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Pend Oreille Watershed Planning (WRIA 62)
Lead agency contact:
Brian Bolles
Pend Oreille Conservation District
(509) 447-4217
brian@pocd.org
Ecology contact:
Jaimie Short
Department of Ecology
(509) 329-3411
jsho461@ecy.wa.gov
Implementation phase:
Planning phase: Phase 4
Optional elements: Quality, Habitat
Plan due: 4th Quarter 2006
Grants awarded: About $498,000 through June 2005
Plan website: Pend Oreille Watershed Planning Unit
Progress
The Pend Oreille Watershed Planning Unit voted to approve their Watershed Plan March 2005 and the Pend Oreille County Commissioners subsequently adopted the Watershed Plan June 2005. The Planning Unit applied for and received the first year of Phase IV grant money ($100,000) September 2005 and is currently working on the development of their Phase IV Detailed Implementation Plan, which is a required element of the first year implementation grant.A Phase 2 Level 1 water quantity assessment was completed by Entrix in the Fall of 2001,. Golder & Associates completed a Level 2 Assessment and final Phase 3 Watershed Plan, March 2005 available at the Pend Oreille Conservation District as well as Ecology's Eastern Regional Office. Other projects of interest include the removal of Cedar Creek Dam in the town of Ione, which utilized a small reservoir on Cedar Creek as a secondary municipal water supply. The dam was under an Ecology Order to correct safety problems, but the cost of repair and maintenance resulted in a huge economic burden for the community. With the encouragement and assistance from WDFW, Ione applied for and received salmon recovery funds as well as smaller grants from Ecology, to remove the dam and help restore bull trout habitat. Unfortunately, the dam also separated native Westslope cutthroat trout from non-native rainbow trout. Much work has been done between state, federal and tribal fish managers and Planning Unit members to help resolve this particular barrier issue and in turn, establish a process for removal of barriers and the management of potential fish introgression. For more information regarding the progress of the Cedar Creek dam removal and restoration, contact Sandy Dotts at (509) 684-2031.
Other challenges in the watershed include coordination with an active salmon recovery group and Limiting Factors Analysis, habitat designations for threatened and endangered species (primarily bull trout), and fish barrier management and removal.
Documents prepared by the planning unit
- Pend Oreille Watershed Management Plan (1270 kilobytes)
Studies or data relevant to planning for this area
Other resources
Washington State Department of Ecology home page
Please send additions or corrections to Chris Anderson, (360) 407-6634.