WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 -81- 023-1289-003.3040
wide range of interests to represent many potential views on each Sub-basin Work Team. Each Subbasin
Plan Work Team is composed of approximately 15 to 20 representatives and includes diverse
stakeholder representation.
In addition to Sub-basin Planning described above, the NPCC Fish and Wildlife Program also
completed sub-basin summaries for each of the Columbia River sub-watersheds. The sub-basin
summaries are a data compilation of fish life history, distribution, population, biology and habitat
studies, and land use information. These sub-basin summaries provide the necessary informational
framework on which the Sub-basin Plan is developed.
Core members of the Pend Oreille sub-basin team which have the legal responsibility for fish and
wildlife management are the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Coeur d’Alene Tribe,
and the Kalispel Tribe of Indians. Many, but not all of these members, overlap with the Sub-basin
Plan Work Team membership. Their role in the sub-basin team is to provide input on the status of
habitat quality, ongoing monitoring efforts, and habitat strategies; recommend actions to meet habitat
quality objectives; and, assure consistency with other planning efforts.
5.1.2 Salmonid Recovery Planning
A plan for salmon recovery in Washington State was introduced in 1998 and is funded through House
Bill (HB) 2496. In 1999, bull trout was included in this plan, and as a result, WRIA 62 became
involved in the HB 2496 Salmon Recovery Process. The Pend Oreille Conservation District (POCD)
was appointed as the Lead Entity for the Pend Oreille Salmonid Recovery Team in 2000 under the
Salmon Recovery Act (Chapter 77.85 RCW).
The geographic focus of native salmonid recovery planning in the Pend Oreille watershed is WRIA
62, overlapping directly with the Watershed Planning (Chapter 90.82 RCW) area. Locally, focal
species for this planning effort are bull trout, westslope cutthroat trout, and pygmy whitefish.
The goal of the Pend Oreille Salmonid Recovery Team effort is to support native salmonid recovery
in WRIA 62 by improving critical habitat through a cooperative effort between private citizens and
local, state, federal, and tribal governments. The Pend Oreille Salmonid Recovery Team comprises a
citizens’ advisory group (CAG) composed of local citizen stakeholders. A technical advisory group
(TAG) of federal, state, local governments, tribes, and private organizations guides the technical
components of the work. As the Lead Entity for the Pend Oreille Salmonid Recovery Team, the Pend
Oreille Conservation District provides the forum and administrative support for native salmonid
recovery in Pend Oreille County.
The Strategy for Improvement of Native Salmonid Habitat in the Pend Oreille Watershed,
Washington Water Resource Inventory Area 62 (Pend Oreille Conservation District, 2004) was
created to serve as a guide for salmonid recovery planning within WRIA 62. The plan (included in
Appendix I) uses the best available science, local citizen’s knowledge, and technical expertise to
identify and prioritize actions necessary for improvement of native salmonid habitat and populations.
The Strategy serves the following purposes:
• Helps potential project sponsors select projects that clearly fit into a collective, unified
recovery strategy;
• Aids in the project prioritization process;
WRIA 62 WMP 032305