February 28, 2002

The February 28, 2002 meeting of the Kittitas County Water Purveyors was held at the Public Utility District. The meeting was called to order by Vice President Kevin Eslinger. Those in attendance were Carol Ready, Barbara Pettit, Roger Satnik, Jack Carpenter and Jim Schnebly, Kittitas Reclamation District; Jeff Brunson and Jackie Brunson, Bull Canal; William P. Woods, Jr.; Ben George. Tameum Ditch Co.; Jay Anderson and Vern Burghart, Westside Ditch Co.; Pat Taylor, Olsen Ditch; Brent Mellergaard, Manastash Creek, South; Steve Rosbach, Kevin Eslinger, Paul Sorenson, Denmark Irrigators; Chris Hall, Jane Creech, Washington State Department of Ecology; Pat Monk, Joint Board Fish Biologist.

1. Call to order

Kevin Eslinger, Vice Chairman declared the agenda for the February 28^th meeting approved as presented.

2. October 28, 2001 Minutes

The minutes of the October 28^th meeting were distributed for review.

3. Activities Update

Carol Ready presented updated information on the KCWP Board meeting with Tom Cowan, Legal Counsel Roza Sunnyside Board of Joint Control explaining it will take a legislative language change to allow all entities (non district, private) to become a member of a Joint Board. Carol discussed the letter she was requested to draft for Mark Charlton and Brad Haberman to take with them to Washington D.C. for discussions with elected officials and their staff including John Keys, Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, regarding local support for Lake Keechelus Dam and fish enhancement. Carol explained the Upper Yakima River Basin Suspended Sediment Organo-chlorine Pesticide TMDL draft is available for review and comments explaining she will be submitting comments, in addition to those being submitted by the Joint Board, to Joe Joy, Department of Ecology.

4. Grant Updates

Carol Ready presented updated information on the $243,000.00 DOE Grant for the TMDL Support and Monitoring Project for fiscal year 2002-2003 explaining it is in the final draft stages and should be approved soon. Carol explained the 2002 sampling schedule and sites will be reduced based on the results from the 2000-2001 sampling data. Carol presented information on a $40,000.00 grant with DOE for funding of a part time water quality position explaining there are opportunities for cooperation with KCCD in sharing a water quality person. Carol further explained there is no match requirement for this grant and there is the possibility this grant may be used to help to satisfy the match requirement for the 2002-2003 TMDL Support and Monitoring Project.

Carol presented information on the proposed BPA 3-year funding explaining any funding awarded would be administered through the Resource Conservation and Development for use in Yakima, Kittitas and Counties.

5. Kittitas County Conservation District Update

Carol announced Anna Lael is not able to be here tonight.

7. Water Quality Monitoring Data 2000-2001

Carol Ready and Roger Satnik presented the 2000-2001 water quality monitoring data power point presentation. See meeting handout.

8. TMDL Update

Jane Creech, Department of Ecology, presented updated information on the Upper Yakima River Basin Suspended Sediment Organo-chlorine Pesticide TMDL draft report is available for review and comment. Jane further explained the final document is scheduled to be published in April with a public comment period and workshops ending in May. The document will then be submitted for approval by EPA. Discussion followed regarding the concern for the foundation for establishing background. Jane continued explaining there is a Teanaway TMDL and a fecal coliform TMDL with Wilson Creek and Cooke Creek listed as water bodies.

9. Steelhead Listing Review

Pat Monk, Joint Board Fish Biologist, presented information on a proposal to evaluate the middle Columbia steelhead Evolutionarily Significant Unit explaining new data and information is being gathered with publication in the Federal Register and comments due by April 12^th with data and scientific information accepted beyond that date. Pat explained the Yakima River is located in the Mid Columbia ESU. Pat further explained he will be working with other biologists in submitting information for their status review describing the distribution and abundance of steelhead in the ESU throughout area described. Habitat factors that influence steelhead with an explanation of why fish are found in certain area. Also included will be the influence of ocean cycles on steelhead productivity, survival and abundance. Pat continued explaining an important factor is looking at the information related to the relationship between steelhead rainbow trout. Pat explained the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Warm Springs Tribes and Umatilla Tribes had recommended to NMFS that they include rainbow trout in the populations of steelhead in the Mid Columbia ESU and NMFS did not do that when they listed the species explaining the NMFS biological review team recommended including the rainbow trout in the populations of steelhead in the Mid Columbia ESU but the rainbow trout were excluded in the listing. Pat continued explaining the recent information including interaction of hatchery fish with steelhead will be included along with changes in regulatory controls, activities to conserve steelhead throughout the ESU and forecasting steelhead survival/extinction into the future by biology specialists will be presented to NMFS prior to the status review. Pat explained NMFS does not have the responsibility to gather data they only have they responsibility to publish a notice that they are accepting information therefore, information needs to be put together and submitted to them or they will rely on what they have at hand.

10. Meeting Schedule

Vice Chairman Kevin Eslinger announced the next meeting will be scheduled for April or May, 2002.

11. Adjourn

All Business having been concluded the meeting adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted