Approved 10/14/14
Wallowa County Technical Committee
September 9, 2014
OSU Extension Conference Room
Present:
Bruce Dunn, Forestry
Cynthia Warnock, Conservation
Brian Clapp, Weeds
John Williams, Range
Jamie McCormack, Range
Coby Menton, Geology
Lance Burton, Range
Harold Black, Planner
Kyle Bratcher, Fish Biologist
Bruce called the meeting to order at 8:31 a.m.
Minutes
There was one correction to the August minutes. It was waters of the United States instead of states. The
minutes were approved with the one change.
Mount Howard National Natural Landmarks Proposal
A person felt that the east peak of Mount Howard has the best quality and most diverse example of Montane
Grasslands remaining in the Columbia Plateau and because of this nominated it for the National Natural
Landmark designation. It is a nice award, but should not affect any natural resource management. Harold
said he has concerns about the designation and that it might hurt the way the tram does business in the
future. We can write a letter expressing our concern that is might affect the infrastructure that is up there.
This is something that needs to go to the Standing committee.
Update From Tami
The following is an update from Tami that was sent out to all the committee members:
 The new Regional Forester is Jim Pena who was the Associate Deputy Chief for the National Forest System
in the Forest Service National Headquarters. Jim has provided leadership at the national level for the
National Forest System programs of Forest Management, Range Manage, Engineering,
Recreation/Heritage/Volunteer Programs, Natural Resource Management and
Watershed/Fish/Wildlife/Air/Rare Plants.
 The new Deputy District Ranger is Jake Lubera from the White Mountain National Forest in New
Hampshire where he is an Assistant Distant Ranger for Recreation, Wilderness, Lands, and Special Uses. He
is a graduate of the University of Maine with a B.S in Forestry and has a diverse background ranging from
fire, to heritage, to recreation and emergency operations including hurricanes and avalanches.
 Clint Foster is currently detailed into the Wallowa Mountains Zone silviculturist position (Vice-Holcomb).
He comes to us from the Cascades Resource Area on the Salem District of the Bureau of Land
Management, and he has also served as a presale Forester on the Salem District, Sale Administrator on the
Eugene District, and lead Silviculturist in the Siuslaw Resource Area.
Agency Reports
U.S. Forest Service
 There were 4 new fires starts this week, most of them man-caused. The Somers fire is dying down. There
is still fire burning in the Minam. There is also one up at Ice Lake which is the west fork of the Wallowa
River.
 The assistant ranger will begin the 1st of October.
 The outreach for the Forest Supervisor’s position has been put out and will close next week. The selection
process will be on the regional level.
 Jamie is not sure what will be done to replace Tami’s position.
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There is a detailer filling Adrian’s position right now.
The objection period is over for the Puderbaugh vegetative treatment and it is going forward.
The Lick Creek culvert will be replaced this year
They are still working on consultation for the Spalding Catchfly in the Lower Imnaha Range Analysis.
Data is being collected this year in Big Sheep Creek since this will be the next range analysis.
Nesbitt and Morgan Butte vegetative treatment proposal is in the early stages.
Some of the water developments on the Divide have been implemented. Others developments will be
done as funding becomes available.
The maps for current roads and the roads designation are out for public review. Some are at the county
courthouse and Extension. There has not been a specific time set yet for comments to be in by.
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW)
 Kyle reported that the culverts on Whiskey Creek and Walupa Road are currently being replaced. There
was a work window extension granted for these projects.
 They are in the middle of the Chinook spawning surveys. The counts in the Wenaha look good. There
were lots of hatchery fish up in that system that shouldn’t have been there.
 The steelhead estimates look good this year. Last year at this time there were 12,000 over the dam and
this year there have been 16,000. Normally 70% are one-salt and 30% two-salt. This year the two-salt
percentage is higher.
 Roy Elicker has taken a position with U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services and will leave on October 10th.
 For the wolf – efforts have begun to go to phase II of the wolf plan when the number of breeding pairs is
announced later this year.
Wallowa Resources
 Most of the spray season is over. Brian felt that they did a good job and got a lot done. They are still
working on BLM land in the Troy area and on ground in Big Sheep Creek. They are finishing up on
Ketscher’s property addressing the medusa head.
 The state ODA board will be out in a couple of weeks to look at treatment projects there have been done
in the county.
 Looks like the Lick Creek culvert will be funded.
 They have a 1990 Ford extended cab for sale that belonged to Jim Henson. There is 10,000 miles on the
rebuilt engine. The paint on the outside is not in the best condition. If interested, contact Wallowa
Resources.
Grande Ronde Model Watershed (GRMW)
 BPA, for their effectiveness monitoring (Columbia Habitat Monitoring Program CHMP), has hired a firm
(Tetra Tech) to sample and survey potential project so there is pre and post data. They did do the pre
project survey on the Sheep Ridge Diversion and found many fish species below, but not many above the
diversion. Having this data is a good thing.
 For the Baker project on the Wallowa River, ODFW is the project manager and the GRMW is the fiscal
partner. The south side is eroding and so they will do willow and cottonwood galleries which will enhance
the habitat. They publically advertised for engineering and received 3 proposals. Anderson & Perry was
awarded the contract.
 They will submit 3 OWEB project proposals. A construction proposal for Sheep Ridge Diversion, the
stream gauging proposal and maybe a construction one for the Baker project.
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Wallowa County Planning Department
 Harold said they hired a new office person, Ashley Lee, who will be working in the Planning Department in
the mornings.
 The department is working on some rule making.
 LCDC is offering code-making workshops around the state. Wallowa County has done a good job keeping
their codes up to date.
 Dr. Hamm, who owns property east of Loomis Terrace, will be building a house on that property.
 Below Lake Shore Drive, a property owner wanted to put in a 4x4 path and assured they would not cut
into the moraine. Well they did make cuts to put the ATV trail in and so now they are working with the
county to mitigate this problem and stabilize the road banks. The road department is assisting on this
one.
 FEMA and NMFS are still going back and forth on the rulings FEMA will have to abide by to comply with
the endangered species act. For Oregon if this is to comply with the ESA for fish, there will be no
development within the 100 year flood plane or in areas that may have future meanders. The proposal
NMSF wants will also affect levies and dykes. The Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA are both opposing
NMFS’s proposals. It looks like it may have to go back to Washington D.C. to be worked out.
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
 Lance reported that they are finishing up things for the end of the fiscal year which is the end of this
month.
Natural Resource Advisory Committee (NRAC)
 Bruce said the County Commissioners voted and approved to put the Lower Joseph Creek Assessment in
the County Land Use plan.
 There is a Lower Joseph Creek meeting with the ID team 1:00 p.m. of the 23rd to discuss the proposed road
closures in one of the alternatives.
 This Wednesday and Thursday, folks from the OSU Forestry department will be talking about research,
understanding the collaborative and partners, and explore more teachings. It will begin at 9:00 a.m. on
September 10th with a tour on the 11th looking at small diameter wood and biomass facilities.
 Cynthia is working on criteria for gates on county roads as a request from the County Commissioners.
Things that will be looked at when considering a gate are is it a public or county road, is it needed for
grazing proposes, will it inhibit emergency vehicle access etc.
 The Travel Management Plan (TMP) maps are out for public comment. There are maps at the court house
and also at the extension Service. Bruce encouraged people to look at the maps and make comments.
OSU Extension
 On September 16th there will be a range monitoring workshop for USFS permittees and others that would
like to learn a couple methods to monitor range use. It will begin at 9:00 a.m. at the bottom of the Sheep
Creek Hill. John will cover the part on photo monitoring.
 The evening of September 21st is 4-H family appreciation dinner and awards.
 The Oregon Department of Agriculture will hold its quarterly meeting in Enterprise beginning on
September 24th. The afternoon of the 25th they will tour various farms and learn what producers here in
the County are doing. They will wrap up with meetings on the 26th.
 John has been working on the wolf research and the portion where they are looking at the use of offstream watering sites.
Approved 10/14/14
Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD)
 Cynthia has been working on final reports on pipeline projects.
 Lisa is still doing water samples in Prairie Creek and will do so until March of 2015.
With no further business the meeting adjourned at 10:15 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted by:
Cynthia Warnock