer blooms on the drained wet meadows. Even today, the Kootenai white sturgeon and burbot struggle to maintain historic spawning grounds. It is the goal of the Tribe to promote full mitigation of the impacts suffered by the people of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and the fish, water, wildlife, and plant resources upon which they depended, as a direct and indirect result of the development and operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS).

With coordination and cooperation between all agencies and Upper Columbia United Tribes (UCUT), the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho will ensure Albeni Falls wildlife mitigation activities are consistent with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's (NWPCC) Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Foundation (CBFWF). Historically, the purpose of this work statement is to provide funds to the Tribe to participate in the Albeni Falls Interagency Work Group (Work Group) and implementation of Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project - 9206100 (Project). In 2015, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho project work statement and process follows the newly adopted 2014 Fish and Wildlife program (NPCC 2014-3) by focusing its efforts on the mitigation of fish and wildlife losses attributable to the development, operation and management of the Columbia River Basin hydroelectric facilities. This project will also complement, support, and integrate ongoing and future fisheries, wildlife and ecological studies (199404900, 200200200, 200200800, 200201100) in the Kootenai River Basin.

Wildlife management plans are being developed for the Nimz Ranch (~655ac), Mirror Lake (150ac) and will be incorporated into the larger Tribal Conservation Mgmt. Plan along with the Trout Creek Peninsula (112ac) in the Kootenai River valley, and Upper Twin Rivers (87ac) and Perkins Lake (98ac) in the Moyie River basin. The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho has met with community groups, agencies, governments and local individuals, including but not limited to local farmers, sportsman groups and county officials, in order to address public concerns regarding wetland/riparian mitigation and conservation activities. This community-oriented approach (membership in Kootenai Valley Resource initiative [KVRI], and development of the “Kootenai River Valley Wetland and Riparian Conservation Strategy”) has protracted the short-term mitigation activities of the Tribal mitigation program, but at this measured pace the Tribal mitigation program hopes to accomplish a more stable, long-lived wildlife mitigation strategy and ensure the success of local wildlife management activities in the future. The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho is reviewing mitigation opportunities to combine local values, Tribal resource needs, and address land purchases in the Kootenai aboriginal territories.

The Tribe is implementing preliminary floral and fauna surveys, mapping and tracking weeds and cultural plants, and monitoring water elevations related to areas of potential cottonwood/willow/aspen recruitment. The Tribe has developed a Conservation Mgmt. plan, where individual project management plans will be attached and incorporated following mitigation acquisitions.

Natural tree regeneration (cottonwood/willow) on depositional areas along the Kootenai River (Trout Creek Peninsula) showed promise during early surveys, but high winter flows by Libby Dam flooded, scoured and drown a large percentage of all surveyed natural regeneration. Surveys of water timing/duration/depth, and other factors influencing natural recruitment have been documented. The Tribe will utilize river data (#20020800) to show the related impacts of winter high flows due to power peaking operation from Libby Dam (associated work in #200201100) and develop management options to increase river bank pioneering species.

Long term funding of mitigation project operations and maintenance actions are based on ecological principles and activities that protect and/or maintain functional target habitats and associated habitat units (HU's) while ensuring project viability and integrity. O&M also includes administrative functions and practices that support protection and operations and maintenance measures on project lands.

In association with the Albeni Fall Wildlife Mitigation Project (199206105), the Reconnect project (200200800) plays a critical role in the assessment and restoration of floodplain ecosystem services and ecological functions within the Kootenai Subbasin. The Reconnect project acts as the feasibility and restoration arm of the Kootenai Tribal Wildlife Mitigation Projects (due to administrative and budgetary constraints), and compliments the restoration of wildlife mitigation areas by enhancing and reconstructing floodplain habitats, wetlands, and riparian habitat communities.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is an integral component of long-term O&M. Monitoring target habitats (via HEP/vegetation surveys) and associated fish and wildlife species (via surveys on loss assessment species or surrogates) is necessary to ensure that post enhancement habitat activities fulfill the long-term maintenance of habitats and species being mitigated. The Kootenai River Operations, Mitigation and Evaluation Project (#200201100) is currently developing a mitigation strategy and Plan that will initiate future “ecological” monitoring and evaluation efforts and the Tribe anticipates that this methodology with supercede the antiquated HEP methodologies (i.e., Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project monitoring and evaluation).

The goal of this Project is to continue ongoing mitigation of construction & inundation credits, implementation restoration and enhancement of associated wildlife habitats for KTOI - Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project. The Tribe was directed by BPA representative(s) to restrict efforts along pre-acquisition activities (due to several factors), but the Tribe’s Fish and Wildlife Program stays optimistic that BPA will mitigate the actual remaining losses of wildlife habitat impacted by the construction and inundation of Albeni Falls Dam. This contract has been developed to cover personnel, equipment, administration, operations and maintenance, enhancement, restoration (now mostly funded under #200200800), and monitoring and evaluation costs for a 12-month contract period with the following objectives:

• Identify potential mitigation actions by identifying willing landowner participants and cost-sharing partnerships, building relationships with entities interested in wildlife mitigation, and meeting with City, County, and local stakeholders.
• Secure conservation easements, fee-title, and lease agreements by pursuing site information and title research, writing easement terms and conditions with landowners, verifying maps, fence boundaries, and legal descriptions, coordinating completion of property appraisal and review, and developing option/purchase agreements (w/the understanding of frozen Capital dollars).
• Fulfill NEPA and BPA funding requirements by coordinating completion of cultural resource surveys, hazardous waste surveys and providing information for NEPA assessment.
• Provide cost-share funding to other Tribal and related projects by determining cost-share entity’s role in the proposed project.
• Coordinate ongoing efforts with inter-tribal departments (primarily #200200800 and #200201100) and outside entities where coordination will likely include the identification of habitat sites suitable for partnership funding and providing technical assistance.
• Coordinate completion of biological baseline surveys of specific habitat areas to determine starting point for monitoring and evaluation of biological objectives.
• Incorporate management plans into wider conservation mgmt plan: incorporate Conservation Action Plan (CAP under 200200800), fish and wildlife habitat, recreation and access, fire protection, noxious weeds, information and education, operation and maintenance, enhancement, restoration, and monitoring and evaluation. The wider conservation management plans will define the wildlife     management program.
• Coordinate enhancement activities defined in the individual site plans and restoration designs. Activities that can create and enhance wildlife populations and habitats may include, but are not limited to, fencing, controlled burns, planting native vegetation, plant community manipulation, property clean up, and métayage exchange.
• Coordinate operations and maintenance activities on mitigation project lands. Activities may include maintenance of fences, property and habitat, access, water structures, information and education, infrastructure and facilities, enforcement of easement terms, and noxious weed control.
• Provide monitoring and evaluation activities on mitigation lands which includes UWMEP assistance and coordination. Activities may include training, continuing HEP assessment and analysis to determine changes in habitat quality, site-specific monitoring and/or sampling of terrestrial vegetation, public use, and wildlife habitat use.
• Coordinate mitigation implementation activities associated with the Albeni Falls Interagency Work Group (AFIWG) members, such as coordinating open houses and public outreach efforts, assisting project proponents with the development of project proposals and coordinating annual funding proposals and budget projections.
• Local watershed coordination (separate from regional coordination) and develop Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project presentations to the KVRI, local State, county and city agencies, NGO’s, and community members. Materials and associated services may include slides, overheads, budgets, spreadsheets, site-specific information, etc.
• Develop administrative work statement and budget and maintain site-specific operating budgets for individual mitigation parcels. Oversee and develop budget revisions as necessary.
• Coordinate with local natural resource managers and Work Group members in the development of technical and annual reports for Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project activities.