The year to come for the river tribes
Photo by Matheny/courtesy CRITFC
A look
back
Chief Tommy Thompson, Henry Thompson, Flora Thompson,
Jimmy George, John Whiz, Tom Frank Yallup, 1952.
“ The Salmon fish
was not created by
Indians or by Whites
or any human race.
But it was created by
the Creator of this
world and it was
created as food for the
Indians... ”
- Chief Tommy Th-
ompson, addressing
members of Congress
Community
notes...
The Warm Springs Hous-
ing Authority reminds those
on the Housing waiting
list that updates have been
sent in the mail. The ‘State-
ment of continued interest’
must be filled out and re-
turned to Housing no later
than Friday, January 30.
This is important: If you do
not return that form, you
will be dropped from the
Housing list. If you do not
in 1938 as they were
considering the effects
of the Bonneville Dam
and other dams pro-
posed for the Columbia
River.
Chief Thompson was the
leader of the Wy-am Indi-
ans.
He was reminding them
of their commitment to
honor the fishing rights of
get the ‘Statement of con-
tinued interest’ letter by this
Friday, January 9, please con-
tact contact Housing, 541-
553-3250; or stop by the
Housing office.
The Warm Springs Or-
egon State University Ex-
tension Service is having a
‘Food Preservation’ class,
teaching how to make and
preserve homemade barbe-
cue and marinara sauces.
This will be at 10 a.m. on
Thursday, January 22 at the
Campus Cafeteria. Space is
the Columbia River’s Na-
tive people.
According to Sapsikaan,
Jerry Meninick (Yakama),
Chief Thompson was not
enrolled with any tribe.
He also never accepted
money from the dam
settlement. Sapsikaan
spoke of him as being a
great man who only wanted
to take care of his family
and protect what sustained
his people.
limited, and you need to re-
serve a spot by calling 541-
553-3238. Or send an email:
sara.olson@oregonstate.edu
The 21st Century After
School program at the
Warm Springs Academy is
looking for a SMART Read-
ing volunteer who will spend
one hour a week reading with
children in the community.
You will read with kinder and
first grade students. Training
and support provided. Apply
online at SMARTreading.org/
volunteer
As we begin 2026, the
Columbia River Inter-Tribal
Fish Commission celebrates
a new year of shared com-
mitment with the Confeder-
ated Tribes of the Warm
Springs Reservation, the
Confederated Tribes and
Bands of the Yakama Na-
tion, the Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation, and the Nez
Perce Tribe.
Since our founding in
1977, our four tribes have
united to protect the salmon
that sustain our people cul-
turally, spiritually, and eco-
nomically.
Operating on a consensus
model, where each tribe has
an equal voice, we continue
to speak with one unified
voice in the management of
Columbia River Basin fish-
ery resources.
This year, we renew our
mission to ensure that our
treaty rights are honored and
protected, our salmon runs
are restored, and our fishing
families can maintain the tra-
ditions and way of life
passed down through gen-
erations.
To our tribal fishers and
their families: Your dedica-
tion to preserving our sa-
cred First Foods and the
health of our rivers
strengthens us all.
Together, we move for-
ward in 2026, committed
to the restoration work that
honors both our treaties
and the salmon that have
always been central to who
we are as peoples of the
Columbia River Plateau.
CRITFC.
Pacific salmon returns projected as moderate
Juvenile salmon expe-
rienced a mix of favor-
able and challenging ocean
conditions off the West
Coast in 2025, according
to an annual analysis by
National Oceanic Atmo-
spheric Administration
Fisheries, and Oregon
State University research-
ers.
Warmer ocean condi-
tions leading into last win-
ter suggested that juvenile
salmon entering the ocean in
spring 2025 would encoun-
ter less abundant prey domi-
nated by species historically
associated with lower sur-
vival. Seasonal upwelling of
cold, nutrient-rich water be-
gan strongly in the spring,
typically a positive signal for
salmon, and sampling in June
showed the highest abun-
dance of juvenile coho
salmon observed across
all survey years.
The upwelling weak-
ened in July, however, re-
sulting in overall ocean
conditions that ranged
from good to moderate
for physical and biologi-
cal indicators.
These factors and oth-
ers, taken together, point
to a moderate outlook for
salmon survival.
Around Indian Country
Indigenous Land Trust buys 10,000 acres, as salmon return
The Klamath Land
Trust purchase is one
of the largest private
land purchases by an
Indigenous-led land
trust in U.S. history
As salmon return to the
headwaters of the Klamath
River for the first time in
more than a century, the
newly formed Klamath In-
digenous Land Trust and
PacifiCorp announced the
purchase of 10,000 acres
in and around the river’s
former reservoir reach.
“Dam removal allowed
the salmon to return home.
Returning these lands to In-
digenous care ensures that
home will be a place where
they can flourish and re-
cover,” said Molli Myers
(Karuk), president of the
Klamath Indigenous Land
Trust board of directors.
“Our communities
spent generations fighting
for this moment and we
honor our ancestors who
carried this vision forward.
The healing that’s underway
is real, and this acquisition
reflects the future we’re
building together as People
of the Klamath Basin.”
PacifiCorp, the former
landowner, partnered with
the land trust to complete
the sale following a
decadeslong, Indigenous-
led effort to remove four
dams on the Klamath
River, a project completed
last year.
The purchase includes
lands upstream of and
adjacent to the former hy-
dropower project that are
considered critical to the
river’s long-term health
and its f isheries. T he
transfer places steward-
Summaries of Tribal Council
(from page 2)
Motion by Alvis approv-
ing the Chairman to sign the
letter. Second by Jonathan.
Question: Rosie/yes, Cap-
tain/yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes,
Jefferson/yes, Jonathan/
yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not
voting. Motion carried.
· Special Per Capita pay-
ment to tribal members:
Motion by Alvis adopt-
ing Resolution No. 13,280,
that a special per capita dis-
tribution is hereby autho-
rized for each eligible mem-
ber who appears on the roll
as of December 5, 2025,
and that such special per
capita be made from avail-
able funds in Revenue Re-
serve, and that the current
budget is hereby amended in
the
amount
of
$33,224,400.00; That this
special per capita be distrib-
uted on December 12, 2025
and be paid directly to all
members, with the following
conditions: As listed on A
and B; That any future spe-
cial dividend payments are
expected to be reduced in or-
der to protect financial sta-
tus of the Tribe and relieve
unreasonable expectations
and dependencies created by
special dividend payments.
Second by Jonathan; Ques-
tion: Rosie/yes, Captain/yes,
Jay/yes,
Alvis/yes,
Jefferson/no, Jonathan/yes,
5/0/1, Chairman not voting;
Motion carried. (Dennis
Klamath Indigenous Land Trust
Jenny Creek of the Klamath basin.
ship of the land under In-
digenous values and eco-
logical restoration goals
for the first time in more
than a century.
“PacifiCorp is gratified
to see these lands transition
to a stewardship model that
honors their cultural and
ecological significance,” said
Ryan Flynn, president of Pa-
cific Power, the PacifiCorp
division serving customers in
California, Oregon and Wash-
ington. “We recognize the
leadership of the Klamath
Basin Tribes and the Klamath
Indigenous Land Trust in
shaping a restoration vision
that will benefit the entire re-
supports the approval of
this resolution).
· Early Childhood Edu-
cation compliance update
with Reona Trimble and
Cheryl Tom.
Motion by Jay to adjourn
at 2:05 p.m., Second by
Rosie.
· December agenda and
travel delegations:
Motion by Jonathan ap-
proving the December
agenda and travel delega-
tions. Second by Alvis. Ques-
tion: Rosie/yes, Captain/
yes, Jay/yes, Alvis/yes,
Jefferson/yes, Jonathan/
yes, 6/0/0, Chairman not
voting. Motion carried.
November 18
The meeting was called to
order by Vice Chairman
Carlos Calica. Roll call: Lin-
coln Jay Suppah, Chief
Jefferson Greene, Raymond
Captain Moody, Vice Chair-
man Carlos Calica, Lonnie
Rosie Tom, Alvis Smith III.
Minnie Yahtin, Recorder.
Invocation given by
Chief Greene.
· Secretary-Treasurer up-
date with Pamela Douglas,
acting.
· Draft resolutions:
Forest Management de-
duction discussion with Aus-
tin Smith Jr.:
Motion by Captain
adopting Resolution No.
13,281, that 2026 FMD
Budget is approved, includ-
ing, without limitation, the
imposition of a seven per-
cent FMD for the 2026 cal-
endar year; That such funds
shall be reimbursed from
gion.”
The land trust was formed
by leaders from four Kla-
math Basin Tribes who began
working together after the
2002 fish kill. They spent the
next two decades advancing
a grassroots movement to re-
move the dams and restore
salmon runs.
“We are from different
tribes and we each have
our own cultural tradi-
tions, but it was through
working together and by
bringing tribal People
from all over the Basin to-
gether that created this
m o m e n t ,” s a i d We n d y
Fe r r i s - G e o r g e ( H u p a /
Karuk), vice president of
the trust board.
With the acquisition com-
plete, the land trust plans to
develop comprehensive land
management plans with input
from area tribes. The plans
will focus on habitat recov-
ery, protection of cultural
resources, fire management
and public access.
“This is the next chapter
in the Klamath River’s re-
newal,” said board member
Jeff Mitchell (Klamath/
Modoc).
“It’s proof that Indig-
enous leadership and com-
munity partnerships can
achieve transformational
change at a landscape
scale.”
Funding for the pur-
chase was provided by the
Catena Foundation, the
Community Foundation of
New Jersey and an anony-
mous donor.
Editor’s note: These
lands are distinct from the
ones held by the Klamath
River Renewal Corporation
for the purpose of dam re-
moval and restoration, of-
ten referred to as the ‘Par-
cel B’ lands.
timber sales no later than
quarterly to the Confeder-
ated Tribes from Forest Man-
agement Deduction account;
That 2026 FMD Budget
shall: 1.) Be consistent with
the Tribes Intensive Forest
Management Fund Policy; 2.)
Be in compliance with the
National Indian Forest Re-
sources Management Act, 25
U.S.C. § 3101 et seq.. Second
by Alviss Question: Rosie/
yes, Captain/yes, Jay/yes,
Alvis/yes, Jefferson/yes, 5/
0/0, Chairman not voting.
Motion carried.
· Prepaid Technologies
Company, Inc. dba Dash So-
lutions discussion with Sarah
Monkton:
Motion by Alvis adopting
Resolution No. 13,282, that
it hereby: 1.) Confirms that
each statement above is true
in all material respects; 2.)
Authorizes the Chair, Vice
Chair, and Secretary-Trea-
surer/CEO to work with le-
gal counsel to finalize and ex-
ecute an agreement with
Dash for Dash Services; 3.)
Authorizes the Authorized
Representatives to take such
further and additional action
as they reasonably deter-
mine to be necessary or ap-
propriate to carry out the
foregoing resolution in a
manner that is consistent
with WSTC Chapter 3. Sec-
ond by Rosie. Question:
Rosie/yes, Captain/yes, Jay/
yes, Alvis/yes, Jefferson/
yes, 5/0/0, Chairman not
voting. Motion carried.
· 2026 Juror list with Chief
Judge Gayleen Adams:
Summaries continue in
the next Spilyay