Approved 6/11/13
Wallowa County Technical Committee
May 14, 2013
OSU Extension Conference Room
Present:
Bruce Dunn, Forestry
Coby Menton, Geology
Jamie McCormack, Range
Lance Burton, Range
Russ McMartin
Cynthia Warnock, Conservation
Dana Nave, Hydrology
John Williams, Range
Guests:
Mrs. McMartin
Aaron Maxim, Water Trust
Shawn Mork, USFS
Bruce called the meeting to order at 8:35 a.m.
Minutes
The April meeting was recorded, but for some reason the recorder did not record and so there is no record of minutes for
April 2013. Dana presented a road decommissioning project in the Sled Springs area. There were no objections or
changes to that. Katie Nesbitt did type some notes so Cynthia will see if she could get them from her.
Projects
OWEB Small Grant – Werst Headgate
Applicant: Wallowa SWCD
Watershed: Wallowa
Description: The current headgate for the Werst ditch cannot be closed down totally allowing water and fish to get through.
ODFW will design and build the headgate. The landowners will install it. This grant will be to help pay for the
materials. There is a parshel flume on this ditch for measuring.
Finding: In the Wallowa County Salmon Habitat Recovery Plan and Multi Species Habitat Strategies it states, under
Wallowa river – spring creek to Head of Wallowa Canyon, that irrigation withdrawals is a low priority and that
irrigation efficiency is recommended. (pg. 107)
Recommendation: There were no concerns with this project. They felt it would benefit the fish better.
OWEB Small Grant – Duyck Water Development
Applicant: Wallowa SWCD
Watershed: Joseph
Description: This project is to supply upland water in the Crow Creek area. There is currently a well and the landowner
installed solar panels for the pump. This livestock water system will consist of water pumped to a cistern and
distributed to 4 troughs via gravity flow. There will be floats on the troughs. There are ponds out in this area, but
often they are dry in the summer months. This water system will also benefit wildlife and will distribute the grazing
more evenly.
Finding: In the Wallowa County Salmon Habitat Recovery Plan and Multi Species Habitat Strategies it states, under Joseph
Creek (and tributaries) excess fine sediments and riparian vegetation are high priorities. Keeping livestock and
wildlife in the uplands will help reduce impacts in the streams.
Recommendation: There were no concerns with this project.
OWEB Technical Grant – Wallowa County Juniper Study
Applicant: Wallowa SWCD
Watershed: various
Description: This project is to bring in a juniper specialist to analyze as to whether there should be a concern of juniper
encroachment. The juniper that is being eradicated throughout the state is Western Juniper. The juniper here in
the county is mostly Rocky Mountain juniper and it does not have the studies done on it like Western Juniper has.
The cost on this project is to cover a two-day visit and written report of the specialist. Coby said it would be good
to know if we have an juniper issue so it can be treated before it gets any worse. Juniper also demands a lot of
water which is not good along riparian area and in the uplands grass can’t compete with it. Fire is the only natural
predator of juniper.
Recommendation: The committee thought this would be beneficial to know so plans could be made to eliminate the juniper.
Approved 6/11/13
OWEB– Klages/Patton Ditch Elimination Project
Applicant: Wallowa SWCD
Watershed: Prairie Creek
Description: The project consists of removing 10754 feet of open ditch providing irrigation water to approximately 467 acres
of cropland in 2 ownerships and replacing with 20,370 feet of mainline. Two of the ditches divert water from the
Farmers Ditch, that takes water out of the Wallowa River. The other ditch comes out of Prairie Creek. The spur
ditches supply water to 5 irrigation pumps before dumping into Prairie Creek. The energy use would also be
reduced for pumping.
Finding: In the Wallowa County Salmon Habitat Recovery Plan and Multi Species Habitat Strategies it states, under Prairie
Creek – Elk Fence to Hays Fork excess fine sediments and return flows are high priorities. (pgs. 91-92)
Recommendation: There were no concerns with this project. Coby said, as an OWEB project reviewer, that the Wallowa
County pipeline projects are less per acre than ones in other counties.
USFS– Divide Allotment Water Development
Applicant: USFS
Watershed: Big Sheep Creek
Description: This project is to develop fourteen spring sites to improve livestock distribution in upland areas, decrease
riparian grazing, improve riparian habitat and provide water for wildlife and livestock. These are needed since the
fencing will not allow livestock access to Little Sheep Creek for water. It has gone through the scoping process.
There will be a field trip on June 4th to look at the water sites and to look at what type of development would be the
best (pond, trough etc.). All the sites have water during the dry months, but it is not known how much. They will
look for internal funding and go out for some. It is hope to have ½ of them developed this year.
Finding: In the Wallowa County Salmon Habitat Recovery Plan and Multi Species Habitat Strategies it states, under Big
Sheep Creek – Lick Creek to Imnaha River Bank for is a low priority and excess fine sediments is a high priorities.
(pg. 37)
Recommendation: There were no concerns with this project.
Lower Imnaha Range Analysis (LIRA)
Jamie gave an overview of the analysis. There are 4 allotments as listed:
1. Toomey – is the driveway to assess other allotments and there are old homesteads in it
2. Rhodes Creek Allotment includes part of Cow Creek. There is various soils in this allotment.
3. Cow Creek Allotment has various elevations
4. Lone Pine Allotment is bound by the Imnaha and Snake River and has a high recreation use.
The allotments are very diverse in the slopes, benches and ridges. The challenge is to describe the grazing and logistics.
Terracing and the Spalding’s Catchfly (Toomey and Rhodes Creek) are some other concerns and challenges. Invasive
species is also a problem.
The purpose and need have not changed. Doing the NEPA for these grazing allotments they have to comply with USFS
and the HCNRA plans. Scoping did go out and comments were mostly to protect endangered species plant and riparian
areas. In the alternatives there are 2 that are automatically established - current management and no management. In
the other alternatives there is to do some adaptive management according to the site and they still want to look at forage
reserves, areas of rest, change of season use etc. The trailing will still be allowed so there can be moving to uplands since
there is not alternative route.
In Lone Pine would like to see 3 years on and 1 year off for rotations. There was a question that catchfly research has
shown that disturbance is good for the plant, if livestock is kept off it may kill that plant since the disturbance is taken away.
Various things have been tried to get bunch grass back in the old fields with no success so maybe leaving it the way it is
now may be just as good.
Tribal grazing rights are not permitted. For the allotments these rights are being exercised, the USFS will need to adjust the
animal numbers for permittee(s). It has been proposed to put the Lone Pine allotment in with the others thus eliminating
300 head use (alternative D). An EIS will have to be done because of the Spalding Catchfly. There is no chance there will
not be a take on the plant because it is so dispersed.
Approved 6/11/13
This project will fall under the new regulations for public comment. A draft will be sent out and people can comment. The
USFS will then work through the comments and then the decision will be signed. If there is any questions or discussions
contact Jamie.
Agency Reports
Wallowa County Road Department
 The crews are finishing up the Trail Creek Bridge up Camp Creek.
 There will be a meeting on the Hurricane Creek road project on June 20th, 6:30 pm. at the Cloverleaf Hall.
 The Wallowa Lake State Park will do an overlay on their parking lot. The county will do the asphalt.
 On June 15th there will be a latex paint collection for those who want to get rid of paint they won’t be using.
 The docks will be put out in Wallowa Lake this week.
 There was a question on if the county will be proactive on removing the dead trees along the roads that are dying from
a fungus in the north part of the county. Russ replied that the county does eliminate trees that could be hazardous to
drivers.
Wallowa Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD)
 The District put out another bid for engineering this time for a pipeline off the Farmers Ditch. The funding for this came
from NRCS.
 Landowners participating in the irrigation management practice for NRCS are getting soil monitors in the ground.
 The Sixth Grade Tour will be Wednesday, June 15th.
OSU Extension
 There is a legislative update on the 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 9:00 a.m. at the OSU Conference Room. The last one
will be in June.
 The Union County crops and conservation tour will be June 19th.
 On June 20-22 will be the OCA mid-year meeting in Baker City. This is their 100 year celebration.
 The Range Field Day will be at the Eastern Oregon Experiment Station south of Burns, Oregon.
Natural Resource Advisory Committee (NRCS)
 The Standing Committee is working with the Forest Collaborative group on implementation of projects in Lower Joseph
Creek. For the forestry portion, more data needs to be gathered to make it NEPA ready.
Freshwater Trust
 Aaron said he is still looking for an audience to tell what they do. Most of his work has been over in Catherine Creek.
 They will have a tour to look at what collaboration can do.
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
 Lance reported that they have 4 Leafy Spurge contracts for this upcoming year in the Leap area.
 Irrigation projects have been completed this spring in time for this irrigation season.
U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
 There are several contracts out for work in the Cache Creek area for weed treatment.
 They will be looking internally for help in the range position. A person was offered the job, but they did not take it.
 Kris Stein is the new ranger to fill Mary’s position. She will be here in mid-June.
With no further business the meeting was adjourned at 10:48 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted By:
Cynthia Warnock