After years of dedicated effort, advocacy, meticulous planning, and successful implementation, the new Okanagan Dam Fish Passage is now operational. This development allows for a continuous flow of water, granting salmon uninterrupted access from the Okanagan River to their historical spawning habitat in Okanagan Lake for the first time in nearly 100 years.
PROJECT BACKGROUND – HISTORY
In the late 1990s, the future of Okanagan salmon appeared bleak. Indigenous salmon populations had either been completely wiped out or were at alarmingly low levels. The loss of these salmon would have significant repercussions.
What led to this decline?
In the early 1900s, extensive flooding disrupted colonization efforts. To address this, the river was straightened, narrowed, and diked. A dam was constructed to regulate the flow from Okanagan Lake into the Okanagan River, altering the riverbed from gravel—ideal for salmon nests (redds)—to larger cobbles and sand. Essential habitats such as pools, riffles, eddies, and riparian zones were destroyed, resulting in a 50% reduction in the river’s length and the loss of 90% of riparian habitat.
With the river disconnected from its floodplain, it could no longer perform its ecological functions. The construction of McIntyre and Skaha Dams in the southern Okanagan further impeded salmon migration upstream. This transformed ecosystem could no longer sustain a large salmon population.
PROJECT GOALS – RESTORING SALMOID PASSAGE INTO kłusxnitkʷ OKANAGAN LAKE
The main goal was to create a nature-like fishway channel from the Okanagan River into Okanagan Lake, bypassing the Okanagan Lake Outlet Dam.
The Project:
- Provides consistent velocities and depths through the fishway for all indigenous salmonids.
- Provides an adjustable invasive species migration barrier to deter invasive passage into Okanagan Lake.
- Accommodates the current operational needs of the dam by the Province, remaining operable during extreme drought and lake level fluctuations.
- Minimizes maintenance and operational requirements.
- Provides a monitoring station for research purposes.
- Enhances riparian and dry land habitat for native wildlife species, including species-at-risk.
- Achieves all objectives without increasing flood risk to infrastructure or public safety.
kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓, cause to come back is an initiative to return salmon back to their waters, that were near the brink of extirpation. This has required tremendous effort. During 1996 ONA, with foresight, determination and resiliency, began years of advocacy, gathering partners and finding support, the end goal being to return the salmon to their historical territory. Over the last 20 + years, ONA has completed a 12-year Sockeye reintroduction program into Skaha Lake, which saw little impact on other species and completed about 50 habitat restoration and fish passage projects including building spawning beds, reconnecting the river with oxbows and side channels, modifications to McIntyre Dam (Oliver) and Skaha Dam (Okanagan Falls), increasing river bed diversity, and reconnecting former floodplains, all mitigating habitat lost during river channelization. To further assist rebuilding Okanagan salmonid populations, the ONA built a sockeye salmon conservation hatchery, kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓, for release of fry into historical spawning areas.
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE
For the Syilx Okanagan people, this project is much more than infrastructure; it is a cultural reconnection of siwɬkʷ, water and the tmixʷ all living things. To have salmon be able to freely make their way into kłusxnitkʷ a reflection of deep responsibilities and relationships. Salmon, or ntytyix, are sacred to the Syilx people. They are considered relatives, not resources, and their return marks a powerful act of environmental and cultural healing.
The RiverWatcher
The Riverwatcher is used to monitor fish migration. Using infra red scanning technology and high resolution cameras it is possible to recognize different species and validate the counts with silhouette images and photos. One is located in the sq̓awsitkʷ, Okanagan River Passage.
* If you are not directly guided, click “Rivers” at the top right of the page and scroll down and select sq̓awsitkʷ, Okanagan River.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW DO THE SALMON KNOW TO USE THE PASSAGE?
Salmon instinctively return to their historical waters to spawn, with 85-93% of 5,000 tagged sockeye in 2022 homing to their release creeks. At Okanagan Lake Dam, water still seeps through the east side, where most salmon have been observed holding for years, influencing the location of the new fishway.
WHEN ARE THE SALMON COMING THROUGH THE FISHWAY?
The Riverwatcher identified its first salmon on September 15. A thermal barrier delayed migration, but Kokanee and Sockeye, along with other indigenous fish, are now using the fishway. This fishway ensures unhindered passage for all salmon species, including Steelhead, Rainbow Trout, Chinook, Kokanee, and Sockeye, from February to November.
WHY ARE THERE DEAD TREES ALONG THE SHORELINE?
Indigenous trees removed for fishway construction were repurposed on-site to support wildlife by providing habitat and food sources. Willow, alder, and dogwood stakes have been planted along the shoreline and are thriving. This, along with natural revegetation of cottonwoods and additional plantings in the fall of 2025, will enhance riparian diversity.
ARE INVASIVE SPECIES GETTING THROUGH THE FISHWAY?
Invasive species such as carp, bass, and perch are already present both upstream and downstream of the Okanagan Dam. A deterrent jump installed in the fishway is designed to hinder their movement; however, carp and bass can still navigate through it.
MEDIA
IndigiNews:
Okanagan fish passage, blocked for decades, set to be re-opened
CBC Lite:
For the first time in over a century, sockeye salmon are able to return to Okanagan Lake
Times Chronicle:
After 100 years salmon can finally return to Okanagan Lake – TimesChronicle.ca
iNFO news:
Watch as salmon, and otters, swim through a dam on the way to Okanagan Lake | iNFOnews.ca
Today in BC:
Newly opened salmon passage ends 100-year barrier to Okanagan Lake – Today in BC
Global News:
Fish passage opens at Okanagan Lake Dam | Watch News Videos Online
Castanet:
Salmon reaching Okanagan Lake unfettered for first time in a century – Castanet.net
NowMedia Kelowna Now:
PHOTOS: All systems go for crucial new salmon passage at Okanagan Lake Dam
Penticton Herald:
Okanagan dam passage completed | Life | pentictonherald.ca
PROJECT PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
The Okanagan Nation Alliance Okanagan Fish Passage Project, which is part of the kł cp̓əlk̓ stim̓ – cause to come back initiative was funded by Chelan PUD’s Habitat Conservation Plan Rock Island Tributary Committee, Douglas PUD’s Habitat Conservation Plan Wells Tributary Committee and Grant PUD’s Habitat Subcommittee of the Priest Rapids Coordinating Committee. Project partners included the Penticton Indian Band, City of Penticton, Ministry of Water, Lands and Resource Stewardship, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Thank you to our funders and partners for making this project possible.
Contact
Project Lead: Zoë Eyjolfson, Fluvial Geomorphologist
Phone: 250 707 0095 ext. 119
Email: zeyjolfson@syilx.org