Land trust plans many 2013 projects

Wahkiakum County commissioners met with Columbia Land Trust (CLT) staff Tuesday afternoon for an update on CLT’s local land stewardship work.

The workshop focused on four projects: Gorley Farm/Upper Grays River, Kandoll Farm, Upper Elochoman, and Indian Jack Slough/Nelson Creek.

CLT owns approximately 1500 acres in Wahkiakum County, said CLT Stewardship Manager Ian Sinks. About two-thirds of the land is in the Grays River valley, and the rest is in the Elochoman River valley.

Sinks reported that CLT had just gone to bid on the next phase of work in the Kandoll Road area, a project intended to redirect Seal Slough’s flow into the Grays River. If the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) approves, the work will occur this summer.

DNR, who is tasked with managing aquatic lands in the area, has said they want to take jurisdiction on culverts and breaching to the Grays River.

“By them taking ownership of those two phases of the project, would that impede closure of the culverts?” questioned Commissioner Blair Brady.

Sinks said he anticipated that they would successfully work through the access permit process with DNR.

“You haven’t been getting complaints from landowners, but if you don’t close the culverts, I guarantee you will get complaints,” Brady cautioned Sinks.

“I understand that,” said Sinks.

CLT has already received permits from the Corps of Engineers and Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS). Only DNR approval remains outstanding.

Also this summer, CLT wants to install three flood relief tidegates on Seal Slough, but they are running into issues at one site, said Sinks.

“We have to conduct a biological assessment, and it’s likely the Corps will look unfavorably at the impact to endangered species,” he explained. He added that he thought they would resolve the issue.

Across the Grays River on Mill Road, County Engineer Pete Ringen has approved CLT’s plan to chip seal its surface this summer. The dike road settled some in the first three months after its 2011 construction, said Sinks, but has since stabilized.

The Upper Grays River site, located above the Gorley Farm property, is another area where CLT is planning a project. The group presented a preliminary design to the Grays River Habitat Enhancement District board last month for a Lower Columbia Fish Enhancement Group project on CLT property.

The project is intended to stabilize banks with wood structures and install in-stream structures in the water.

The district requested that the design be peer reviewed. The feedback from the peer review process has been integrated into the design proposal.

CLT will get back in touch with the habitat enhancement district.

In the Elochoman River valley, Stewardship Lead Dan Friesz said he hopes to harvest the remaining poplars in the Indian Jack Slough unit this summer. The land parcel is about 210 acres in size and is located across SR4 from the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge. In 2014 or 2015 the area will be replanted with spruce.

Friesz has organized a May 10 meeting between County Engineer Pete Ringen, WDFW, and his group to talk about strategies and possible funding for work in CLT’s nearby Nelson Creek land parcel.

Beaver dams and siltation in a culvert have caused drainage issues.

In the Upper Elochoman River valley, CLT acquired 150 acres in the Twin Bridges area last year.

DNR owns the downstream structure of the eponymous bridges, while CLT owns the upstream structure, which has built up a large log jam.

Both bridges are slated for removal this year.

Also this summer, CLT plans to conduct a large-scale thinning project, install in-stream wood structures and to remove accumulated garbage from their property.

The area is popular with campers. Sinks said they have considered putting in a gate off the main road that would allow fishermen to continue to access the area on foot, but which would dissuade people from dumping trash.

“If we were all good Boy Scouts who left the area cleaner than we found it, it wouldn’t be an issue,” commented Brady.