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Home My WebLink About2021 07 19 Hoh River Phase I Steering Committee Meeting Summary lk COMPLETE Hoh River Resiliency Plan PHASE I Steering Committee Meeting DRAFT Summary Monday, July 19th, 2021 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82930993895 Meeting ID: 829 3099 3895 +12532158782,,82930993895# US +16699006833,,82930993895# US More information: tpokorny@co.jefferson.wa.us Welcome/Introductions Attendees: Tami Pokorny, Jefferson County; Bridget Kaminski-Richardson, WA Dept. Natural Resources; Alec Harrison, FHA Western Federal Lands Highway Division; Greg Brotherton, Jefferson County Commissioner; Betsy Krier, Wild Salmon Center; Jamie Bass, The Nature Conservancy; Kim Bray, Hoh Tribe; Jill Silver, 10K Years Institute; Kyle Smith, The Nature Conservancy; Mara Zimmerman, Coast Salmon Partnership; Theresa Powell, WA Dept. Fish and Wildlife; Mike Ericsson, Natural Systems Design; Kiran Pataki, Landowner; Jean Fletcher, Landowner; Roger Oaks, Hoh River Trust; Rich Osborne, UW Olympic Natural Resource Center. Agenda Changes/Additions None Approval of the June 21st, 2021 Draft Meeting Summary The draft meeting summary was approved by consensus as written. Announcements/Comments None Old Business US DOT Western Federal Lands Upper Hoh Road Project Updates It was confirmed that the July 24th site visit would occur on the south side of the river and not involve any of the Upper Hoh Road work sites. New Business Draft Resiliency Plan Update and Draft Action Plan – Mike Ericsson, NSD Mike presented an introduction to the Middle Hoh River Action Plan. The plan will be an appendix to the Resiliency Plan. The action plan is organized into proposed actions, prioritization and sequencing, and Hoh River Resiliency Plan PHASE I conceptual design development. Within the proposed actions section are lessons learned; education, outreach and engagement; access and recreation; conservation easements, acquisitions and relocations; and instream and floodplain restoration. The lessons learned section noted: Early logging/timber harvest and removing large trees has lead to destabilizing the channel and habitat; Development in high-risk flooding and erosion areas increases risk; Road construction and maintenance has disconnected the river from its floodplain, altered channel banks, reduced habitat quality, quantity and diversity; Introduction and spread of invasive plant species from disturbance activities; and stakeholder and community outreach efforts have not been sufficient to ensure everyone is aware of and understands the proposed work. Proposed actions, as a result of education, outreach and engagement, include: public education campaign to establish a common understanding of river processes and risk exposure to the community; recommendation that we maintain and expand landowner outreach to broaden support for the long- term vision of the plan. Proposed actions in reference to access and recreation include: maintain access to Olympic National Park (ONP); road sections at risk should be relocated where alternative route is feasible; road protection should utilize environmentally sustainable methods where required; and work with local communities (including river guides) to identify boat launch points that can be maintained for 4x4 access. (increased river access is not being proposed) Proposed actions related to the development of programs and options for landowners was discussed. What are property owners’ long-term vision(s) for the property? What are their concerns? There are often many options. The draft action plan proposes: Education on federal assistance programs through FEMA and USACE; establish funding for acquisitions of flood and erosion prone properties that come up for sale; develop long-term plans to work with interested landowners to relocate to safe ground. Conservation easements, acquisitions and relocation ideas were discussed. Mike showed maps of the resiliency corridor with landownership boundaries. It was noted that private property on the south side upstream end of the project reach is at highest short-term risk (e.g., Brandeberry and Rainforest Rd, and Fletcher Ranch). Upper Hoh Road is also at risk and within the resiliency corridor on the north side. The Lindner Creek side channel complex was also noted as having good opportunity, followed by Elk Creek floodplain area. Draft actions include: identify opportunities for acquisition and/or conservation easements and relocation alternatives for interested landowners; continue outreach to other private landowners in the reach promoting resiliency corridor protection; identify alternative routes for Upper Hoh Road that are at high risk from flooding and erosion. Next section covered was instream and floodplain restoration. Proposed actions include: strategic thinning of young alder and inter-planting conifers (where needed); implement invasive (plant) species control and eradication plan (includes protocols for limiting the import and spread of invasives into and throughout the Hoh Watershed); Engineered long jams and large wood placement. Riparian restoration was noted as a priority action (for long term resiliency). ELJs and wood placement was also noted as a key restoration action. The draft action plan calls for strategic placement of ELJs to mimic function of key-size trees, currently absent in the Hoh. ELJs are noted as an interim measure until planted conifers can provide large wood to the system (forming new logjams to replace ELJs). ELJs can Hoh River Resiliency Plan PHASE I reduce channel migration and split flows. Actions proposed would entail various sizes of wood at different locations. Recommended actions by project reach (from upstream to downstream): Huelsdonk – South Fork Reach actions include: strategic thinning and conifer planting; couple with ELJs along margins to protect floodplains from rapid recycling; strategic placement of ELJs to split flows, reducing channel migration; smaller ELJs in floodplain and on side channels to increase roughness and improve habitat. Challenges/constraints in the reach: FEMA and private property. Much of the reach is within FEMA mapped floodplain, and this can limit options for restoration. Spruce Canyon Reach does not have as many opportunities (or needs) for restoration actions. Noted as strategic thinning and conifer planting. Morgan’s Crossing Reach: has similar actions and constraints as the Huelsdonk-south Fork reach, however there are additional opportunities at upstream end for areas already in conservation easement. Draft actions include: strategic thinning and conifer planting; couple with ELJs along margins to protect floodplains from rapid recycling; strategic placement of ELJs to split flows, reducing channel migration; smaller ELJs in floodplain and on side channels to increase roughness and improve habitat. Willoughby Creek Reach has the same proposed actions as the Morgan’s Crossing Reach, and there are additional opportunities as much of the reach is in conservation. Also, this reach has a backwater effect (from Oxbow Canyon downstream), which may allow for less engineered/more passive restoration methods. The farthest downstream reach, the Oxbow Canyon Reach, is dominated by a bedrock canyon and has limited restoration opportunities beyond strategic thinning and conifer planting on floodplains where possible. Next draft Action Plan section discussed was the Prioritization and Sequencing. The prioritization framework is discussed in the plan and scoring results recommend (from highest to lowest ranking order): Protect intact habitat; restore riparian zone; restore impaired processes; restore instream habitat. Reaches were scored/ranked based on their ability to maximize aquatic habitat extent, quantity, quality and durability/sustainability. Highest ranked provides protection of intact, naturally functioning habitat, and where actions will have immediate benefit. The rankings considered ecologic and community resiliency. Mike showed a table of proposed actions and scores based on the framework discussed in the draft action plan. He made note that the scores shown are preliminary scores, and the scores will be revised based on stakeholder feedback. Takeaways from the preliminary scoring include: greatest priority should be given to relocating infrastructure and landowners in hazard areas (e.g., Upper Hoh Road and south side landowners in the Huelsdonk-South Fork Reach). Next in priority are restoration actions in the Willoughby Creek Reach as much of it is already in conservation status, facilitating quick action (and positive response). Throughout all of this and in tandem, the plan calls for continued outreach to further conserve and protect land within the resiliency corridor. It is important to get some feedback on the draft plan and draft action plan fairly quickly, as next steps are looking at conceptual ideas to develop into designs at two locations. Mike is hoping the group can review the plan and work through the prioritization table before the next meeting. Ideally, the next Hoh River Resiliency Plan PHASE I steering committee meeting will involve a summary of feedback received, revised prioritization scores, and we will begin discussing conceptual restoration actions. Next steps: provide docs for review; public event to introduce the draft Middle Hoh Resiliency Plan (July 24th at Fletcher Ranch); Receive comments on prioritization table/scores and revise; Finalize action sequencing section of plan; Identify potential restoration actions; Steering committee reviews and approves final actions to proceed to concept designs; Review updated Action Plan with completed/updated sections and provide final comments; Finalize plan; Continue public and landowner outreach. Mara asked: was feasibility (of restoration actions) accounted for in the prioritization scoring, and Mike answered yes. Tami asked if boating safety/ boater concerns were accounted for in the feasibility consideration. Mike explained that boater safety concerns play their largest role in the design process, and boater safety is an important consideration. USGS Hoh Gauge Funding Strategy – All The Hoh River gauge is set to go offline Oct 1 due to a lack of funding. Kim Bray gave the group an update. The funding need for the gauge is currently $21,725, and this increases annually ~2-4%. The Hoh Tribe could contribute $5-6k per year with council approval, and the remaining funding is still needed. Kim contacted Dept of Ecology and WA Dept Fish and Wildlife. DOE does not have funding for the gauge, but there may be an opportunity to pursue a gauge with stage flow (no discharge). WDFW/Dave Kloempken communications are forthcoming. OPGA and/or CSP may have ideas and/or resources. Tami asked if this need could be fulfilled with grants, and Mike and Jill noted the benefit and need for the gauge. Bridget noted that DNR recently licensed hobo water temp monitoring equipment in the Quillayute and consider contacting them/DNR for potential resources and/or compliance. Tami noted that if 10Kyrs, OPGA, WFL, WDFW, County, DNR, ONP, and CSP all contributed $2k and the Tribe contributed $6k, we’d have the funding we need. Jill spoke up and pledged $2k! Kim noted what a shame it would be to lose the data, currently a 60-year data set. Mara offered two thoughts: one organization should offer for the funds to move through to USGS (one funding agreement); and this should be a short-term plan while we work for long term federal funding; also, the gauge is a major safety issue for anglers. Tami asked about timing and the funding deadline, and Betsy recalled that the opportunity will not disappear completely in Oct. July 24th Picnic and Plan Launch Update; Please RSVP – Tami Pokorny, JCPH Tami is ready for the picnic. Recommended carpooling. She gave a summary of the program: lunch and visiting noon to 1pm, presentation / introduction of plan 1-2ish, and walk out to the Hoh Riverbank 2- 3ish. John Gussman will be there to do some filming and take photos. Jean confirmed that John’s work/filming is welcome. Tami noted that county commissioners, City of Forks staff, Hoh Tribe council member(s) and staff were invited. Jean recommended inviting the county sheriff, and Tami agreed to invite the Public Works staff. Jill and Tami gave a big thanks to Jean and Bob for hosting the event. News and Projects Updates – All Hoh River Resiliency Plan PHASE I Tami reported that the Lindner Creek SRFB project proposal was reviewed by the lead entity and is recommended for the LE list. A press release will go out soon to introduce the plan to the general public. She also noted that we are aiming to get all comments on the draft resiliency plan by Sept. Idea: organize a site visit to Western Federal Lands project for mid-August. Announcements/Comments None Next Agenda Monday, August 16th, 1pm – 3:00 pm Remote Only Adjourn