Proposal 200600500: Asotin Creek Wildlife Area O&M (Schlee Acquisitions)
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1. Administrative 2. Location 3. Species 4. Past accomplishments 5. Relationships |
6. Objectives 7. Work elements 8. Budget 9. Future 10. Narrative |
Organization: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Short description:
The Asotin Creek Wildlife Area (Schlee Acquisitions) provide habitat for salmonid species residing in George Ck and Asotin Creek as well as upland wildlife as mitigation for losses of wildlife habitat due to dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers.
Contacts
| Contact name | Role | Address | Phone | |
| Robert Dice | Form Submitter | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife 1049 Port Way Clarkston, WA 99403 |
509-758-3151 | dicerid@dfw.wa.gov |
| Nathan Pamplin | Reviewer | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife |
Nathan.Pamplin@dfw.wa.gov |
Section 2. Location
Province: Blue Mountain Subbasin: Asotin
Specific locations
| Lat/long | Location desc | Waterbody (lake or stream) | County/State | Subbasin | Resolution | Primary? |
| 46 deg 16' 51.21, 117 deg 08' 55.08 | 6 miles SW of Asotin in George and Rockpile creeks | George Creek | Asotin Washington | Asotin | county | No |
| 46 deg 13' 29.45, 117 deg 20' 17.22 | 16 miles SW of Asotin at Smoothing Iron Ridge. | Smoothing Iron Ridge | Asotin Washington | Asotin | county | Yes |
Section 3. Species
Primary: Wildlife: All Wildlife
Additional species: Elk, Mule Deer, Whit-tailed Deer, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Gray Wolf
Section 4. Past accomplishments
| FY | Accomplishment |
| 2003 | Project began 10/1/03 - Construction of 1.3 miles boundary fence in Rockpile Creek. - Repaired and repainted an equipment trailer - Maintained physical improvements including buildings and water systems - Maintained boundary fences - Controlled Weeds |
| 2004 | Maintained boundary fences, maintained physical improvements, controlled noxious weeds, conducted breeding bird point surveys, completed endangered plant survey, improved and repaired water system on Smmothing Iron Ridge. |
| 2005 | Continued boundary fence maintenance, controlled noxious weeds, completed endangered plant survey, maintained physical improvements. |
Section 5. Relationships to other projects
| Funding source | Project ID | Project Title | Relationship |
| BPA | 200205300 | Assess Salmonids Asotin Cr Ws | Study assessing salmonids in project lands - South Fork of Asotin Creek |
| BPA | 200205400 | Protect & Restore Asotin Cr Ws | Road obliteration projects in the drainage reduce sediments deposited on project lands in South Fork of Asotin Creek. |
| PCSRF - WSRFB | 01-1233 | Asotin Creek Six-Year Seed Pro | Project administered through Asotin County Conservation District to reduce sediment in Asotin Creek among others. |
| BPA | 199106100 | Swanson Lake Wildlife Mitigati | Sharp-tailed grouse/habitat restoration. Supports this project and WDFW goals and objectives. |
| BPA | 199609401 | Scotch Creek Wildlife Area | Sharp-tailed grouse/habitat restoration. Supports this project and WDFW goals and objectives |
| BPA | 200600400 | Wemas Wildlife Area O&M | Potential sharp-tailed grouse/habitat restoration. Supports this project and WDFW goals and objectives. |
Section 6. Objectives
| Objective title | Description | Relevant subbasin plan | Relevant strategy(ies) | Page number(s) |
| Control noxious weeds | Control noxious weeds on BPA funded lands on the Asotin Creek Wildlife Area with an emphasis on riparian areas. Mainly South Fork of Asotin Creek and George Creek. | Asotin | Control noxious weeds to restore upland and riparian habitat areas[Strategy left blank] | 169 |
| Implement management activities and schedules | Maintain boundary fences annually to protect habitat from trespass livestock grazing and vehicle encroachment. Maintain project infrastructure, buildings, equipment, and water systems | Asotin | Maintain fences each year on a timely basis. Maintain buildings and associated water systems. | 167-170 |
| Maintain and enhance habitat for upland wildlife | Maintain vegetation on both units to hold big game animals on agency land. Ensure that approximately 475 acres of agricultural land seeded to native grass in 2008 reaches maturity and thrives. Maintain 125 acres of annual forage foodplots seeded to mainly winter wheat, canola or other crops for big-game retention. | Asotin | Work cooperatively with RMEF and local sportsmen organizations for support funding for annual foodplots and other wildlife enhancement projects. | 167-170 |
| Restore Riparian Areas | Restore riparian areas through weed control and possible tree and shrub plantings | Asotin | Maintain planted trees and shrubs to restore riparian habitat in George, Rockpile and S. Fork of Asotin Creeks | 167-170 |
Section 7. Work elements
| Work element name | Work element title | Objective(s) | Start date | End date | Estimated budget> | Sponsor performs work? |
| Operate and Maintain Habitat/Passage/Structure | Control Noxious Weeds | Control noxious weeds | 10/1/2009 | 9/30/2012 | 125,000 | Yes |
| Description: Control noxious weeds on upper and lower units with emphasis on riparian areas. Riparian areas include South Fork of Asotin Creek, George Creek, and Rockpile Creek. | ||||||
| Operate and Maintain Habitat/Passage/Structure | Implement management activities and schedules | Implement management activities and schedules | 10/1/2009 | 9/30/2012 | 197,170 | Yes |
| Description: Repair/maintain boundary stock fences, maintain facilities, equipment and infrastructure, maintain water system on Smoothing Iron Ridge. | ||||||
| Collect/Generate/Validate Field and Lab Data | Monitoring and Evaluation | Implement management activities and schedules | 10/1/2009 | 9/30/2012 | 23,273 | Yes |
| Description: Monitor and evaluate habitat responce to various treatments such as herbicide application and seeding native grass. | ||||||
| Plant Vegetation | Plant Big Game Forage Food Plots | Maintain and enhance habitat for upland wildlife | 10/1/2009 | 9/30/2012 | 48,000 | Yes |
| Description: On a yearly basis, plant big game forage crops with the main intent of holding elk on Smoothin Iron ridge away from adjacent private agricultural lands. The Forage plots are planted on approximately 120 acres which was formally farmed by the sharecropper. In 2 spring 2008, the sharecropper announced he was was no longer going to raise wheat on 600 acres of agricultural lands on Smoothing Iron Ridge. The 600 acres of wheat ground has a long history of providing a food source and attractant for big game - mainly elk. The majority of the fields was seeded to native grass with the exception of 120 acres which will continue to be planted to winter wheat and other desirable annual vegetation for wildlife. | ||||||
| Operate and Maintain Habitat/Passage/Structure | Maintain seeded agricultural fields | Maintain and enhance habitat for upland wildlife | 10/1/2009 | 9/30/2012 | 72,000 | Yes |
| Description: In the fall of 2008, approximately 480 acres of former agricultural fields were seeded to native grass as a result of the sharecropper abruptly announcing that he was no longer interested in raising wheat crops on the fields. With no interest from other potential farmers, WDFW seeded the majority of the fields to native grass. Though recently seeded, a number of treatments are necessary to ensure success of grass seeding. Those treatments include: herbicide application, mowing and some potential reseeding. Treatments will be most intensive the first few years and will fade as the grass matures. | ||||||
| work element budget total: | 465,443 | |||||
Section 8. Budget
| Item | Note | FY 2010 cost ($) | FY 2011 cost ($) | FY 2012 cost ($) | |
| Personnel | Includes benefits and overall increase of 2% per year for salary increases over the period (COLA). | 76,695 | 78,996 | 81,366 | |
| Other | Monitoring and evaluation | 7,567 | 7,756 | 7,950 | |
| Supplies | Hebicide, building materials, equipment parts, lubicants, sprayor parts, fertilizer, seed. | 28,884 | 28,241 | 27,578 | |
| Overhead | Required by WDFW | 39,486 | 40,130 | 40,794 | |
| Itemized budget totals: | 152,632 | 155,123 | 157,688 | ||
| Type of funding source | Funding source or organization | Item or service provided | FY 2010 est value ($) | FY 2011 est value ($) | FY 2012 est value ($) | Cash or in-kind? | Status |
| non-profit | Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation | Volunteer Labor, material costs | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,500 | Cash | Under Development |
| state | Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife | PILT | 2,500 | 2,500 | 2,500 | Cash | Confirmed |
| state | Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife | Use of State owned equipment | 20,000 | 20,000 | 20,000 | In-Kind | Confirmed |
| state | Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife | Clarkston shop and office facility | 3,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | In-Kind | Confirmed |
| other | Sharcroppers | Agricultural Leases | 33,094 | 33,094 | 17,452 | Cash | Confirmed |
| Cost share estimate totals: | 62,094 | 62,094 | 46,452 | ||||
FY 2010-12 total cost share estimate: 170,640
Section 9. Project future
| Outyear budgets | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| 162,969 | 167,043 | 171,219 | 175,500 | 179,887 | 184,187 |
Note
3% was added for 2011 to account for inflation
Likely project termination/end date: No end date
Termination notes:
Final deliverables:
Reviews
ISRP final recommendation: Meets Scientific criteria? Yes (Qualified)
The ISRP thanks the Agency for responding to our requests for the grazing plan and the explanation for maintaining the agricultural fields on the property. The ISRP qualifies its recommendation with an explicit expectation that results of monitoring vegetation and wildlife response to grazing will be included in the next review cycle.
from May 19, 2009 ISRP 2009-17 report
Sponsor response to ISRP preliminary review
| 200600500 Asotin ISRP response.doc |
| Final 2009 Pilot Grazing Plan.pdf |
| 20090406-Wildlife Area Report.pdf |
ISRP preliminary recommendation: Meets scientific criteria? Response requested
The reviewers request:
a) A clear justification for maintaining the agricultural fields.
b) More details on how they plan to restore habitat. They mention replanting native plants. Please provide some methodological detail about this restoration. For example, what plants seeds will be used?
c) A better link among objectives, work elements, and M&E.
The objectives need to be more detailed. For example, please describe in greater detail in the M&E section where and when you will sample the vegetation using vegetation sampling points. We would like to see an example of a grazing plan if cattle are going to be managed on the Project.
d) That any M&E work completed since 2004 be summarized, including bird surveys, elk counts, deer counts, sheep counts, vegetation response to plantings/restoration, and weed control efforts.
from Mar 26, 2009 ISRP 2009-7 report