The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in eastern Washington consist of twelve distinct bands—United under one tribal government, they steward over 1.4 million acres of reservation land. These bands include the Colville, Nespelem, Sanpoil, Lakes (Sinixt), Palus, Wenatchi, Chelan, Entiat, Methow, Okanogan, Moses‑Columbia, and the Chief Joseph Band of Nez Perce.
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The Colville Indian Reservation was created in 1872 by executive order, originally covering approximately 1.4 million acres across Okanogan and Ferry Counties. The land was selected to consolidate multiple plateau bands into one reservation, altering traditional territories and subsistence patterns.
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Historically, Colville people fished and gathered along the Columbia, Kettle, San Poil, and Okanogan rivers—with Kettle Falls serving as a major salmon fishing site for millennia. The Confederation was forced westward by settler pressures and U.S. military actions, culminating in the establishment of the reservation and the relocation of bands including Nez Perce survivors after 1877.
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Today the Tribe is governed by an eleven-member Business Council elected from four legislative districts—Omak, Nespelem, Keller, and Inchelium. The Tribal Court oversees judicial matters, and departments manage education, health, and cultural programming across the reservation.
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The Tribe’s History & Archaeology Program preserves oral traditions and Salish place names through initiatives such as the “Book of Legends” and archaeologically informed cultural projects. Tribal elder Adeline Fredin was instrumental in founding one of the earliest tribal historic preservation programs in the U.S., advancing NAGPRA practices and Kennewick Man repatriation.
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The Tribal Natural Resources Division manages fisheries, forestry, climate adaptation, and public-land partnerships. Colville leads educational programs such as dual-credit natural resources training in partnership with local colleges and school districts, preparing youth for careers rooted in cultural and environmental knowledge.
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As a member of Upper Columbia United Tribes, Colville plays a central role in a multi-decade plan to reintroduce salmon above Grand Coulee and Chief Joseph dams. The Biden administration has pledged over $200 million to support tribal-led research, hatcheries, and salmon passage.
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Today the Sinixt, or Lake Indians, as they are also known, live primarily on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington State, where they form part of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, which is recognized by the United States…