The Tribal Liaison is dedicated to the facilitation of two-way communication between the District and those Native American tribes with current or aboriginal land that falls within the geographic area assigned to the Walla Walla District by Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Tribal Liaison does not set policy, but functions as a conduit through which tribes can address questions if they need a referral to policy or functional area experts within the District. The Tribal Liaison also promotes early and frequent information-sharing with tribes about District programs and projects that may interest or impact tribes. Additionally, the Tribal Liaison develops and promotes District processes that enhance the working relationships between the District and tribes. The goal is to establish and maintain information flow, to support partnering, and to facilitate a positive path forward.
The Corps works with tribes in Regulatory matters (Department of the Army Clean Water Act permits) and also in the civil works arena, because either may interest or impact the cultural and/or natural resources of tribes. To manage the Corps’ workload, Headquarters divided the country’s geographic area into “regulatory” areas of responsibility and “civil works” areas of responsibility, and assigned the Walla Walla District a specific geographic area in which to manage any permit actions, and a geographic area in which to manage civil works projects. The boundary lines of one are not an exact overlay of the other. The following information explains the differences of the two Areas of Responsibility (AORs) and identifies the tribes with land in them:
Civil Works AOR: A defined boundary that includes portions of six states (Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Wyoming and the northernmost parts of Nevada and Utah). Because a “civil works” AOR is based on watershed boundaries, Walla Walla works with tribes with land that falls in the Snake River Basin and the McNary Lock and Dam area and the limits of its pool, extending to Richland Wash, along the Columbia River.
Regulatory AOR: The Regulatory AOR is the land inside the State of Idaho. The Regulatory AOR is different than the civil works AOR. The Walla Walla District’s Regulatory Division administers two laws: Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. Regulatory activities with tribes are generated when an application for a standard Department of the Army Permit is submitted to the applicable District. Before a district begins processing applications for a standard permit, it offers consultation to tribes within that district’s Regulatory AOR, because the action requiring a permit may impact a tribe’s natural or cultural resources.
• Tribes located within the Walla Walla District’s Civil Works and Regulatory AORs:
• Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CCT), Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), Nez Perce Tribe, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, Idaho; Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley and the Wanapum, which are a distinct group, but not federally recognized.
• Sometimes, 100 percent of a tribal government’s land exists within a single district’s civil works AOR. However, some tribes have land that overlaps the boundaries of two neighboring districts. In such instances, tribes may work with both districts.
• The following is a quick-reference chart that reflects which tribes within the Walla Walla District’s two AORs:
Alphabetical list of Tribes
with Land Located Inside the Walla Walla District’s
Civil Works and Regulatory AORs
In Walla Walla Civil Works AOR ?
In Walla Walla Regulatory AOR ?
Coeur d’Alene Tribe – headquarters in Plummer, Idaho. As a tribe within the State of Idaho, the tribe is within the Walla Walla District’s Regulatory AOR, and the Seattle District’s civil works AOR.
No
Yes
Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation (CCT) – headquarters in Nespelem, Washington. Tribes include the Colville, Nespelem, San Poil Lake, Palus, Wenatchi, Chelan, Entiat, Methow, Southern Okanogan, Moses Columbia and Nez Perce of Chief Joseph’s Band
(1) part of the CCT land is within the Walla Walla District’s civil works AOR
(2) CCT land that’s within the State of Washington, is within Seattle District’s Regulatory AOR.
Yes
No
Kootenai Tribe of Idaho – headquarters in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho.
Though Walla Walla is the only district responsible for Regulatory matters for tribes in ID, the Kootenai land is within the Seattle civil works AOR.
No
Yes
Nez Perce Tribe – headquarters in Lapwai, Idaho. Nez Perce land is within the Walla Walla’s civil works and Regulatory AORs.
Yes
Yes
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes – headquarters at the Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho. Tribes include the Shoshone Tribe and the Bannock Tribes. The Tribes’ headquarters and reservation lands are in Idaho.
Yes
Yes
Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley – headquarters geographic location is in Idaho, but its mailing address is in Owyhee, NV. Some of the reservation land is in Idaho, and half in Nevada. Tribes include the Shoshone Tribe and Paiute Tribe. The entire reservation is within the Walla Walla District’s civil works AOR. However, the southern half of the reservation falls within the Regulatory AOR of the Sacramento District.
Yes
Partially (See explanation to the left)
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) – headquarters in Pendleton, Oregon. Tribes include the Walla Walla, Cayuse, and Umatilla. Although CTUIR reservation land is within the Portland District’s Regulatory AOR, the CTUIR chooses to interface with Walla Walla District and the Portland District on watershed issues, because the Umatilla River runs through both Districts.
Yes
No
Wanapum – headquarters in Priest Rapids, Washington (non-federally-recognized). Although Wanapum land is within the Portland District’s Regulatory AOR, the Wanapum work with the Walla Walla District on civil works matters.
Yes
No
Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation – headquarters in Toppenish, WA. Member groups include the Kah-milt-pah, Klickitat, Klinquit, Kow-was-say-ee, Li-ay-was, Oche-chotes, Palouse, Pisquose, Se-ap-cat, Shyiks, Skinpay, Wenatshapam, Wishram, and Yakama.
Yes
No
Additionally, the Walla Walla District’s Regulatory Division works with three additional tribes when Regulatory matters impact specific counties within the District’s Regulatory AOR because of aboriginal land use by the tribes on land that is now in the counties listed below:
The Kalispel Tribe, headquartered in Usk, WA (Boundary and Bonner Counties, ID)
The Salish and Kootenai Tribes, headquartered in Pablo, MT (Boundary and Bonner Counties, ID)
The Spokane Tribe, headquartered in Wellpinit, WA (Benewah, and Bonner Counties, ID)