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4h l h dh ( l F h 64 h h h v c0 6 '? > eA ` %B =B UB Chehalis Basin Partnership (CBP) Planning On Hold Saturday, October 25, 2003
Chehalis River plan put on hold
By Brian Mittge, bmittge@chronline.com, The Chronicle
ROCHESTER - They knew finding solutions would be the hard part.
The Chehalis Basin Partnership has already counted fish, tabulated water rights, measured stream flow in creeks and rivers from Onalaska to Aberdeen, and studied countless other aspects of the river system.
Now, the last remaining problem is how to use all that data to help improve the quantity and quality of water flowing through the Chehalis River and its tributaries.
That question has, so far, been too much for the two dozen representatives of cities, counties, tribes, businesses, fisheries groups and governmental agencies in the group.
On Friday the partnership officially decided to put aside the Oct. 31 deadline it has been shooting for since 1999, and instead will divide a complex watershed plan into sections for a second draft.
The group's four-year contract with its Seattle consultant, Triangle Associates, expires at the end of the month, but the partnership still has about $30,000 of its $1 million in state funding left. That's enough to continue work until December or January, according to partnership project manager Lee Napier.
"Let's not be distressed if there's not full agreement at this point," said Kahle Jennings, a Department of Ecology watershed representative to the partnership.
He and about 50 other people gathered for the group's monthly meeting at the Lucky Eagle Casino's Bingo hall Friday morning.
The partnership members and spectators sipped juice, nibbled on pastries and tried to digest concerns about an inch-think draft plan that, all agree, isn't yet good enough to call finished.
The group tentatively hopes to have a better-organized collection of technical studies, citizen guides and recommendations put together by the end of the year.
Some partnership members think the draft watershed plan distributed a month ago has strayed from the simple goal of preserving and improving the health of the watershed for people and fish.
Many also worry that recommendations in the plan might be construed as legal obligations for sponsoring governments, creating "unfunded mandates." The group is looking to create a leadership committee to give more direction to its plan.
That project might have its own difficulties, however. Busy elected officials worry about committing more time.
Others lament the lack of citizen involvement, saying they worry that people living in the Chehalis River watershed will have a hard time understanding the complex plan as written now.
"Let's not expand into so many areas because it's too overwhelming. The public will never accept it, never," said Arnold Samuels with the city of Ocean Shores.
One citizen activist had just those complaints right now.
John Penberth of Pe Ell, a former member of the partnership, called the draft plan "gibberish" and an excuse for bureaucrats to keep spending money.
Current members didn't comment on his criticism, but partnership Chairman Bob Spahr had earlier explained his own reasoning for staying with the group.
"I'm here basically because I don't trust the Department of Ecology," said Spahr, also mayor of the city of Chehalis. "It's our opportunity to put our input into planning." Lori Morris, a project manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said she's also hoping the final watershed plan will encapsulate local wishes.
She's in charge of a planned ecosystem restoration in the Chehalis Basin. The Corps will use the final watershed plan to decide where in the basin to do ecosystem and wetland restoration, she said.
The draft watershed plan, at more than 500 pages, includes both detailed scientific data and recommendations for future actions.
Plenty of space is given to the controversial issue of water rights.
The draft plan says there are 2,524 water right permits and certificates in the basin, and 8,418 water right claims.
No new water rights being are given out in the Chehalis basin, although parts of the watershed could be reopened to new water rights when the basin partnership finishes its work, according to Jennings.
The plan suggests the creation of a "water master" program or adjudication to settle water rights disputes and to figure out which water rights claims are actually valid.
It contains a total of 143 recommendations for all kinds of action, a number that many members said needs to be distilled into a few basic action items.
Napavine City Councilor Jim Haslett, also vice-chair of the partnership, agreed the plan needs to be a vision for the future of the basin, not just a collection of scientific studies.
The current draft plan, Haslett said, seems like footnotes to a story that hasn't been written yet.
Copies of the draft plan are available online at www.co.grays-harbor.wa.us/info/pub_svcs/ChehalisBasin/CitizenGuide/.
The next partnership meeting is at 9 a.m. Nov. 21 and will take place at the same location.
Brian Mittge covers politics, the environment and Lewis County government for The Chronicle. He may be reached by e-mail at bmittge@chronline.com, or by telephoning 807-8237
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