PressRelease
:
PBWC REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
6 September 2006
RECOGNITION OF GUESTS / PUBLIC COMMENT / SCHEDULED PUBLIC INPUT:
Meeting was called to order at 7:37 p.m.
Powder River Erosion – Kirkway Subdivision:
Mr. Chuck Risley, spokesman for the Kirkway Subdivision Landowner Group, described the notable erosion problem occurring on ~5 lots in the subdivision. The lots are located on the south below the pedestrian footbridge for the Leo Adler path.
The subdivision was formed in 1972 by the sale of Cliff Farmer’s land. An easement was granted to Baker City for flood control maintenance on the east side of the river. The west bank is Ward agricultural land with an easement for the Leo Adler Pathway. The Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation are also listed in the easement. Extensive concrete rip rap protects the west bank at present, deflecting the river to the east side. Removal of an irrigation dam has aggravated the erosive forces of the river due to magnified flow increases.
Mr. Risley stated that he has lost 3 feet of property in the past two irrigation seasons. The landowners agree that something must be done. They are willing to place their own rip rap but are concerned about state laws and permitting. They indicated that the action taken must be legal and immediate. They are requesting the Watershed Council for assistance.
The Conservation Districts asked the Watershed Council to take the lead on this issue since it is within the city limits. Baker Valley Irrigation District agrees. The Council discussed the need for a comprehensive plan that might address the entire length of the Powder River as it flows through the town. A letter should be sent to all prospective partners, e.g. Baker City, Kirkway Landowner Group, Baker Valley Irrigation District, Division of State Lands, the Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation and Baker Valley SWCD. All should be invited to a meeting to walk through, evaluate and define options for planning and implementation.
The Council suggested submission of a technical assistance grant to define the problems, locate the sites and formulate a long range plan for the river as it flows through the city limits. A time line for this approach was discussed with Risley. October 16th is the deadline for submission of a request for technical assistance. The OWEB board would approve funding in March 2007. The assessment and planning might take one year, thus implementation of projects (in consideration of the fish “window”) would be fall 2008. The Council approved taking the actions defined above in full consensus.
Elkhorn Wildlife Area – Management Plan Update – ODFW
Comment was called for on the ODFW Draft Management Plan presented in the August Council meeting by Eddie Miguez, Wildlife Area Manager. The Council requested that:
The effort be coordinated with Goal 8 of the County Comprehensive Plan, and
The draft receive input from the County Resources Advisory Committee.
The Council commended the extensive amount of networking that the ODFW accomplished in presenting this draft for public input.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The Minutes of August 2, 2006 were amended as follows:
Page 4, Sumpter Valley Dredge Tailings – LIDAR survey proposal:
“The review team recommended ‘no fund’ due to unanswered questions (as listed in the bullets of the August minutes). Subsequent to the Review Team meeting, the OWEB staff obtained additional clarifying information which they presented to the Board, requesting that the project be funded.”
The minutes were approved as revised by consensus of the Council.
GENERAL BUSINESS:
October Watershed Council Meeting:
The Council discussed agenda for the October meeting. There will not be a regular meeting; instead we will hold a field tour of the Pine Creek Watershed. Jim Young has offered to host the Council. He will be showing us different fish screen designs that have been installed in the watershed and providing background on the implementation process connected with them. Designs to be reviewed will include: instream fish screen & diversion, diversion to offstream screen, rotary drum, horizontal flat plate, vertical flat plate with wiper, etc.
Jim will also take us to the sites of flooding in Halfway and brief on the process that the City is engaging to address the existing resource conditions that contribute to the problem. Partners were identified to receive special invitations to this meeting: Baker County Association of Conservation Districts, Eagle Valley SWCD, and Baker County Board of Commissioners. An invitation should be placed in the Hells Canyon Journal.
Steering Committee Report:
Council Approval of Fiscal Policy – the Council requested tabling to November Council meeting.
Radio Ad Spots for Eastern Oregon – Tim Bliss distributed the script for the watershed advertisement. Council opinion on the ad was generally positive.
Dan Thee Resignation – Tim explained that Dan was serving on the Steering Committee and that his resignation left a vacancy. The Steering Committee presently stands at five, a good odd number, so the committee requests that the membership be left status quo. The Council approved this request in full consensus.
Tim announced that Vicki (Wares) has been appointed interim representative for Region #5 of the Network of Oregon Watershed Council. She will serve until the new representative is announced at the OWEB Convention in October. The other representative for Region #5 is Kelly Weideman of the Malheur Watershed Council.
Member Reports & Announcements:
Tim Bliss asked about the status of water rights on the Daley Creek Ranch, which has been bought intact by Idaho Power. Rick Lusk explained that Idaho Power will be using all the irrigation rights to grow winter feed for wildlife. Daley Creek water rights are from the Powder River directly and from Eagle Creek tributary.
Dan Weitz announced that a Small Grants Team meeting would be held this month to submit ~20K worth of requests for projects in the Powder Basin. Dan added that the program is good for the community and the county, bringing in dollars for watershed restoration and resource enhancement.
Baker Valley SWCD has selected a contractor for the construction of the Sumpter Municipal Diversion. It has not been announced yet as they have not finalized the contract or contacted the selected bidder. Tim Bliss mentioned that he spoke with the Sumpter City Recorder on the advisability developing alternatives to sole source dependency on McCully Creek and O’Farrell Gulch. The City has water rights on Cracker Creek and groundwater reserves.
90% Design of the Five Point Diversion & Fish Habitat Restoration Project is tabled pending ODFW feedback on alternatives 1 & 2. #1 is an instream screen/diversion; #2 is a tip up stanchion diversion with offstream fish screen and passage. Jim Young is ensuring that the POD for the new structure is accurate. Rick Lusk stated that a confirmable GPS description is accurate enough for OWRD use.
The OWEB biennial convention is to be held at Seaside, October 25-27th. A volunteer was asked for to represent the PBWC. We have been represented at every convention since convened in 1995. Dan Weitz offered to go if Ulee Yanok (Vice Chairman) was not able to attend. The Council was in consensus to send Dan if Ulee declined.
Meeting adjourned at 7:27 p.m.
Council Attendance: [8 members, 7 voting]
7 = Quorum
Tim Bliss, Chairman Dan Weitz Rick Lusk Bruce Lindley
Marion Crow Vickie Valenzuela Jerry Franke Darrell Dyke (NV)
Vicki Wares, Council Coordinator
Others Attending: Karen Leiendecker, Eastern Oregon Regional Representative, OWEB
Attachments: Watershed Radio Ad Spots for Eastern Oregon
Next Council Meeting
October 4, 2006
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Pine Creek Watershed Tour
Meet @ the Council Office at 9:00 AM (or call for agenda)
UPCOMING COUNCIL EVENTS FOR YOUR CALENDAR
Assessment Committee TBA
Education Committee TBA
Steering Committee TBA @ USDA Service Center
Pine Creek Work Group TBA
Five Point Ditch Fish Habitat Restoration Project
September 28, 2006 @ 10:00 AM
Upper Powder River Work Group TBA