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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024 06 29 Dosewallips River Collaborative DRAFT Meeting Summary 1 Dosewallips River Collaborative DRAFT Meeting Summary Saturday, June 29, 2024 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Hybrid Meeting Welcome and Introductions Attending: Tim Abbe (Natural Systems Design [NSD), Greg Ballard (Jefferson County Department of Community Development), Lisa Belleveau (Skokomish Tribe), Joel Ingram (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife), Tressa Linquist (Jefferson County Public Health), Alicia Olivas (Hood Canal Coordinating Council), Tami Pokorny (Natural Resources Program Coordinator, Jefferson County Public Health), John Soden (NSD), Dosewallips community landowners and members of the public Tami Pokorny welcomed the meeting attendees and gave an overview of the Dosewallips River Collaborative, an informal and inclusive discussion group focused on resiliency projects that Jefferson County Public Health is putting forward that will benefit salmon species and the community. Conceptual projects across three reaches of the Dosewallips have been put forward by the NSD team and have received feedback to be discussed during this meeting. More information on the Dosewallips River Project can be found at: https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1435/Dosewallips-River-Project. Public Comments A member of the public commented that she would like to see clear communication about what Jefferson County is looking for from the community. Tami Pokorny explained that the last Dosewallips River Collaborative meeting had been very technical, but today’s meeting would be a mix between the scientific details and the big picture with respect to the entire floodplain. The funding behind the Collaborative is to support two Endangered Species Act -listed salmon species: Hood Canal Summer Chum and Puget Sound Chinook salmon, which rely on the Dosewallips River, as well as other watersheds in the region. While salmon restoration funding enables NSD’s research and modeling, the Collaborative group is about two things: what can be done for fish in the river reaches, and what residents need in terms of erosion, flood risk, and development. Many approaches can benefit both. The involvement of the public and agreement of landowners are essential pieces of project development and approval. John Soden added that erosion modeling and flood risk are some of the first steps of project development, and he would like to hear from local landowners whether the erosion and flood models look accurate. A member of the public asked about the timeline on models, feedback, and decisions, given that the river changes every year. Tami and John clarified that the projects were designed with multiple elements to accommodate river changes. The NSD team is very adept at making practical project changes on the fly that still meet the original intent of the landowners and project developers. Additions to the Agenda Tami Pokorny noted that the agenda was informal and subject to change. There were no additions requested to the agenda. Approval of the Draft November and March Meeting Summaries There were no objections to an informal approval of the Draft November and March Dosewallips River Collaborative meeting summaries. 2 Announcements There were no announcements. Old Business Community Survey Update Tami Pokorny noted that the Community Survey was no longer part of the Dosewallips River Collaborative project, but if anyone is interested, she can put them in touch with Barb Jones at the Jefferson County Department of Health. New Business Brinnon Reach Intro and Scope of Work Tami Pokorny said that there is a formal Scope of Work that lists all the tasks that the County is working with NSD on for the Brinnon Reach. John Soden gave an overview of the Scope of Work, starting with Task 1: Collecting Topographic Data, which was collected over the winter by a low flying airplane; and then Task 2: New Hydraulic Modeling, adding water flow to the topographic data, which is where the team is at now. Next steps will be habitat assessments and reports, which will be brought back to the community for feedback and discussion, assessing current conditions, and proposing opportunities. There will be a document that will explain the proposed designs to address fish access to more side channels and tributaries, and also flood and erosion risks. Members of the public described the history of flooding and erosion on the river since the 1960’s, and work attempted by multiple groups to mitigate the impacts that have not solved any problems for the long-term. Residents expressed concerns over forest fire, fishing, and logging impacts; the fear of being forced to relocate; frustration over the restrictions of regulations; and vexation that there seemed to be a large amount of funding designated for fish restoration, but which may not help landowner properties. Tim Abbe explained that the process of collecting data, developing models, receiving feedback, designing projects, and earning the approval of landowners takes time, but NSD does have multiple projects that have been approved and installed with successful results for both fish and landowners. Tami added that despite what has been heard, there has never been a serious desire to relocate everyone anywhere, but a self-sustaining structure of larger buffers and natural wood recruitment can still be built back up to resemble historical conditions that would once again be beneficial for fish habitat complexity and private property stability. Hydrologic Modeling and Fact Check John Soden asked the group if they could weigh in on the hydraulic maps of the Brinnon Reach that the NSD has been developing, to help the team move forward on the model accuracy. Some historic pictures of flooding were presented by local landowners. Project Updates Tami Pokorny, Tim Abbe, and John Soden provided an update on the two preliminary design projects. If the projects continue to move forward, Jefferson County would request construction funding for next year, with construction beginning in 2026. Powerlines – Lazy C Reach Jefferson County submitted grant applications for the next round of funding for preliminary designs for the Powerlines – Lazy C Reach first because the wood in that reach is very mobile and is not establishing the habitat that is needed. If wood and sediment can be accumulated throughout the reach, there will 3 be downstream benefits as well. It is undecided whether the log jams would need to be installed by land access or helicopter. There are two preliminary designs to choose between. Rocky Brook - Jupiter Bridge Reach There are also preliminary designs for the Rocky Brook – Jupiter Bridge Reach. This reach requires access provided by willing landowners, which is a complicated issue to arrange between neighbors. Tami asked for gentleness and patience when working with neighboring landowners. Next Meeting and Agenda There was no follow up meeting scheduled. Public Comments The end of the meeting was spent in public discussion about the Brinnon Reach hydraulic maps. Adjourn at 11:00 AM Summary by Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Brooks Contracting)