Chehalis Basin Partnership

 

 

 


Meeting Summary – February 24, 2006

 

A.     GENERAL PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS

 

Introductions

Chair Bonnie Canaday welcomed everyone and opened the meeting.  She asked everyone to introduce themselves.   XX of the Partnership's twenty-eight member organizations had a representative or an alternate at the meeting.  XX additional citizens, alternates, or visitors were at the meeting. (See attendance list on the last page of this summary). 

 

Monthly River Flow Report

Jennings reviewed the flow charts he created for this month’s report.  The graphs describe real time data from the USGS gage sites at the Newaukum, Skookumchuck at Bucoda, Chehalis at Grand Mound, Chehalis at Porter, Satsop, Wynoochee and Humptulips Rivers. The graphs show the regulatory flow, the actual flow, and the median flows for the 15th day of the month and measure the flow in cubic feet. 

 

He asked the group for feedback regarding the format.  He projected one alternative for the group to discuss.  Jim Hill had some suggestions related to format and would work with Kahle to develop a proposal for next month.

 

Chehalis Basin Watershed Festival

Chanele Holbrook reported that she continues to contact festival vendors and participants and continues to ask for suggestions. 

 

To set the date, she suggested the last week in September or the first week in October.  Since similar vendors will participate in our festival and the Nisqually festival, the dates should be different.  The oyster festival for Mason County might be the first weekend in October.  The group decided that September 30th might be the best date to avoid conflicting with other festivals.  Kahle and Chanele will begin scheduling participants and vendors. 

 

Chanele suggested we have a representative at the Shore Bird Festival in April to promote the work of the Partnership and the Festival. 

 

Steve suggested that securing financial sponsorship early was critical to the success of their festival. 

 

Bonnie asked if Chanele needed a committee.  Chanele, Kahle, and Steve will form the foundation of the committee.  Others are encouraged to join and help.

 

B.     Special Projects

 

Follow Up on the GIS Summit

Steve Craig distributed a discussion Draft Scope of Work to establish the Chehalis Basin GIS Clearinghouse.  This project would establish a means of coordinating and integrating existing and future GIS activities conducted by various entities in the Chehalis Watershed, as a way of providing an overarching, systematic and holistic understanding of the natural and man-made process at work in the watershed.  Currently this proposal establishes a clearinghouse function at Grays Harbor College.  Dr. Randy Lehr described Grays Harbor College’s GIS program and how it could provide some support to the clearinghouse/GIS challenges of the Partnership.

 

Steve distributed a Nisqually map as an example for Task 3.  What was the cost associated with this maps and how would it relate to the estimated cost for college staff time? 

 

Comments from the group:

·         Lee suggested moving Task 5 up to describe inventorying before beginning work.  

·         Does Randy have a copy of the Data Viewer?

·         Steve added that if this project materializes, then it will be the second watershed group in the state to have this resource. 

·         Ron asked if there were financial resource to sustain this work?  Ecology will fund $75,000 on a one-time basis.  The College will use Ecology’s money the first year and then support the program the second year while concurrently looking for the long term funding beyond the 2-year demonstration project. 

·         Bruce suggested we reduce the number of tasks and narrow the focus.  He suggested establishing the clearinghouse, collect data from the other GIS shops in the watershed, and create the web link. 

·         Bonnie suggested including the Centralia College.  Steve added that they did not have a GIS program, but may have other resources to contribute to this project.

·         Bob asked how many resources are available to complete Task 9?  The student resource is available to help. 

 

 

Watershed Planning-Phase IV

Napier demonstrated the website designed by John Kliem for the Chehalis Detailed Implementation Plan.

 

Napier explained the progress by the STC and Water Quality Committees for the workbooks. 

·         The Workbooks are our working document for completing the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) This format will help us to gather information related to timelines, milestones, coordination and oversight responsibilities, and funding mechanisms (RCW 90.82.043 requirements)

·        Organization of the workbook-The intent behind the design of the DIP Workbook is to facilitate easy understanding and completion of the DIP for everyone involved. 

·        In 2005, the STC reviewed the list of the 56 Actions identified in the Chehalis Basin Watershed Plan, Tables 1 through 7, and sorted them into goals, objectives, and interim milestones. 

·        The outcome of this effort identified the 18 Watershed Management Plan (WMP) Objectives included in this workbook that implements the Public Involvement, Water Quantity, Water Quality, and Habitat goals in the Chehalis Basin Management Watershed Plan. 

·        The committees then placed the remaining Actions, referred to as Interim Milestones in the Workbook, under the appropriate WMP Objective. 

·        The DIP Workbook cites the location of each WMP Objective and Interim Milestone within the Chehalis Basin Watershed Management Plan. 

·        Those Interim Milestones without a citation were added later by the working committees to give greater breadth to the tasks necessary for implementing WMP Objectives. 

·        Last month, the STC and WQ brainstormed to create a list of potential sponsors for oversight and supporting partners.

·        The Steering Technical and Water Quality Committees will then work with a potential Oversight Committees to coordinate overall completion of Watershed Management Objectives. 

·        Potential Interim Milestone Participants will assist the Oversight Committees in completing specific Interim Milestones.  The Steering Technical Committee will assist Oversight Committees complete those sections of the DIP Workbook pertaining to Water Quantity and Instream Flows while the Water Quality Committee will work with those sections covering Water Quality.  The Habitat Committee will work with the Lead Entity for WRIA 22/23 to complete the Habitat Section.

·        Due to the number of Objectives (18) and the time to complete the DIP (due end of Sept), the STC will apply the decision rule model to select the top 5-6 objectives.  The first application of the rules was last year.  The STC will meet today to review the rules and determine which objectives to begin with in developing the DIP.  The remaining objectives will follow this same process in the next year or potentially years.

·        The CBP is welcome to attend the facilitated workshops.

·        Outcomes will be reported back to the CBP for their comments and concurrence. 

·        Furthermore, the Chehalis Basin Partnership (CBP) must consult with other local and state entities in the management area to ensure that no efforts proposed in the DIP are duplicative or inconsistent with their work.

 

Napier explained the proposed scope of work by John Kliem for facilitation services to develop the DIP.  John’s work with the CBP, standing committees, and additional outreach will include:

 

1.      Delivered project orientation workshops to the Steering Technical (STC) and Water Quality (WQC) Committees and the Chehalis Basin Partnership (CBP).

2.      Prepare and Maintain a Project Web Site.

3.      Assist in the preparation of two articles for the Drops of Water publication describing the project and progress.

4.      Create a Workbook for the STC and WQC for preparing the DIP.

5.      Facilitate up to twelve sessions:

·         STC and WQC that identifies potential Oversight Committee sponsors and Working Participants for each of the 18 Water Management Plan Objectives as well as prioritizes them in order of proposed completion.

·         Assist the STC and WQC in recruiting and facilitating up to five workshops for completing the design of five WMP Objectives that meet RCW 90.82.043 requirements.

·         Updates to the CBP

6.      Prepare a first draft of the DIP, facilitate a review session, and prepare a final draft for STC, WQC, and CBP approval.

 

The group accepted this scope of work and directed Grays Harbor County to complete the contracting.

 

Watershed Council Action Grant

Napier reported that she received three proposals in response to the Request for Proposals.  The STC selected Lee Daneker as their choice for a consultant.  The group accepted this suggestion and directed Grays Harbor County to proceed with contracting for this work.

    

Salmon Recovery

Napier reported that the habitat strategy is still undergoing an update.  The Habitat Work Group will meet the second Friday of each month at the Lewis Conservation District Office.  She encouraged anyone who is interested in projects to become involved in the update.  The group will updated the subbasin profiles.  The final document will be presented to the CBP. 

 

C.     Open Comment

 

None

 

The next meeting of the Chehalis Basin Partnership will be held on March 24, 2006 from 9:30 AM to 12:00 m at the Lucky Eagle Casino near Oakville.

 

Decisions

 

§         The CBP accepted the scope of work for the Phase IV facilitation work.

§          

Chehalis Basin Partnership Attendance Record

Lee Napier

Grays Harbor County

Bob Beerbower

Grays Harbor County

Mark Swartout

Thurston County

Bob Fink

Mason County

Chuck Caldwell

Port of Grays Harbor

Bonnie Canaday

City of Centralia

Kahle Jennings

City of Centralia

Terry Harris

City of Chehalis

Patrick Wiltzius

City of Chehalis

Terry Willis

Grays Harbor County CAC member

Lyle Hojem

Lewis County CAC member

Jim Hill

Lewis County CAC member

Chanele Holbrook Shaw

Thurston County CAC member

Chad Stussy

Department of Fish and Wildlife

Ann Wick

Department of Agriculture

Steve Craig

Department of Ecology

Ellie McMillan

Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force

Bruce Jones

Quinault Indian Nation

Ron Mauel

Lewis County Farm Bureau

Lonnie Crumley

LWD Consulting

John Ruymann

City of Oakville

Randy Lehr

Grays Harbor College

Vicki Cummings

Grays Harbor Council of Governments

Nancy Allison

Columbia Pacific RC&D

Taylor Pittman

USFWS