Below are the steering committee recommendations for the actions to be undertaken by the watershed council over the next 15 months. Don‚t miss your opportunity to weigh in!

PROPOSED Short-Term Action Plan of the Marys River Watershed Council DRAFT September 23 1999

ACTION ITEM #1

Goal:

Identify and remove barriers to fish passage on critical areas of the MRWC and sub-basins.

Objectives:

1.Identify willing landowners to participate in private lands culvert assessment.

2.Identify county culverts of highest priority for replacement and improvement.

3.Develop action plan for culverts on public and private land based on available information.

4.Focus efforts on areas with highest potential to improve access to spawning and rearing habitat for cutthroat trout. Work with ODFW to monitor fish populations before and after culvert improvements.

5.Develop grant proposals to fund culvert improvements and replacements both with Benton County and also on private lands at landowners request. 6. Implement projects by summer of 2000

ACTION ITEM #2

Goal:

Monitor water quality and continue developing baseline water quality data for the MRW. Develop action plan to remove the MR from the 303d list.

Objectives:

1.Establish water quality monitoring sub-committee to develop watershed-wide water quality monitoring plan

2.Conduct a brief data-gap analysis to determine where additional monitoring would be beneficial. Look specifically at data available for 303d items.

3.Identify water withdrawals along the Marys and ask inactive permit holders to participate in programs allowing tax breaks for returning water rights to the stream.

ACTION ITEM #3

Goal:

Promote education within the watershed on the importance of, and methods for, improving watershed health through the objective and accurate dissemination of information.

Objectives:

1.Work with willing landowners to conduct riparian restoration projects which can serve as examples to other landowners.

2.Foster stewardship of watershed.

3.Identify high quality wetlands, publish their extent.

4.Highlight funding opportunities for watershed restoration projects on agricultural lands.

5.Work with willing landowners to demonstrate erosion control practices on Christmas tree farms.

For Last Month's Meeting Highlights Check out our web page at www.Marys.river-wc.peak.org.

If you don‚t have internet access or would just like a hard copy, call Sandra Coveny at 758-7597 or send email to sandrac@peak.org