Chehalis Basin Partnership
Meeting Summary – May 26, 2006
A. GENERAL PARTNERSHIP BUSINESS
Introductions
Chair Bonnie Canaday welcomed everyone and opened the meeting. She asked everyone to introduce themself. Nine of the Partnership's twenty-eight member organizations had a representative or an alternate at the meeting. Twenty one additional citizens, alternates, or visitors were at the meeting. See attendance list on the last page of this summary.
Chehalis Basin Watershed Festival
Kahle reported on the planning progress for the festival. Yesterday, a small group met with the coordinator Ginger, on-site. The group is ready to settle on the final details for festival. This includes activities and site planning/layout.
The Chehalis Tribe was contacted to request their participation. They have agreed to participate.
FINN, the salmon was reserved. Kahle hopes to share FINN with some of the schools in the upper Chehalis before the festival.
Due to a printing error, Lewis County republished their festival and events schedule for 2006. Because of this error, Kahle was able to get the festival included in the recent publication. He distributed copies for the group.
Commissioner Macleod suggested someone make a presentation to the Board of County Commissioners for Thurston County the week before the hearing. Their meetings are broadcast on local access TV. Kahle reminded the group that CBP members would be asked to request their respective agency to consider a declaration of watershed awareness.
Lyle suggested the group check with the Puyallup Fair if they need additional ideas or resources. He has a contact.
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 River near Chehalis, Skookumchuck near Bucoda, Chehalis River near Grand Mound, Chehalis at Porter, Satsop River near Satsop, Wynoochee River above Save Creek near Aberdeen, and Humptulips River below Highway 10 near Humptulips. The graphs show the regulatory flow, the actual flow, and the median flows for the 15th day of the month, measured the flow in cubic feet and described discharge.
He noted that for this month, the May 15th actual flow in most cases was below the minimum flow. Jim Hill added that he checked this morning and even with the recent rain, the flows were still below the minimum. It was also noted that the area is 2 inches above normal rain fall for this time of year. Terry Willis commented that several farmers, including her operation, are using their irrigation wells. This is the earliest time of use any of her neighbors can recall. Bruce Jones asked if the CBP had a response to the low flow situation discussed today? He wondered if Ecology would ask junior water right holders to shut off their use. He believes the CBP should discuss this issue in at a future meeting to avoid a knee jerk response.
B. Special Projects
Watershed Planning-Phase IV
Napier reported on the Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) workshops. She noted for the group that the products from the first two workshops were included in the monthly mailing. The first workshop, recommend adequate funding levels for water resource management, work product discussed a work plan that would help to facilitate the funding necessary to implement the watershed plan. The attendees at that session regrouped the interim milestones into four categories and added a few interim milestones to clarify the work. During the second workshop, develop approaches to keep forestry and agriculture on the land, participants also added interim milestones. The third workshop produced similar results by adding new tasks, but also suggested the creation of a water quantity supply workgroup. Terry mentioned that she heard through a well driller that they can drill about 2 wells per day. She was also told that the demand for exempt wells is keeping this industry busy. She is concerned about the impacts to group water due drilling exempt wells at such a high rate. The group discussed the need to become more involved in land use decisions or establish a stronger connection with the local Planning Departments.
Napier announced two more workshops on June 1st and 9th. The Partnership can expect to see the draft DIP at the June meeting.
Presentation
The students from Onalaska and Peter G. Schmidt presented their water quality work to the group.
The students from Peter G. Schmidt shared their water quality work that included: sampling at Millersylvania State Park, macroinvertebrae sampling at Cispus, researching the source of arsenic, the pucker effect, and the transmission of cholera. In closing the students shared poems written about the places they visited while conducting their investigations.
The 7th and 8th grade students from Onalaska’s Science Club also shared their monitoring of water quality and macroinvertebrates. Each student shared their respective monitoring findings. The presenters thanked the Chehalis Basin Education Consortium because without their support, the school district would not be able to take any field trips.
Salmon Recovery
Napier circulated a letter to the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office (GSRO) as part of her briefing. The letter was an outcome/assignment from the first meeting of the coastal region. In summary, the letter requests assistance from the GSRO, WDFW, and IAC for technical assistance to help with facilitation of further discussions between the coastal region representatives. The discussions may result in a request to the legislators to fund work on a regional scale. The letter will be sent by Napier with the support of several coastal representatives.
C. Open Comment
Kahle asked about the salmon runs. Are they abundant or depleted this year? Bruce added that the Quinault Indian Nation is concerned about the low returns. Kahle asked if we could get a report run. Chad will follow up on this request. Chad will try to meet with Curt Holt to develop a presentation for future meetings.
Ann Wick share several brochures collected by Department of Agriculture. This included a 2006 Thurston County Farm Map, a 2006 Farming Source book, a guide to Farmer’s Markets, and a link to the WSDA website for Small Farm and Direct Marketing.
The next meeting of the Chehalis Basin Partnership will be held on June 23, 2006 and begins at 9:30 AM at the Lucky Eagle Casino near Oakville.
Decisions
§ None requested
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Chehalis Basin Partnership Attendance Record |
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Commissioner Bob Beerbower |
Grays Harbor County |
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Lee Napier |
Grays Harbor County |
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Kernen Lien |
Lewis County |
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Bob Macleod |
Thurston County |
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Mark Swartout |
Thurston County |
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Bob Fink |
Mason County |
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Art Lehman |
Port of Centralia |
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Charles Caldwell |
Port of Grays Harbor |
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Terry Harris |
City of Chehalis |
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Bonnie Canaday |
City of Centralia |
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Kahle Jennings |
City of Centralia |
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Patrick Wiltzius |
City of Chehalis |
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Ron Schillinger |
City of Montesano |
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Terry Willis |
Grays Harbor County CAC member |
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Lyle Hojem |
Lewis County CAC member |
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Jim Hill |
Lewis County CAC member |
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Ann Wick |
Department of Agriculture |
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Chad Stussy |
Department of Fish and Wildlife |
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Bruce Jones |
Quinault Indian Nation |
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Dave Rountry |
Department of Ecology |
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Lew Pumphrey |
Vidette |
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Jerry Louthain |
HDR Engineering |
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Kathy Jacobson |
Chehalis Basin Education Consortium |
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Jan Lindsell |
OSD |
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Lisa Jackson |
OSD |
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Shannon McDermit |
OSD |
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Patrick Miess |
OSD |
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Michaela Hegen |
OSD |
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Ty Shepherd |
OSD |
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Terysa Tripp |
OSD |
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Erica Baker |
Tumwater School District |