The Yakama Nation has developed many parternerships throughout the Columbia River basin, some examples include:
Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission
In 1977, The Yakama Nation joined with the Warm Springs, Umatilla, and Nez Perce Tribes to form the Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission. Learn more here: https://critfc.org/
National Indigenous Coalition on Hydropower
The National Indigenous Coalition on Hydropower (NICH) is a newly formed, Indigenous-led collaborative of Tribal representatives and hydro practitioners across the U.S. Pronounced “niche,” the coalition formed to advocate for Tribal sovereignty, uplift Indigenous-led solutions, and shape federal policies regarding hydropower licensing and relicensing.
NICH focuses on several key initiatives:
- Policy Reform: Transforming hydropower policies to better recognize Tribal sovereignty and meaningful engagement in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing process.
- Resource Protection: Raising national awareness about how hydropower projects can impact water security and threaten sacred sites.
- Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK): Integrating Indigenous science and practices directly into watershed management and collaborative decision-making.
Learn more here: https://www.indigenoushydropower.org/
Columbia Basin Collaborative
The Columbia Basin Collaborative is a collaboration of states, tribes, federal agencies, and stakeholders that are developing recommendations for achieving abundant and harvestable salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin. With leadership from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, the CBC was formed in 2020 to advance the quantitative and qualitative goals of the Columbia Basin Partnership Task Force. The CBC seeks consensus agreement on action-oriented proposals, and promotes them to the appropriate federal, state, tribal, and other decision-makers for authorization, funding and implementation.
The CBC is committed to a collaborative framework that recognizes tribal cultural values and treaty/non-treaty rights and addresses the cultural significance of fish, as well as the needs of the regional economies, including but not limited to agriculture, transportation, fishing, recreation, port operations, and state and tribal fisheries. Learn more here: https://columbiabasin.idaho.gov/
Six Sovereigns
For years, the Six Sovereigns (Yakama, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Nez Perce tribes and the states of Washington and Oregon) have each advocated for a comprehensive approach to addressing Columbia Basin salmon restoration and related energy, water, and development-related issues. Building on their shared perspectives, the Six Sovereigns developed and advanced recommendations to the US government on what a comprehensive strategy should include. The Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (“CBRI”) represents the collaborative effort of the Six Sovereigns to develop a comprehensive solution for shared and complex challenges.
Yakama Nation continues to work closely with our Sovereign partners to advance the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI) objectives and recommendations. We continue to work with federal partners, and with regional sovereigns and stakeholders to restore healthy and abundant fisheries; provide reliable, affordable, clean and socially just energy; and ensure that treaty and trust obligations to tribes are fulfilled. Learn more here: https://critfc.org/cbri/
Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board
In the mid-1990s, when several runs of Columbia River salmon were listed under the Endangered Species Act, pressures increased on local governments and landowners to adress activities that injured listed fish species. The Yakama Nation saw an opportunity to build relationships to work toward salmon recovery which resulted in the Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board. Today, the board consists of three counties, the Yakama Nation and the Colville Tribes to guide restoration and protection of salmon and steelhead while balancing the needs of the regional economy and private landowners. Learn more here: https://www.ucsrb.org
Yakima Basin Integrated Plan
In 2010 the Yakama Nation joined state, federal and local stakeholders in developing the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, a comprehensive effort to address fisheries issues and water supply concerns. Learn more here: https://yakimabasinintegratedplan.org/
"Collaboration is a valuable tool and our partnerships help us as we honor, protect and restore the Columbia River and its tributaries." Yakama Nation Tribal Council Chairman Harry Smiskin