WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 -69- 023-1289-003.3040
riverbank erosion were most frequently cited as the most serious problem recognized by the people
surveyed. Planning Unit discussions followed. It was agreed that causes of bank erosion along the
mainstem of the Pend Oreille River in WRIA 62 need to be substantiated and then actions developed
by the Watershed Planning Implementing Body to address the issue. Existing sources of inf ormation
include past and on-going erosion surveys within the Box Canyon Reservoir completed by the Pend
Oreille PUD #1 (an interim report is available) and erosion surveys and bank stabilization work
completed by the Kalispel Tribe with Ray Entz as the contact for this work.
Discussion continued on the sources of information available for landowners to address river bank
erosion. The Planning Unit felt that the existing specifications provided by the NRCS are
overwhelming to most landowners. NRCS design specifications are site specific and must be
provided by a certified engineer. At a minimum the NRCS requires that all bank stabilization projects
meet the design criteria of all permitting agencies (including Pend Oreille County, WDFW and the
Army Corps of Engineers). The NRCS streambank stabilization and shoreline protection standards
(which provide criteria for design, implementation and maintenance of streambank stabilization
measures) can be accessed from the internet at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/efotg/.
This plan proposes that the Watershed Planning Implementing Body develop and implement a public
education program and compile bank stabilization strategies that are reasonable for landowners to
implement. The Watershed Planning Implementing Body would then provide assistance to land
owners to implement bank stabilization measures that meet these standards. Additional Best
Management Practices are included within WDFW’s Integrated Streambank Protection Guidelines
which can be accessed from the internet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/hab/ahg/.
It will important for the Implementing Body to coordinate with entities completing riverbank erosion
and stabilization studies in WRIA 62 to develop and implement the Plan actions and to ensure that the
actions are not duplicative of other past, on-going and planned activities in WRIA 62.
In addition, the Planning Unit acknowledged that the Pend Oreille County Shoreline Master Plan
(Pend Oreille County, 1974) and the Pend Oreille County Comprehensive Plan need to be updated
with respect to the current state of river bank erosion, in consideration of land clearing activities that
may exacerbate river bank erosion and river bank stabilization strategies. The town of Cusick
received funding from Ecology to develop a Shoreline Master Plan specific to Cusick. It will be
important for the Implementing Body to review this plan as well as other Shoreline Plans and to
consider coordination of Shoreline Planning within WRIA 62.
4.3.4 H-3b Background and Rationale
Problem Statement: Stream bank erosion in WRIA 62 along the tributaries to the Pend Oreille
River is resulting in degraded riparian habitat and water quality. The causes of stream bank
erosion need to be confirmed and mitigated.
The Watershed Planning Unit agreed that the causes of stream bank erosion on the tributaries to the
Pend Oreille River in WRIA 62 need to be substantiated and then actions developed and implemented
by the Watershed Planning Implementing Body to address the issue. As with Issue H-3a above, the
Planning Unit felt that the existing specifications provided by the NRCS are overwhelming to most
landowners. The recommended Plan actions to develop and implement a public education program
and to compile bank stabilization strategies that are reasonable for landowners to implement were
developed as a result. In addition, the Planning Unit acknowledged that the Pend Oreille County
Shoreline Master Plan (Pend Oreille County, 1974) and the Pend Oreille County Comprehensive Plan
WRIA 62 WMP 032305