DATE: Friday July 26, 2002
TIME: 9:00 to 11:30 AM
Location: - Lucky Eagle Casino
| A. General Partnership Busines | -- | 9:00 a.m. |
| 1 . Welcome, introduce members and new visitors | (5) | Chair |
| 2. Identify special issues of concern and adjust agenda | (5) | Members/Chair |
| - | - | - |
| 3. Committee Reports | - | - |
| Citizens' Advisory Committee | (5) | Rob Schanz |
| Steering/Technical Committee | (10) | Mark Swartout |
| Water Quality Sub-Committee | (10) | Dave Rountry |
| 4. Other Business | - | - |
| Future Meeting Locations (10) Lee Napier- | -- | -- |
| B. Special Project Status Reports, Budget Updates and Committee Reports | - | 9:45 a.m. |
| 1 . Watershed Planning Project (RCW 90.82) | (60) | Lee Napier\ Triangle Associates |
| Contract Issues: | - | - |
| -Existing contract with Triangle (ends July 31, 2002) | - | - |
| -Phase 3 Contract | - | - |
| -Instream Flow Contract | - | - |
| -Water Quantity Evaluation Contract | - | - |
| -Water Quality Grant Application Water Storage Grant Application | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| Salmon Recovery Project (RCW 77.85) | (15) | Lee Napier |
| Salmon Recovery Update | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| Army Corps of Engineers Work in the Chehalis Basin | - | Corp of Engineers |
| Flood Damage Reduction Project sponsored by Lewis County | (10) | Beth Coffey |
| Ecosystem Restoration Study Sponsored by Grays Har bor County | (10) | Lori Morris |
| - | - | - |
| ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN AT THIS MEETING: | - | - |
| Act on STC recommendation to pursue water quality and storage grant opportunities. | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| C. Special Presentation None scheduled due to length of meeting | - | - |
| - | - | - |
| D. Open Comment | - | 11:20 a.m. |
| Any remaining issues identified in agenda item A2 | (10) | Audience |
| - | - | - |
| E. Chair Adjourns Meeting | - | 11:30 a.m. |
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A. GENERAL PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS
Introduction
Chairman Spahr welcomed everyone and opened the meeting.
Citizens' Advisory Committee
The Citizens' Advisory Committee did not meet in June.
Steering/Technical Advisory Committee
The Steering Technical Committee met June 12. The agenda for that-meeting focused on
watershed planning issues that will be discussed later during this meeting.
Other Business
Future Meeting Location - Renovation of the Lucky Eagle Casino has been completed so the question, "Does the Partnership wants to resume meeting at the Lucky Eagle Casino?" was raised. It is a central location and they will schedule regular meeting in advance - both of those are important. But acoustics in the bingo area have always been bad. It was agreed that the Lead Agency should check with the Chehalis Tribe and see if the renovation provided a suitable meeting room.
By-laws Update and Annual Plan of Work - The ad-hoc by-laws committee has not met to discuss the sole remaining section of the by-laws that needs work -- the one on membership. Anyone interested in serving on the committee was invited to contact Kahle Jennings (360) 407631 0 or Lee Napier (360) 249-4222. Except for revision of the by-laws the Annual Plan of Work is on Schedule.
B. SPECIAL PROJECTS
Watershed Planning under RCW 90.82
A summary of the current budget was distributed. On the back of the handout was a tentative
schedule for the 2002 Salmon Recovery Funding Board project solicitation schedule.
The Detailed Summary of the Level 1 Assessment is now available over the Internet courtesy of Grays Harbor County. The web address where the Detailed Summary can be found is: http://www.co.grays-harbor.wa.us/info/pub.svcs/ChehalisBasin/ChehalisBasin.html
The Steering/Technical Committee recommends that the Partnership begin negotiations through its lead agency to extend the contract with the Triangle Associates-TetraTech/KCM consulting team through the completion of the 90.82 Watershed Planning process. This is consistent with the original approach of phasing the contract with Triangle so that work could be evaluated at each step of the process. The Partnership has been through the consultant selection process three times and is satisfied with the work Triangle-TetraTech/KCM has done. They have the qualifications to assist the Partnership through completion of the plan. The Partnership has been awarded the grant funds to complete the watershed plan (phase 3 funding).
John Penberth asked whether or not it was legal to extend the contract with TriangleTetraTech/KCM without going through another formal solicitation process and requested that a written attorney's opinion on the issue be provided.
The Partnership agreed that with the assistance of the Steering/Technical Committee the Lead Agency should negotiate a scope of work for the remainder of the 90.82 planning process and present the scope to the Partnership at its next meeting in July.
The Steering/Technical Committee has scheduled three meetings in July to work on consolidating and prioritizing watershed plan issues so that they can be brought to the Partnership for discussion over the next several months. This work is being done using the mission, goals and plan outline already approved by the Partnership.
The process through which the resulting plan is approved was briefly discussed. The current understanding - and the one the Partnership has been working under for over two years now is that the Partnership must reach consensus on a plan by the end of October 2003. That plan is then forwarded to the counties for a public hearing and a joint meeting to adopt the complete plan. If the counties do not reach agreement on adopting the complete plan it is sent back to the Partnership with recommendations for revision. A revised plan approved by the Partnership is sent back to the counties for adoption by a majority of the county commissioners for each county. If the Partnership cannot come to agreement on a plan that will be acceptable to the counties then the process comes to an end. A recommendation was made to confirm that this is the plan approval process.
The hope of the Partnership members is that the Counties will be involved in the planning process through the Partnership so that when the time comes for approval there should not be any reason for not approving the plan.
This led to a discussion of the role in plan approval of counties that have decided not to participate in the Partnership. The current understanding of the law is that these counties are still required to participate in the plan adoption process. There is a concern among some that this could lead to a problem with plan approval in the end. A recommendation was made to seek clarification on the role in plan adoption by counties that have opted out of the planning process.
There was also a discussion of how other interest groups are represented. The Partnership's Intergovernmental Agreement says, "A minimum of four members representing various major interests in the Chehalis River Basin, appointed jointly by the counties and the tribes. Major interests include but are not limited to timber, agriculture, business, fisheries, recreational,
environmental, and industrial water users." This means that not every interest group has a
direct voice in consensus on the resulting plan but will have to work through various caucuses.
Federal and state agencies may be members of the Partnership, but attendance at Partnership meetings does not automatically result in formal "member' status with a voice in decision making. Member status depends on specific delegation by the respective agency.
At the conclusion of these discussions it was apparent that these types of questions about who has a voice in the decisions making process are exactly why it is important to complete work on revising the by-laws.
In-Stream Flow Study - A summary of the in-stream flow work that has been started recently was provided (see attachments The USGS is restarting a gage in the Chehalis River just below its confluence with the Satsop River, which means we can use that data. Gages at the remaining minimum flow control sites without gages will be installed where it is possible and where it is not possible a recommendation on how to deal with that site will be developed. A couple of discussion items related to the flow study:
.- The 16 locations identified for gauging were identified because they are minimum instream control points that do not have flow data. They are spread throughout the basin and are not all located in priority sub-basins.
- The flow in the Black River does not include flow from the lake that historically flowed in the Black River but not flows North to Puget Sound due to human diversions.
- The USFS is putting temperature data loggers in Scatter Creek
Salmon Recovery RCW 77.85
A tentative schedule for the 2002 grant cycle was handed out (its on the back of the budget summary). Meetings with project proponents have already started and the next meeting is scheduled for July 9 at the Black Lake Road offices of the USFS. Currently, it is anticipated that the 2002 SRFB applications will be released July 17, 2002. Letters of intent are due to the Lead Entity (Grays Harbor County) August 9, and actual applications are due September 30. The Partnership will be asked to approve the project list at its October meeting so that they can be delivered to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board by the November 30 deadline.
Brian Peck (USFWS) distributed two handouts. The first was a news release on the USFWS decision to NOT list the Coastal Cutthroat Trout under the Endangered Species Act. The second handout was a report on the results of water quality studies that looked at the beneficial effects of Best Management Practices to protect and restore riparian buffers.
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has a survey out to determine how the lead entity program is working to restore salmon habitat. Grays Harbor County is the Lead Entity for the Chehalis Basin and Lee Napier is the contact for the County at (360) 249-4222.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Work in the Chehalis Basin
Flood Damage Reduction Project sponsored by Lewis County
There will be a public meeting about this project at the Lewis County Courthouse on July 9 from 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting will include displays, a formal presentation on the project and time for questions and answers. The current schedule calls for the Environmental Impact Statement to be released for public review and comment in late July.
The preferred alternative calls for a series of setback levees and modification of the
Skookumchuck dam to provide additional storage.
Ecosystem Restoration Study sponsored by Grays Harbor County
A collective effort by the US Army Corps of Engineers, Grays Harbor County, Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Ecology and Batelle is beginning a basin characterization to delineate sub-basins so that restoration needs can be targeted. A meeting with Tribal, Federal and State agencies to describe the project was held on June 5. An additional meeting with local government representatives is being scheduled for late July or early August.
C. SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Lee Daneker made a presentation that summarized his work on water use in priority group one sub-basins during the Watershed Planning portion of the meeting. Two tables summarizing his results are attached.
D. OPEN COMMENT
The next meeting of the Chehalis Basin Partnership will be at 9:00 a.m. on July 26. The
location will be identified in the agenda that is sent out before the meeting.
Decisions
- The Lead Agency should check with the Chehalis Tribe regarding availability of the Lucky Eagle Casino for future meetings now that the renovation is complete.
- Working with the Steering Technical Committee, the Lead Agency should develop a draft scope of work with Triangle Associates-TetraTech/KCM for the remainder of the 90.82 watershed planning work.
Recommendations
- Confirm the Partnership and County roles in the 90.82 Watershed Plan approval process.
- Seek clarification on the role in plan adoption by counties that have opted out of the planning process.
- Work on revising the by-laws needs to be completed with special emphasis on the section on "membership."
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Meeting Minutes
Present: - Lonnie Crumley (LWC Consulting), Lee Daneker (US EPA), Earl Emerson (Citizens Advisory Committee), Jim Fleming (City of Centralia), Kitty Gillespie (WA Department of Ecology), Jon Hare (Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis), Terra Hegy (WA Department of Fish & Wildlife), Chanele Holbrook (Heernett Foundation), Lee Napier (Grays Harbor County), Chris Page (Triangle Associates), Chad Stussy (WA Department offish & Wildlife), Mark Swartout (Thurston County), Bob Wheeler (Triangle Associates), Terry Willis (Citizen-Grays Harbor County), Patrick Wiltzius (City of Chehalis) + Cynthia Carlstad (TetraTechlKCM by phone for a portion of the meeting
Mark Swartout, Task Force Chair, convened the meeting a few minutes after 10 a.m.
Technical Assistance from the WA Department of Ecology
The group began by discussing how the Chehalis Basin water resources planning effort might best use the time and skills of Kitty Gillespie (KG), recently assigned to this project by the Department of Ecology (DOE) to provide technical assistance through completion of the Plan. KG mentioned the Phase 4 Implementation Committee as one area she could provide assistance, by serving as a liaison for Chehalis Basin watershed planning. She also suggested working to bring the Water Resources Program up to speed on measurement/monitoring criteria; e.g., numeric and statistical records that are needed to inventory and monitor water resources.
Cynthia Carlstad (CC) suggested two basic categories she thought KG might help with: obtaining and analyzing data, or "big picture stuff' such as Phase 4, legal aspects, coordination with other projects. A group discussion yielded the following topics for KG to provide assistance to the Chehalis Basin Partnership's watershed planning effort:
I . - Assist Lee Napier and the consultant team by serving as a resource or "point person" within DOE - tasks include data collection and analysis, tracking of funding and relevant legislation - over both short and long term, ideally. One important component here would be research into the actual use of water in the Chehalis Basin as compared to the water rights, especially for the largest water rights holders including power companies (focused on their effects on instream flows). Kitty could also help by compiling estimates of consumptive use for the counties not covered by Lee Daneker's work to date.
2. - Research to compile a "Toolbox" to assist in providing solutions to water resource issues of concern (tools might include ordinances, implementation agreements or funding sources, water conservation measures or assistance)
3. - Keep the STC and Partnership informed, via monthly updates, of the progress of the Phase 4 Implementation Committee, the effort to streamline water rights adjudication, and any new legislation or other pertinent processes both inside and outside the Chehalis Basin
4. - Work with and educate attorneys from all Initiating Governments to raise awareness and understanding of 2514 planning. Direction is still necessary on this item as to who should do this.
The STC reached general agreement to have KG spend most of her time on short-term assistance while still tracking long-term management issues. Kahle and KG will draft a scope of work based on this discussion, including a sequenced approach that recognizes the STC will need some information right away and other information not until later on.
Instream Flow Gauging Update
CC reported that seven gauges have been successfully installed, with more being done that day. Twelve of the sixteen original sites are fine for data loggers, but four are not. Discussion followed of those four: for the Satsop near the Chehalis confluence, data is already being collected (by Energy Northwest for USGS) and can be accessed on the internet; Charley Creek has no good location for a data logger, so manual flow measurements are recommended; the Elk River is tidally influenced far enough up river that manual flow measurements are more suitable; the City of Hoquiam has not yet granted access to the Middle Fork Hoquiam (and may not grant access). The STC endorsed CC's recommendations for manual flow measurements on Charley Creek and Elk River as well as using the USGS data for the Satsop near the Chehalis confluence.
The group discussed the fact that some local governments are concerned about placement of water data loggers within their jurisdictions. It was agreed that Patrick Wiltzius will invite Mayor Bob Spahr of Chehalis to discuss this issue. The group agreed it is important to engage local communities to ensure that, at a minimum, local governments give assent to the work of the partnership. Members agreed the SCT will not recommend placing water data loggers without the permission of local governments.
Water Quality Grant
$ 1 00,000 per WRIA has been made available for work on water quality issues, though it may not be available for long and must be spent by June 30, 2003. The STC agreed that since no information for the Grays Harbor estuary was included in the Level One Assessment, a Level One Assessment for that area alone would be useful. Applying to spend . WRIA 22's $100,000 for water quality on this project will be recommended to the Partnership. A scope, budget, and grant application will be started as soon as possible. It was further discussed that it may be desirable to also apply for Water Quality money for an up basin monitoring program. Further discussion will be necessary to do this.
Water Storage Grant
MS suggested that if the water quality work can get moving quickly, it would be worth looking into money the State legislature has allocated for water storage. This $ 1 00,000 per WRIA might be utilized for wetland enhancement or other water storage projects in the Chehalis Basin.
Monitoring
KG posed the question of how to characterize indicators to gauge habitat, water quality, and other factors affecting ecosystem and salmon health. Dave Rountry also had suggested the development of a comprehensive monitoring program in the Chehalis Basin, which some thought might be a use of the other $ 1 00,000 in water quality funding from the State. Several STC members asked KG to send out the lengthy document on monitoring "for salmon recovery and watershed health" and it was decided to continue this conversation on Friday July 19, hopefully with Dave Rountry in attendance.
CBP Meeting Agenda for July 26
Lee Napier asked for thoughts on agenda items for the next Partnership meeting, and the following were identified:
- Water Quality Grant Application (Grays Harbor Level I Assessment) + Water Storage Grant Possibility
- Update on Instream Flow Gauging and Water Quantity Evaluation
Budget Update
- Water Quality Committee Update
- Phase 3 Consultant Contract
Calendar and Schedule through Plan Completion
- Salmon Recover Update (2496)
Issues
BW read each of the water resource issues raised to date via this planning effort, posted on individual flip charts on the walls. Since over 70 currently exist, it was suggested to "lump" common ones together; e.g., barriers to fish migration, water conservation techniques, etc. Lee Daneker pointed out that some of these issues are not suited to 2514 watershed planning for solving; however, the Chehalis Basin Partnership can consider them separately and seek solutions through other avenues. Next Steps: It was agreed that Triangle would send out the complete list of issues along with the worksheet that will be used to gather information on them to the STC. Members of the STC were asked to take some time to read through the issues and fill in information where they can. A more comprehensive review and discussion of issues will occur at the next STC meeting on Friday, July 19, 2002. This might include preliminary prioritization of issues for action.
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