Minutes April Meeting

Chehalis Basin Partnership

Meeting Summary - April 23,1999

Introduction

Mayor Spahr welcomed everyone back to the Chehalis Tribal Center after the March meeting. Mayor Spahr introduced Mike Harris, Ecology Water Resources, to read a prepared statement by Brian Walsh, Ecology Chehalis River Basin Lead. Brian announced his resignation from Ecology to pursue a new position with the Northwest Power Planning Council, as a policy analyst. He enjoyed working with everyone on the Partnership and wishes us well in our watershed planning efforts.

I. RFP Level 1 Assessment

Marc Duboiski walked the Partnership through the whole DRAFT Scope of Work to the RFP for the Level 1 Assessment. There were minor comments and changes throughout the draft. Most of the comments or changes were details oriented that could be negotiated with the selected consultant prior to the signing of a contract. These comments have been retained for negotiating the consultant contract. Some of the details to be details to be negotiated are listed below:

Organizing water right information by priority date.

Gathering information on well logs & exempt wells throughout the basin.

Use a 20-year horizon for estimating future water use demand.

  • Coordinate the fish habitat assessment with the 2496 limiting factors analysis being conducted by Carol Smith, Washington Conservation Commission.
  • Schedule or timeline for completion of Level 1 Assessment Report.
  • Hard and/or electronic copies of all data and studies compiled within basin.

    The RFP, with the noted changes, was adopted by the Partnership. The next step is to put it out on the street and begin accepting proposals.

    II. RFP Timeline Discussion

    The Partnership then discussed two different options for advertising, compiling, reviewing, scoring and interviewing the consultant proposals that would be submitted for the Level 1 Assessment. The two options were referred to as Plan A and Plan B. The main difference between the two is that Plan A included a preproposal meeting with all consultants and Plan B did not.

    After considerable discussion and a review of our consensus decision-making process, outlined in our by-laws, the Partnership agreed to follow Plan B and not conduct a pre- proposal meeting with the consultants. The group was divided on both plans until Mike Daniels, Grays Harbor, offered a compromise to reach a consensus decision. The Partnership would go with Plan B, unless there were numerous questions regarding our scope of work. If there were numerous complex and/or confusing questions, then the Partnership would conduct a preproposal meeting with the consultants. Marc Duboiski was assigned to be the contact person for the RFP.

    The Partnership then decided to advertise in the Portland and Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce, the Olympian, the Aberdeen Daily World and the Lewis County Chronicle.

    The Partnership then asked for 'volunteers' to be on the RFP scoring and interview panel. The following seven people make up our panel:

    John Penberth, Town of Pe Ell

    Mike Daniels, Grays Harbor County

    Mike Harris, Department of Ecology

    John Hare, Chehalis Tribe

    Mark Swartout, Thurston County

    Marc Duboiski, Lewis County

    Ed Johnstone, Quinault Indian Nation

    Ill. Salmon Restoration - 2496

    Carol Smith, Washington Conservation Commission gave a presentation on what's involved in a limiting factors analysis (LFAs) for the 2496 salmon recovery planning process. She passed out sample LFAs for the Stillman Creek Basin and the Satsop River Basin.

    Carol described the 2496 salmon recovery process as a short-term funding tool to complete on-the-ground restoration projects, while the 2514 watershed planning process as a long-term tool for water conservation and fish habitat protection. She continued her presentation by explaining the role of the Governor's Salmon Office and the Interagency Review Team.

    The Partnership decided to coordinate with Carol to discuss options for completing the limiting factors analysis. This was to be done by Marc and Carol, and the 2496 Technical Advisory Group (TAG).

    IV. Update on Chehalis Flood Project

    Mike Daniels, Grays Harbor County, gave the Partnership an update on the Chehalis River Flood Management Project. The US Army Corp of Engineers (Corp) held their "summit" meeting on April 21, 1 999 to discuss ways to efficiently coordinate all efforts within the Chehalis River Basin. The key to a successful flood project will depend on how well we optimize our dollars by coordinating all the different projects within the basin. The three main projects to coordinate are the Lewis County Flood Management Project, the WSDOT Watershed Approach and the Chehalis Basin Partnership.

    The Corp will be taking the lead on the Lewis County Flood Management Project. Their involvement is good for not only providing federal coordination of a complex project, but for evaluating the Lower Chehalis River concurrently with the Upper Chehalis River flood project.

    V. Report from Citizens

    Margaret Rader reported on the last citizen advisory committee meeting. They had an informative GIS presentation for a project in Willapa Bay. The citizens group would like to see a database subcommittee formed to identify user needs, costs and funding sources for the Partnership. It was agreed to discuss at the next scoping committee meeting.

    Jay Roach reiterated that the citizen involvement is essential, and outlined in the legislation, for both the 2514 and 2496 processes to succeed.

    VI. Wrap-Up/Adjourn

    The next Chehalis Basin Partnership meeting is scheduled for May 28, 1999 at 9:00 am at the Chehalis Tribal Center.



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