Meeting Summary Hangman Creek Water Quality Improvement Planning Meeting Chair: Rick Noll, Spokane County Conservation District (SCCD) Present: Reanette Boese, Spokane County Shallan Dawson, Spokane County Conservation District Cathy Mc Beth Charlie Johnson Gary Ostheller William Sayres, Jr. Lon Ottosen Russ Emtman Pat and Jennie Kane Penney Tee Micki Harnois Gerald Green, Coeur d’ Alene Tribe AGENDA The meeting was called to order at 6:37p.m.and began with introductions. The minutes for October were distributed and reviewed. Rick asked for any comments or corrections to the October minutes. There were no comments or changes Motion was made to approve the October minutes by Reanette Boese and was seconded by Gerald Green. Motion carried. OLD BUSINESS Time sheets Rick asked for everyone to please fill out their timesheets and turn them in. Public comment Rick opened the floor for public comment. There was no public comment. Rockford treatment lagoons Rick reviewed an outline distributed by Elaine Snouwaert (Ecology) about the lagoons and Ecology’s response. According to Ecology, any water discharged to Rock Creek will be treated. No sludge is to be discharged to the creek. New BUSINESS Charlie Johnson discussed getting jackets or vests for the committee members. Motion was made to have the Conservation District or Ecology provide Hangman Creek jackets for the committee members by Charlie Johnson and was seconded by Lon Ottosen. Motion carried. Issues for Audit Sheets Rick, along with Shallan Dawson, attended a issue “marketing” workshop last month put on by the Department of Ecology. The workshop provided guidelines and suggestions on evaluating issues within a group setting. Rick suggested using some of the guides from the workshop on the developed issue list. The issues list that was handed out originated from water quality issues identified by this group. This is not a comprehensive list, and can be modified at any time. Although issues might not be directly tied to water quality, they should have some link. The first issue discussed was sedimentation from livestock. The desired behavior is to fence livestock or install hard crossings to reduce sediment delivery to the creek. The competing behavior is to water livestock in the stream. Benefits or motivations to removing livestock from watering in the creek were identified as: Improve water quality Improve riparian areas & habitat, reduce runoff Cows prefer to drink clean water Save money on fines, decrease penalties Protecting property value Reduce erosion and fecal to the creek Cost share incentive to install fence and water system or crossing Influencing neighbors and it is the right thing to do Costs or barriers to removing livestock from watering in the creek were identified as: Cost money Tradition, always done it this way Inconvenience, need to install water system, power source Need to remove fence during floods Added maintenance of fence & cattle Water rights for surface water withdrawal Not the current normal operation Takes land out of production Could become the rule instead of a suggestion Obstacle to wildlife migration Once fence is installed, it could become mandatory Need weed control, that was done by livestock Benefits or motivations to watering livestock in the creek, the current behavior, were identified as: Easy, convenient More cows can access the stream Costs less, cheaper No government interference It is the natural thing to do Provides fire control by keeping shrubs down More land in production, especially for leased land Costs or barriers to the current behavior were identified as: Loss of land due to erosion Contributing to pollution Possible Fines, enforcement actions Livestock Health Missing opportunities for financial assistance The second issue discussed was sediment from agricultural field ditches. The desired behavior is to install grass waterways, although these could be flow dependent. The competing behavior is to have ditches. Benefits or motivations to grass waterways were identified as: Productive soil retained on farmland High production of hay Waterways can be farmed, leaving Increased production on all lands by returning eroded soil to clay knobs Stewardship advantages such as passing productive farmland on to the next generation Costs or barriers identified for grass waterways were identified as: Taking land out of grain production Costs money to install Vague regulations from various governments Takes too much land out of Change in perception, paradigm shift Shoreline management Benefits or motivations to the current behavior, using ditches, were identified as: Moves water out and reduces flooding Fields dry out faster and can be worked sooner Costs or barriers to using ditches were identified as: Soil is washed through ditches into Ditches are an obstacle to equipment, as they cannot be crossed The third issue addressed was sediment from gravel and summer roads. The desired behavior is to pave roads, close roads in the winter, or to maintain roads properly year round. The competing behavior is to do nothing. Benefits or motivations for paving or maintaining roads were identified as: Reduction of sediment being Roads need to be prioritized based on water quality concerns Costs or barriers for paving or maintaining roads were identified as: Loss of recreation for 4x4’s and Costs money to pave and Would require a change in policy, enforcement, and possibly taxes Benefits or motivations for road maintenance were identified as: Does not cost anything to maintain current system. Costs or barriers for doing nothing were identified as: Loss of roads over time, costing Ecology could determine summer and gravel roads are point-source pollution Homework Review the completed audit sheets, complete sheets for the next three or four issues Next Meeting The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 20, 2005, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Fairfield Community Center. November 18, 2004
land in production Excellent habitat for small wildlife
can be costly Landowner versus producer goals or interests
production in some areas Change in equipment
Hangman Creek High maintenance
delivered to stream Reduction of air pollution and less dust
hunters Reduction or loss of access for farm equipment
maintain roads County does not have the manpower
more in the future Increases runoff and sediment in other areas
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 p.m.