Tuesday, July 21

Today, we went out to Tshimikain Creek with some fisheries biologists to do a survey of the species of fish in the creek. Ordinarily, they will do a full population count for each species in each section of the river, but today, we were just doing a general survey of what species there were. We used a fish shocker, which sends an electric current through the water and paralyzes the fish for a few seconds, then scooped them up with nets and transferred them to a bucket for the fish biologist to identify.

Then we returned to Wellpinit High School to speak with Twa-le Abrahamson-Swan, who is the Air Quality Program Manager. She explained a little bit about what her department does, from monitoring air quality and pollution and putting out smoke advisories, to doing assessments and mitigation in individual homes for radon gas, mold, and other pollutants.


Then, she took some time to explain an emerging air-quality concern in the Northwest; coal and tar sand oil shipments coming by rail through the Pacific Northwest. The coal and oil comes from Montana, North Dakota, and Alberta, and has to be shipped to terminals on the coast, where it can be loaded on to tankers for transport to China. As the trains travel, the coal cars throw off coal dust, which drifts into the air and river, and the oil cars sometimes leak crude oil, which then contaminates the air, soil, and water. There have also been a number of oil trains which have derailed or exploded, sometimes leveling towns and sending pollutants into the air, water, and soil. She urged the students to contact their local legislators to express their concern about the coal and oil shipments.


After lunch, we were taken to the West End Elk Check, a stretch of land purchased with BPA mitigation funds to provide habitat for large game. When the Grand Coulee Dam cut off access to spawning salmon, the Spokane Tribe turned from fishing to large game as their primary source of meat. They currently plant fields of oats, barley, corn, sugar beets, and native grasses to entice large game to the area and keep populations up during the winter. Wildlife biologist Savannah Walker and technician Dawa Numkena explained some of the research which is currently being done on the elk herds to put collars on them and track the herds as they move throughout the seasons. This will help them better understand which lands need to be protected from logging and other development, and where the DNR should make future mitigation land purchases.


After some swimming near the Two Rivers Casino, we returned to camp for a very special dinner. Warren brought us a whole salmon, and after Alyssa gutted and cleaned the fish, Shay prepared and cooked it. I don't normally like fish, but I will make an exception for Shay's lemon and pepper salmon! Then, Warren took us to the pit house constructed outside the high school, where we talked about all the things we were thankful for. It was a very emotional experience, and I think we all left a little bit more positive, and grateful for the things we have and the people in our lives.

Tomorrow, we leave the Spokane Reservation for the Couer d'Alene, but we will always remember our time here. Thank you so much to Warren Seyler, and all the members of the Department of Natural Resources who met with us and taught us about this land.