Minutes of the Marys River Watershed Council Meeting
September 3, 2003

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 and brief introductions followed.

At 7:10 the committee reports began:

• Outreach and Education had no meeting and nothing to report
• Land, Air and Water Committee: met twice and worked on the Action Plan, Other items of concern are Benton County's work on a riparian area protection program, the Corvallis airport master plan, changes from low to high density zoning in Philomath and update on the Dessler Industrial Park property.
• Fish Passage Committee: At their meeting they talked about the project the county is involved with and Liz Dent's work on the Action Plan. Private landowners are encouraged to participate in the culvert program
• Steering Committee: met on the 25th of August, and discussed the Action Plan. They also finalized Sandra Coveny's work contract. Janine Salwasser, who has been with OWEB and has a background in natural resources, volunteered to join the steering committee and this was welcomed by consensus.
• Additional notes: Liz Dent indicated that she had received most committees' input.
• Water Quality Monitoring Committee- met August 31 and did a field trip, measuring flow rates on the Marys River and Greasy Creek. Flow rates were calculated to be between 4.1cfs and 13.1 cfs are (see minutes for this committee for details).
• Sandra Coveny gave an update of her activities, among which is developing a propsal for Marys River Park, which may involve a restoration tour, as well as a restoration program.

The speaker program began at 8pm, with Jared Rubin, DEQ's Willamette Basin Coordinator, giving us some basic information on the State's 303(d) list. Among the important changes he mentioned, the Marys River is now listed for not meeting dissolved oxygen (DO) standards .He also invited comment on the proposed revision of water quality criteria for temperature, a change in criterion from 13C (for "salmonid spawning") to 18C (for "salmonid rearing"). Copies of the proposed rule can be obtained on the DEQ Water Temperature Criteria web site at: www. deq.state.or.us/wq/standards/WQStds/Temp.htm. Comments on the proposed changes may be submitted in writing via mail, fax, or e-mail at any time prior to the comment deadline of Friday, October 3, 2003. Send them to: Emily Smith, Oregon DEQ, Water Quality Division, 811 SW Sixth Ave, Portland, OR 97204-1390. There is also an opportunity to give input during the scheduled public hearings . Check the DEQ website for details. Jared answered numerous questions from the audience.

Our second speaker was Bill Ferber,Oregon Water Resources Dept (WRD), who is the watermaster for several counties, including ours. He discussed water rights, and explained alot about their complexities, as well showing us that no new water rights would be approved by the WRD for the Marys River during June through November above Muddy Creek. Other topics covered were instream water rights, and ways a water right could be lost. The WRD works on a complaint basis, and based on the measurements obtained for the Marys River, Thom Whittier registered a verbal complaint with the watermaster, that the Marys River flow this August was below the instream water rights level. Many questions were asked of the watermaster. The meeting adjourned at 9:07.