The quick brown fox jumps over the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam

When writing this I referred to the journal I kept throughout my time in YSEALI, and I’d written “Kerr Dam” in my notes because that was the name on the signposts at the viewing area. However, I found that this was its old name and it was renamed the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam since 2015 after the CSKT acquired it. Since this acquisition was a significant milestone for the CSKT symbolising their reacquisition, management, and protection of Flathead Reservation natural resources taken from them in the 19th century, I decided it was imperative that I referred to it by its correct name, hard-earned and hard-won by the CSKT. Its name bears testament to Native resilience and incredible ability to rally against historical and systemic grievances inflicted upon them. So that’s what I shall call it, and why I thought it was important to explain that here (because I didn’t really get it from the site visit).

We stopped over at the cerulean blue waters of the Dam on the Flathead Reservation, and it was gorgeous even before we knew its history. With its surface perfectly still, it reminded me of the luminous blue resin in topographic tables. Mr. Montoya explained that before the dam was here, this was sacred land for the CSKT where rituals were performed because it was thought that the spirits resided here. Its Kootenai name is thus Narrow Rocks that Water Goes Through.

As a result of its cultural significance, when Rocky Mountain Power came to the tribes and shared that they were interested in developing hydroelectric power here, of course none of the tribes were interested. Later on, however, the tribal council, wise as always, contended: it’s going to happen with or without our consent. If we fight this, we’re not going to get anything out of it. And there’s the consideration that we want our future generations to be okay. As a side note, Mr. Montoya shared that the chiefs in the tribal council were the individuals who were the poorest. They were always the ones who gave the most – he raised the example that if they had 10 blankets, they would give away 9 of them. And they were all elders: “it’s not like in other societies; we don’t throw away our elders”. You could tell he was very proud of this fact. There is a general fund, he explained, where the community contributed and it would go to the elders.

He continued about the dam: judging the situation to be so, the tribes decided to tell Rocky Mountain Power to go ahead, but that the tribes should retain the option to regain and buy back ownership of the dam should they wish to in future. In the meantime, companies would pay rent to the CSKT for using their land. These clauses set up right from the beginning protected the CSKT’s rights when they decided to reacquire the dam. First, in 1985, the clause stated that the tribe would be able to buy back the dam at cost value minus depreciation, which Mr. Montoya said protected the tribes when companies asked them for more money to cover the costs of maintenance since 1985. The companies were all agreeable to handing the dam back to the tribes, but asked for approximately $50 million dollars when the tribes proposed $15 million. Fortunately the arbitrators ruled in favour of the CSKT, and with the money accumulated from companies paying rent on the land, they managed to acquire the dam! Here is a link providing a brief history of the co-licencing and legal battle between the CSKT and companies if you’re interested, and Mr. Montoya also noted that this dam was in fact the 5th license of facilities in the entire USA. We were so fortunate to be standing at a site with so many historical milestones!

Further, I want to add that this story demonstrates how legislation and judicious policy-making can be useful tools in protecting otherwise disadvantaged communities. In this case it was the CSKT, but it could also be other indigenous peoples, other discriminated peoples (e.g. African-Americans are not indigenous to America but should be protected legally as well), and even the physical environment. No wonder Mr. Lozar from the People's Center emphasised modern ways of protecting his homeland: with papers and documents, through granting scholarships, and helping to bring Native youth through higher education.

Moving on to the dam today, since the CSKT acquired them, Mr. Montoya began by explaining the logo of the Energy Keepers Inc. (or KSUKⱠIⱠMUMAⱠ ʾA·KAⱠMUKWAʾITS in Kootenai and SXwNQEʔELS L SUWEČM in Salish, as you’ll see encircling their logo), a corporation of the CSKT who now manage the dam. I’ve attached this PDF with the logo in it. He says that in the tribes’ oral traditions, the coyote is often used in myths and allegories that teach a lesson. The coyote is often an adventurous character who gets into trouble and dies, and from there tribal members learn not to do what it does. But when it does, the fox often jumps over it to revive its life – and so, the fox represents restoration and life. And in the Energy Keepers Inc.’s logo, the fox is jumping over the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam : ) What poignant symbolism!

The Energy Keepers Inc. focuses on energy efficiency and not energy output, which Mr. Montoya says is limited by transmission capacities. There are usually high flows, but this year due to the dry winter water levels were below dam capacity. Regardless, he assures us that if water flows get too low, there is a 3-million-acres dam upstream (Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ is only 1.3 million acres) that will discharge water. Sedimentation is low and there are no algae blooms in the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’; someone asked how do you treat the water? and he promptly replied that there was no need to do so because the water is very clean. There are challenges vis-à-vis ecology, however. Despite the purity of the water that is an aspirational state for the Clark Fork, sturgeon and salmon populations are low and recovering; tribes are also attempting to reintroduce bull trout and white fish. Meanwhile, non-native lake trout populations are high which Mr. Montoya says is because some foolish individuals want to fish species familiar to them, so they bring over non-native species without considering their impact on local ecology. To this end, tribes hold a biannual competition to incentivise people to control lake trout populations.

Eventually, however, Mr. Montoya admits that climate change could alter the situation in unpredictable ways, including shifting water levels and even affecting water quality. This was something Caroline at the PEAS Farm ended her sharing with as well, which definitely reminds me of the all-encompassing impacts of climate change, and really smacks in my face how it's no abstract problem but one that really trickles down to individual farms, individual hydroelectric facilities, individuals. So, if you really need another reason to rally against climate change, the Seli’š Ksanka Qlispe’ Dam is a pretty good one and a dam(n) beautiful one at that.

(3 September 2019)