S T A T E O F W A S H I N G T O N

JOINT NATURAL RESOURCES CABINET

FEBRUARY 2002

REFERENCE GUIDE

TO SALMON RECOVERY

Cover Photo Credits: ! Chris Detrick, WA Department of Fish and

Wildlife (top) ! WA State Department of Tourism (center) ! WA State Department of Tourism (bottom)

The Joint Natural Resources Cabinet In May of 1997, Governor Gary Locke and agency heads signed a memorandum agreeing to establish the Joint Natural Resources Cabinet to serve as the ��forum and ongoing institutional framework to promote interagency communication, coordination and policy direction on environmental and natural resource issues.� Special Assistant to Governor Locke for Natural Resources, Curt Smitch Department of Agriculture, Bill Brookreson, Acting Director Conservation Commission, Steve Meyer, Executive Director Office of Community Development, Busse Nutley, Director Department of Ecology, Tom Fitzsimmons, Director Department of Fish and Wildlife, Jeff Koenings, Director Department of Health, Mary Selecky, Secretary Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation, Laura Johnson, Director Department of Natural Resources, Doug Sutherland, Commissioner of Public Lands Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Planning Council, Larry Cassidy, Member Pacific Northwest Electric Power and Conservation Planning Council, Tom Karier, Member Parks and Recreation Commission, Cleve Pinnix, Director Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team, Nancy McKay, Chair Office of Trade and Economic Development, Martha Choe, Director Department of Transportation, Doug MacDonald, Secretary To access a copy of this report contact: http://www.governor.wa.gov/esa Governor�s Salmon Recovery Office PO Box 43135 Olympia WA 98504-3135 FAX (360) 902-2215 (360) 902-2216

The Statewide Strategy to Recover Salmon: Extinction is Not an Option (September1999) emphasizes the importance of salmon recovery at the watershed and regionallevels. Four tools to assist people working on salmon recovery in their watershedsand regions, including this Reference Guide to Salmon Recovery, have beenendorsed for use in Washington by the Joint Natural Resources Cabinet:

Reference Guide to Salmon Recovery (February, 2002) is intended to clarifywhat salmon recovery means, what is happening, and who is involved at differentgeographic scales. This information will help people who are interested in salmonrecovery and habitat conservation in their watershed better understand thebroader context of salmon recovery. It will also identify some of the sources ofadditional information that are available to them. Preparation of the ReferenceGuide was coordinated by the Governor�s Salmon Recovery Office.

Guidance on Watershed Assessment for Salmon (May, 2001) will help watershedgroups, state agencies, and others understand what kinds of assessment areneeded to support decisions about projects and other actions to protect andrestore habitat for salmon. The effectiveness of salmon conservation effortsdepends on the kind of information we use to make our decisions. The Guidanceon Watershed Assessment was developed by an interdisciplinary workgroup oftechnical specialists under the direction of the Governor�s Salmon RecoveryOffice.

Roadmap for Salmon Habitat Conservation at the Watershed Level (February,2002) picks up where the Guidance on Watershed Assessment ends. TheRoadmap will help local groups take key steps needed for salmon habitatconservation in their watershed and relate their work to regional salmon recoveryplanning. It provides specific information on steps needed to conserve salmonhabitat in a watershed. Information on how these steps can be taken is providedwith the understanding that local groups can and will need to tailor these stepsfor their watershed. The Governor�s Salmon Recovery Office coordinateddevelopment of the Roadmap.

Regional Recovery Plan Model (February, 2002) identifies essential elementsof a regional salmon recovery plan. It provides guidance to regional salmonrecovery planning organizations for coordinating development of regional salmonrecovery plans. A salmon recovery plan is a comprehensive document thatdefines the actions needed to recover one or more salmon species or populationswithin a specific region. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlifecollaborated with the Governor�s Salmon Recovery Office and others to developthe Model as part of a new program established by the Legislature to providefunds for regional salmon recovery plans.

TTTTTABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTSABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1

What is Salmon Recovery? ........................................................................................................... 1

How is Salmon Recovery Different from ESA Compliance? .......................................................... 2

What is Going on in Salmon Recovery? ........................................................................................ 4

Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................13

AppendixResources and Contacts in Salmon Recovery ..................................................................... A-1

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REFERENCE GUIDE TREFERENCE GUIDE TREFERENCE GUIDE TREFERENCE GUIDE TREFERENCE GUIDE TO SALMON RECOO SALMON RECOO SALMON RECOO SALMON RECOO SALMON RECOVERYVERYVERYVERYVERY

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTIONIn 1997, Governor Gary Locke convened 13 stateagency heads to establish the Joint NaturalResources Cabinet. The Cabinet’s role is topromote interagency communication,coordination and policy direction on environmentaland natural resources issues. In 1999, the Cabinetdeveloped the “Statewide Strategy to RecoverSalmon: Extinction is Not an Option” to outlinethe vision, goals and objectives necessary to keepsalmon from becoming extinct in Washington.

The Strategy identified four main areas ofemphasis, referred to as the “four Hs” – habitat,harvest, hatcheries and hydropower – andstressed that recovery efforts need to beappropriately integrated at the federal, state,regional and watershed levels.

Salmon recovery offers an opportunity to linkefforts that seem disconnected and unrelated. Forinstance, water and lands have generally beenmanaged separately. Removing native vegetationand increasing hard surfaces such as roads andparking lots has a direct impact on the amount,timing and quality of surface and groundwatersupplies. In turn, health of salmon populations issubstantially affected by these impacts on water.

While salmon recovery efforts are taking place innearly every part of Washington, federal, state,tribal and local governments recognize that thebest solutions stem from collaborative andcoordinated approaches implemented throughlocal initiatives for regions, watersheds andstream reaches.

Local initiatives have been established in manywatersheds to address stream degradation,declining salmon populations, and increaseddemands for using water and land. Regionalgroups have been established or are beingorganized to coordinate salmon recovery activitiesacross most of the state. Most of these watershedand regional initiatives to recover salmon still aredefining their scope and intentions in the face ofcompetition with other pressing social andeconomic needs.

Effective recovery of salmon populations and theirhabitat requires a high degree of coordination andplanning. Salmon recovery efforts are planned orare underway at a variety of geographic scalesand levels of government. This document will helpclarify what salmon recovery means, what ishappening in salmon recovery, and who’s involvedin salmon recovery. A companion document, the“Roadmap for Salmon Habitat Conservation atthe Watershed Level,” describes how theseefforts can inter-relate and offers questions thatshould be addressed.

WHAWHAWHAWHAWHAT IS SALMON RECOT IS SALMON RECOT IS SALMON RECOT IS SALMON RECOT IS SALMON RECOVERY?VERY?VERY?VERY?VERY?Since the late 19th century, many populations ofnaturally-spawning salmon have suffered asevere decline. During the 1990s, this decline inpopulations of several salmon species resultedin numerous listings as threatened or endangeredwith extinction under the Endangered SpeciesAct.

The vision of salmon recovery adopted in the 1999“Statewide Strategy to Recover Salmon” is to

“Salmon” refers to all species ofsalmon, steelhead, trout and charnative to Washington.

A “watershed” is the area of landthat water flows across or under on itsway to a river, lake or ocean. Itincludes all surface fresh water andadjacent estuaries and marine areas. Aframework for watershed boundariesis provided through the state’sdesignation of 62 Water ResourceInventory Areas (WRIAs).

“Habitat conservation” includesprotecting, maintaining and restoringhabitat to support the needs ofsalmon.

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“restore salmon, steelhead and trout populationsto healthy, harvestable levels and improve habitaton which fish rely.”

For salmon to continue to exist and recoverrequires sustainable salmon population size andproductivity, genetic diversity and healthyfunctioning habitats. Functioning habitats forsalmon spawning, rearing and migration include:

Adequate amounts of cool, clean and well-oxygenated freshwater;Fully-functioning riparian corridors with largewoody debris and other habitat-formingstructures in the stream channel;High quality estuarine, marine and nearshorehabitats;Adequate supplies of food and cover, andrefuge from predators;Unimpeded access to and from freshwaterhabitat.

HOW IS SALMON RECOHOW IS SALMON RECOHOW IS SALMON RECOHOW IS SALMON RECOHOW IS SALMON RECOVERYVERYVERYVERYVERYDIFFERENT FROM ESA COMPLIANCE?DIFFERENT FROM ESA COMPLIANCE?DIFFERENT FROM ESA COMPLIANCE?DIFFERENT FROM ESA COMPLIANCE?DIFFERENT FROM ESA COMPLIANCE?Congress enacted the Endangered Species Act(ESA) in 1973 to:“provide a means whereby the ecosystems uponwhich endangered species depend may beconserved, to provide a program for theconservation of such endangered species andthreatened species, and to take such steps asmay be appropriate to achieve the purposes ofthe treaties and conventions set forth in the Act.”

Species can be determined to be eitherthreatened or endangered. The term endangeredrefers to any species that is in danger of extinctionthroughout all or a significant portion of its range.Threatened species are those determined likelyto become endangered within the foreseeablefuture.

A decision to list as threatened or endangeredmust be made “solely on the basis of the bestscientific and commercial data available.” Also,state and local conservation programs may beconsidered during the federal decision-makingprocess on whether to list species. Economicimpacts cannot be considered in the listingdecision. However, economic impacts may betaken into account in designating critical habitat,as part of regulatory processes to protect listedspecies, and in recovery planning.

The goal under the ESA is successful recoveryof threatened or endangered species to the pointwhere they no longer need the protection of theAct. The goal of salmon recovery is to restoresalmon populations to healthy and harvestablelevels. This includes many efforts being pursuedby federal, state, tribal, and local governmentsand private entities to achieve ESA compliance.While these compliance efforts are individuallyand collectively critical to salmon recovery, theyare not comprehensive and are not likely to besufficient to achieve the goal of healthy andharvestable salmon populations.

To better understand the distinction between ESAcompliance efforts and salmon recovery, we needto look at the ESA and its implementingregulations and how they affect state, federal,tribal and local programs and actions and privateactivities. (Also see pages 5-6 for more detailson federal ESA regulations.)

Salmon recovery efforts need to:Focus on effects of human activities andactions in terms of the “four Hs” – habitat,harvest, hatcheries and hydropower;Incorporate social and economicconsiderations into goals, objectives andactions;Include active citizen participation ingovernments’ efforts at watershed andregional levels;Use sound ecological principles – based onthe best available science; andInclude long-term commitments tomonitoring, adaptability and accountability forresults.

The Governor’s Salmon RecoveryOffice, in consultation withWashington Department of Fish andWildlife, National Marine FisheriesService and US Fish and WildlifeService, has identified seven regionsin the state to foster partnershipsamong governments, organizationsand landowners with a stake inrecovering salmon. The regions arebased on recovery needs of distinctgroups of salmon populations listedunder the ESA (roughly equivalent toEvolutionarily Significant Units, orESUs). (see map on p.3)

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Endangered Species Act Listings in Salmon Recovery Regions

ESA Listing Map

Washington Coast • Bull Trout • Lake Ozette Sockeye

Lower Columbia River • Bull Trout • Chinook • Chum • Steelhead

Puget Sound

• Bull Trout • Chinook • Chum

Upper Columbia River • Bull Trout • Chinook • Steelhead

Middle Columbia River • Bull Trout • Steelhead

Northeast Washington

• Bull Trout Snake River

• Bull Trout • Chinook • Sockeye • Steelhead

Depending upon the species at risk, either theNational Marine Fisheries Service (coho, chinook,chum, sockeye and steelhead) or the U.S. Fishand Wildlife Service (bull trout and cutthroat) isthe administering agency of the EndangeredSpecies Act and its implementing regulations.Under the ESA, both NMFS and USFWS havethree basic missions:1. Identify species needing protection and the

means necessary to protect and recoverthose species;

2. Prevent and enforce against harm to listedspecies and destruction of their habitats; and

3. Develop recovery plans for listed species.

A decision to list species triggers key regulatorymechanisms of the Endangered Species Act,which include prohibition against taking the listedspecies, procedures for getting exceptions toallow take, and enforcement of the requirementsof the Act. To date, NMFS and USFWS have listed15 salmon populations, or stocks, in Washingtonas threatened or endangered. All these stocksare under ESA protection.

There are several ways that ESA regulations toprotect listed species may affect federal, state,tribal and local governments and private citizens.

MidColumbia

River

PugetSound

WashingtonCoast

UpperColumbia

RiverNortheast

Washington

SnakeRiver

LowerColumbia

River

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If a federal action, such as a federal permit orgrant, may potentially impact a listed species, thefederal agency proposing the action is requiredto consult with the responsible ESA agency. Theconsultation determines whether and to whatextent the action will adversely impact the species.When it is determined there will be adverseimpacts, the action is either prohibited or modifiedso that the species and its habitat are conservedand the species is not in further jeopardy ofextinction. The types of actions that can beaffected range from the amount of water madeavailable to irrigators, to the way Columbia Riverhydropower systems are operated, to the quantityof timber harvested from federal forests.

Litigation to enforce the requirements of the ESAcan be initiated by the federal government or bycitizens. For example, an irrigation district insouthwest Oregon was forced to remove anirrigation dam to protect a listed fish species.Violations of the ESA can also result in both civiland criminal penalties.

State, tribal, local and private entities concernedabout potential impacts from their activities onESA-listed salmon and salmon habitat that theymay not be able to avoid have several optionsavailable to them to address any adverse impacts.These options provide procedures for complyingwith ESA and include the following:

Qualifying for coverage under Section 7consultation. In situations where state orlocal actions include a federal nexus (i.e.,funded or approved by a federal agency) andcommitments are made to implementingapproved conservation measures, it ispossible to comply with ESA by obtainingcoverage under an Incidental Take Statementas part of a Section 7 consultation by theresponsible federal agencies. For example,many state transportation projects that arefederally funded are complying with ESA byimplementing conservation measures andfollowing procedures covered in federalagencies’ Section 7 consultations.

Modifying programs to qualify forrecognition under Section 4(d) rules.Certain types of programs and activities canbe modified to implement measures toconserve listed salmon. Such conservation

measures may qualify the program for limitson take prohibition that are included in ESASection 4(d) rules adopted by NMFS orUSFWS to protect threatened species (seep. 5 - 6 for more details). For example, theharvest management elements of theSummer Chum Salmon ConservationInitative for Hood Canal and the Strait of Juande Fuca has received recognition from NMFSunder the 4(d) rules adopted in July 1999.

Developing a Habitat Conservation Plan(HCP) and obtaining an Incidental TakePermit under Section 10 of the ESA. Privatelandowners, public agencies and others havedeveloped HCPs which allow limited impactson specific listed species (i.e., incidental take)while instituting conservation measures toensure that populations of one species arenot jeopardized by the permitted activities. Forexample, the Mid-Columbia Public UtilityDistricts have spent millions of dollars inhabitat improvements and dam modificationsto conserve listed fish species and to developan HCP, and the Washington Department ofNatural Resources (DNR) has an approvedHCP for 1.6 million acres of state forest landfocused primarily on habitat conservationstrategies for ESA listed species.

All of these ESA compliance options andprocedures provide for identification andimplementation of measures that will conservelisted salmon and their habitat. However, withthe exception of federal agency responsibility toconsult under Section 7, these procedures arenot automatically required, but may be used tocomply with ESA. Individually and collectively,actions to comply with ESA contribute to salmonrecovery, but they are not likely to be sufficientenough to achieve recovery of listed species tohealthy and harvestable population levels.Recovery requires a more comprehensive andcoordinated set of actions that address factorscontributing to the decline of salmon and providereasonable assurance of achieving healthysalmon populations.

WHAWHAWHAWHAWHAT IS GOING ON IN SALMONT IS GOING ON IN SALMONT IS GOING ON IN SALMONT IS GOING ON IN SALMONT IS GOING ON IN SALMONRECORECORECORECORECOVERY?VERY?VERY?VERY?VERY?Current federal, state, tribal, regional and localefforts address the decline in salmon populationsand salmon habitat. This document discusses

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efforts at the different geographic scales at whichhabitat restoration and protection are beingaddressed. It also outlines other salmon recoveryefforts related to hydropower, harvest andhatcheries and related efforts under the CleanWater Act. One of the challenges in salmonrecovery is to effectively coordinate across thesedifferent scales of effort.

The following describes briefly some of theprograms or policies involved in salmon recoveryefforts. (Refer to the Appendix for information oncontacting various agencies and organizations.)

Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery at the Coastwide Scaleecovery at the Coastwide Scaleecovery at the Coastwide Scaleecovery at the Coastwide Scaleecovery at the Coastwide ScaleFederal efforts are underway to address salmonrecovery and ESA listings of Pacific salmon inWashington, Oregon, California and Idaho.

1. Federal salmon recovery planning effortsAfter the decision to list a species, NMFS orUSFWS must develop and implement a recoveryplan for conservation and survival of the listedspecies. Although NMFS or USFWS is ultimatelyresponsible for species recovery plans, eachagency is encouraging broad partnerships withstate, tribal and local governments and otherinterests to develop recovery plans.

These federal agencies are charged withquantifying goals and approving plans for salmonrecovery, and are responsible for implementingthe ESA to return threatened and endangeredspecies to the point where they no longer needESA protections. Criteria for delisting speciesdescribe what will be required to remove salmonfrom the endangered species list. Meeting thecriteria to delist species under the ESA is achievedthrough regulatory and voluntary mechanisms.

NMFS recovery goals and plans. InSeptember 2000, NMFS initiated recoveryplanning efforts for several EvolutionarilySignificant Units (ESUs) in the Puget Soundand Lower Columbia Salmon RecoveryRegions. Technical Recovery Teams (TRTs)have been established for the Puget Soundand Lower Columbia Regions, and for theInterior Columbia River Basin including theUpper and Middle Columbia River and SnakeRiver Salmon Recovery Regions. TRTs arecomprised of recognized technical specialistsin disciplines related to salmon recovery.NMFS is actively partnering with state, tribal,

and local interests to define how the TRTswill interact with other regional recoveryinitiatives. Recovery planning will beaccomplished in two inter-related phases.

~Phase I is largely a technical phasewhich includes identification of salmonpopulations and development ofmeasurable salmon recovery goals.These goals will describe the size,diversity and productivity of salmonpopulations and habitat characteristicsthat provide assurance that the specieswill persist into the future.

~Phase II involves an interaction betweentechnical and policy issues. This relieson interaction by the TRTs with otherfederal, state, tribal and local partners.It identifies strategies, actions and atimeframe for comprehensive regionalrecovery plans that include salmonhabitat conservation at the watershedlevel.

Information from both phases is neededto develop habitat conservationstrategies that together with strategies forharvest, hatcheries and hydropower atthe regional level, can help achieverecovery goals for watersheds and ESUs.

USFWS recovery planning. USFWS has ESAresponsibility for bull trout and cutthroat trout.Recovery planning is underway for bull troutwhich were listed as threatened in much ofthe Columbia River Basin in June 1998 andin much of western Washington in November1999. Listing determinations by USFWS forcutthroat trout are due to be made by June2002.

2. Federal ESA compliance effortsProtective regulations. Both NMFS and USFWShave adopted protective regulations underSection 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act thatapply to species listed as threatened, but notthose listed as endangered. Prohibiting take ofendangered species goes into effect as soon asthe species is listed, without any additional rules.

The federal agencies have taken differentapproaches with their protective regulations.USFWS imposes its protective regulations forthreatened species at the time of listing. So for

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bull trout, the take prohibition has been in effectsince the listing, and exceptions would beprovided only if and when the USFWS 4(d) ruleis amended by a special rule. NMFS, on the otherhand, adopts protective regulations generallywithin one year of a listing. NMFS protective rulesdefine what types of state, local, private and tribalactions will have a high likelihood of affectingsalmon.

The ESA and the protective regulations underSection 4(d) define and prohibit “take” of listedspecies. Take of listed species is defined by theAct as “to harass, harm, pursue, ..” and mayinclude direct take through fishing or significanthabitat modification or degradation. In addition,under NMFS 4(d) rules, exceptions or “limits ontake prohibitions” can protect entities (e.g., state,tribal and private) from potential liability under theAct for otherwise lawful activities that mayincidentally take listed salmon. NMFS 4(d) rulesoutline conditions to qualify for several specificlimits on take prohibitions. Generally, to qualify,covered actions must be implemented in a waythat contributes to conservation of listed species.

Some key examples of such limits are:Limit # 10, Road Maintenance, providesprotection from ESA liability for routine roadmaintenance activities that NMFS determinesare consistant with conservation of salmonhabitat. The Tri-County Salmon RecoveryInitiative has submitted proposed roadmaintenance activities and related habitatconservation measures for central PugetSound to NMFS for approval.Limit # 12, Urban Development, is availablefor municipal, residential, commercial andindustrial developments that occur under city,county or regional ordinances or plans thatadequately protect listed salmon.

Take authorizations. Both NMFS and USFWSadminister ESA compliance programs that canallow direct or indirect incidental take of listedspecies. Take can be authorized under bothSection 7 consultation provisions which apply tofederal actions and Section 10 provisions forHabitat Conservation Plans and Incidental TakePermits which apply to state, local or privateentities.

Under ESA Section 7 consultation, federalprograms to fund or approve activities mayreceive authorization for incidental take,

which may also cover related actions by anon-federal entity. Under this section, if aproposed federal action might impact listedsalmon, federal agencies are required toconsult with NMFS and/or USFWS todetermine if the action will jeopardize thespecies. This consultation requirement canpotentially affect many state and localactivities that are either delegated, funded orauthorized by a federal agency, such astransportation projects, shorelinemanagement guidelines in coastal areas,stormwater management, floodplainmanagement, and funding of protection andrestoration projects.Under Section 10, state and localgovernments and private entities can developHabitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) thatcommit to implement conservation measuresto protect listed species while allowingdevelopment or other lawful activities toproceed, provided the impacts to listedspecies are minimized and mitigated. HCPscan be developed for multiple species, singlespecies, geographic areas and/or for long-term projects, such as transportation projects.Once an HCP is approved by USFWS and/or NMFS, the entity developing the HCPreceives an Incidental Take Permit thatprovides a framework for long-term certaintyof compliance with the Endangered SpeciesAct.

Review of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ permits.Many habitat restoration projects require permitsfrom the Corps of Engineers, and the Section 7consultation process for these permits hasresulted in delays for some projects. The Corpsof Engineers is developing a programmaticSection 7 consultation for habitat restorationprojects. The programmatic consultation willstreamline the National Marine Fisheries Service’sreview of the Corps’ permits, and result in moretimely permits for many in-stream restorationprojects.

3. Other salmon recovery efforts conducted byfederal agencies

Federal land management agencies (e.g., ForestService, Bureau of Land Management, Bureauof Reclamation) have developed and areoperating under regional aquatic conservationstrategies such as the Northwest Forest Plan andESA compliance requirements that apply to

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federal agencies (i.e., Section 7 consultation). Thefederal regional strategies identify prioritywatersheds, define restoration and conservationobjectives, and provide standards and guidelinesfor federal land and water management activities.

In addition, the “Unified Federal Policy for aWatershed Approach to Federal Land andResource Management” was adopted to protectwater quality and aquatic ecosystem health. Thepolicy calls for reducing polluted runoff, improvingnatural resources stewardship, and increasingpublic involvement in watershed management onfederal lands. It calls on federal agencies to worktogether and with states, tribes, localgovernments, private landowners, and otherinterested parties to take a watershed approachto federal land and resource management. Suchwatershed planning will include assessment andmonitoring of watershed conditions, andidentifying priority watersheds to focus budget andother resources.

Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery at the State Scaleecovery at the State Scaleecovery at the State Scaleecovery at the State Scaleecovery at the State Scale1. Statewide Strategy to Recover SalmonThe Joint Natural Resources Cabinet’s “StatewideStrategy to Recover Salmon: Extinction is Not anOption” sets the context and articulates the long-term mission, goals and objectives for salmonrecovery. It also identifies statewide initiativesrelated to the main causes limiting recovery ofspecific salmon populations – the so-called “fourHs”: habitat, harvest, hatcheries and hydropower.

The Statewide Strategy recognizes that regional,watershed and site-specific efforts are appropriatelevels for addressing limiting factors caused byhuman activities and for designing salmon habitatprotection and restoration programs. Whilecertain actions are necessarily carried outstatewide or region-wide, most of the habitatprotection and restoration initiatives are bestcarried out at the watershed level in partnershipwith local, tribal, state and federal agencies andprivate entities.

State Action Plans to implement the StatewideStrategy provide information on state agencyactions conducted in the 1999-2001 biennium aswell as actions to be taken in 2001-2003. Astatewide monitoring strategy and action plan alsois being developed that will assist state, regionaland local recovery efforts develop their own plans

to track progress in implementing strategies andactions and to measure results.

2. Salmon Recovery Funding BoardThe Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB),created in 1999, is responsible for funding salmonhabitat projects and activities that best reflect localpriorities, use the best available science andprovide the greatest benefits to salmon. TheSRFB has provided local groups, referred to asLead Entities, with guidelines and criteria fordeveloping habitat acquisition and restorationstrategies and for project identification and priorityranking. In addition, the SRFB has adopted a setof policies that will be used to evaluate thestrategies and project priorities of local groups.The Board encourages the use of watershedassessments, such as those suggested in the“Guidance on Watershed Assessment forSalmon” document developed by the Joint NaturalResources Cabinet.

3. Project Permit StreamliningLand development, transportation and other typesof projects (including many habitat restorationprojects) that involve work in or near streams,estuaries and marine nearshore waters createinherent risks to salmon habitat. Because of theserisks, most projects that affect aquatic resourcesare regulated through a variety of federal, stateand local permit programs. There are effortsunderway to develop consistent standards,minimize project delays and eliminate duplicativeprocesses, including:

Aquatic Habitat Guidelines. These are a setof specific management guidelines forconsistent application of good science andmanagement practices for design,construction, and operation of projects in,near, or affecting aquatic systems.Permit Process Streamlining. Legislationpassed in 1998 (Second Substitute HouseBill 2879) laid the foundation for improvingpermit processes for habitat protection andrestoration projects. It also authorizedapproaches to streamline state and localpermit requirements for those types ofprojects. More recently, the 2001 Legislaturepassed Engrossed Senate Bill 6188 tostreamline the environmental permit processfor transportation projects. TheTransportation Permit Efficiency andAccountability Committee was established tointegrate environmental standards and to

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develop a one-stop general andprogrammatic permit decision-makingprocess for transportation projects. Thiscommittee will also be looking at howwatershed-based approaches to projectmitigation can support watershed priorities,including fish habitat, as well as supportingmore streamlined permit procedures.

Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery at the Recovery at the Recovery at the Recovery at the Recovery at the Regional Scaleegional Scaleegional Scaleegional Scaleegional ScaleRegional salmon recovery plans will build uponwatershed plans and data in order to address allfactors necessary for salmon recovery within theregion. The general elements to be covered bywatershed plans that can then be incorporatedinto regional plans are outlined in the “Roadmapfor Salmon Habitat Conservation at theWatershed Level” (February 2002). The numberof fish caught both commercially andrecreationally, as well as hatchery management,must be coordinated with habitat protection andrestoration. Efforts coordinated at the regionallevel are likely to be more efficient and effectiveand correspond to ESUs identified by NMFS inlisting salmon under the Endangered Species Act.

In 2001, the Legislature provided state funds forcoordination and development of regional salmonrecovery plans. WDFW is administering this grantprogram for regional entities engaged in salmonrecovery planning. The Legislature also requiredWDFW to develop a “Regional Recovery PlanModel” for use by regional entities.

There are several regional salmon recoveryefforts underway:

The Shared Strategy for Recovery of Salmonin Puget Sound (Shared Strategy)encompasses all the watersheds surroundingPuget Sound, based on the ESU for chinook,and including the ESU for Hood Canal chum.The Shared Strategy identifies habitatconservation work at the watershed level asa fundamental building block for the regionalrecovery plan and its successfulimplementation. This work includesrestoration projects and protection programs.

An additional effort in central Puget Sound isthe Tri-County Salmon Recovery Initiative.This voluntary initiative was created by thethree most populous and urban counties inWashington. It includes King, Pierce andSnohomish county governments, tribal

governments, and an array of cities, towns,business leaders and environmentalists. Thisalliance faces the special problems of urbanpopulation growth, land use planning, andprotection of streams and fish in anincreasingly developed environment. Thisthree-county alliance is working with NMFSand USFWS to determine how localprograms can meet the needs of salmon, andthe need for predictability in reconciling therestoration and protection of salmon habitatwith continued population growth andeconomic expansion. The Tri-CountyInitiative has both a short-range componentand a long-range component. The long-rangecomponent is founded on watershedconservation strategies in each of the WaterResources Inventory Areas (WRIAs) in thethree counties, with the intention ofincorporating these efforts into the SharedStrategy.

The Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board,a partnership of five counties in southwestWashington, was created by the Legislaturein 1998. The region encompasses fiveWRIAs from the White Salmon River to themouth of the Columbia River. The Board isworking with local governments, tribes and atechnical advisory committee to coordinatestate and local salmon recovery andwatershed planning within the LowerColumbia region. Like the Tri-CountyInitiative, the Lower Columbia Fish RecoveryBoard’s long-range efforts will rely onimplementation of watershed conservationstrategies.

The Upper Columbia Salmon RecoveryBoard is a partnership of Chelan, Douglasand Okanogan counties, the Yakama Nation,the Colville Confederated Tribes, and stateand federal agencies, and includes sevenWRIAs. Its mission is to restore healthy runsof fish through collaborative efforts, combinedresources, and wise resource managementin the Upper Columbia Region. It is supportedby a regional technical team that hasdeveloped priorities for projects to besubmitted to the Salmon Recovery FundingBoard for financial support.

The Snake River Salmon Recovery RegionCommittee is a partnership of Walla Walla,

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Garfield, Asotin, Columbia, and parts ofFranklin and Whitman counties, theConfederated Tribes of the Umatilla IndianReservation and Nez Perce Tribe, and stateand federal agencies. Within this region, aHabitat Conservation Plan is being developedfor the Walla Walla watershed to addresswater supply and fish habitat needs.

Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery at the Wecovery at the Wecovery at the Wecovery at the Wecovery at the Watershed Scaleatershed Scaleatershed Scaleatershed Scaleatershed ScaleSome factors affecting salmon recovery, such asharvest management, can be addressed at theregional scale. Habitat issues are best addressedat the watershed level. With this understanding,the state has made major policy and financialcommitments to watershed planning and salmonhabitat restoration and protection at the watershedlevel, including:

The 1998 Watershed Planning Act(commonly called “2514” after the legislativebill number that created it) provides forplanning at the watershed level. As of June2001, governments in 40 WRIAs havecreated 29 voluntary planning efforts calledWatershed Planning Units.

Planning Units provide a framework forworking partnerships that focus on the naturalboundaries of watersheds rather than thehuman-made boundaries of counties, cities,and other jurisdictions.

For one or more WRIAs, the countygovernment, the largest town or city, togetherwith the largest water purveyor, have theoption to convene a process that can bringtogether tribal and local governments andprivate citizens. The Watershed PlanningUnits that are formed decide what actionsneed to be taken in their watershed to provideadequate water for fish and other water users.In addition to planning required to addresswater quantity for people and fish, mostconvening local governments and PlanningUnits have chosen to also address waterquality and fish habitat issues affecting theirwatershed. Substantive decisions will bemade by state and local agencies based onthe outcomes of these watershed planningefforts.

Map of Water Resource Inventory Areas

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The Watershed Planning Act requires thatPlanning Units rely upon habitat restorationactivities being developed under the SalmonRecovery Planning Act as the primary non-regulatory component for fish habitat in thewatershed plan. Other habitat conservationissues, such as those related to land andwater management, will need to beaddressed by the Planning Unit.

A comprehensive approach to salmon habitatconservation for a watershed as outlined inthe “Roadmap for Salmon HabitatConservation at the Watershed Level”(February 2002), can be supported by thestate as the habitat component of a salmonrecovery plan.

The 1998 Salmon Recovery Planning Act(known by many as “2496” after its legislativebill number) focuses on the need forcoordination of local projects to preserve andrestore habitat conditions necessary forsalmon recovery. Lead Entities spearheadthese local efforts. Some of the Lead Entitiesare the same as the watershed planninggroups created through the WatershedPlanning Act, but in other areas watershedplanning and salmon recovery efforts remainseparate. To date, 25 Lead Entities coveringall or part of 45 WRIAs have been created.

With technical and financial help from theWashington Department of Fish and Wildlifeand the Conservation Commission, LeadEntities examine which factors in localstreams limit recovery of wild salmon, developand prioritize lists of science-based projectsto address those factors, and submit projectproposals to the state’s Salmon RecoveryFunding Board. Many salmon recovery LeadEntities are involved in habitat assessmentsand developing strategies for habitatpreservation and restoration projects in theirwatersheds. Those assessments andstrategies can also contribute to the habitatelement of a salmon recovery plan.

The Conservation Commission providesvaluable information to Lead Entities. TheSalmon Recovery Planning Act directed theCommission, in consultation with local, stateand federal governments and tribes, to

identify limiting factors for salmon for eachof the WRIAs supporting salmon populationsand their sub-watersheds. The Commissionhas completed limiting factors analyses in 36watersheds, offering the first comprehensivepicture of the specific issues facing salmonin each watershed. This information is key towatershed assessment and determiningactions needed to conserve salmon habitat.

Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups(RFEGs) have been engaged in salmonrecovery since 1990. There are now 14RFEGs for specific geographic regions,based upon watersheds and covering all ofWashington’s salmon habitat. Theseorganizations are community and volunteer-based and were established by legislation(Chapter 77.95 RCW). They are supportedand administered by the WashingtonDepartment of Fish and Wildlife incooperation with an RFEG Advisory Board.

RFEGs develop and implement salmonrecovery projects with dedicated funding fromUSFWS and WDFW and from other fundingsources. Many RFEGs are working withSalmon Recovery Planning Act Lead Entitiesto identify and develop high priority habitatprojects for funding by the Salmon RecoveryFunding Board. In addition to habitatprotection and restoration projects, RFEGshave successfully implemented projects forsalmon production and supplementation,stream nutrient enrichment, education andoutreach, watershed stewardship, andmonitoring. RFEGs have been and continueto be a source of community involvement insalmon recovery.

In May 2001, the Joint Natural ResourcesCabinet issued the “Guidance on WatershedAssessment for Salmon.” The documenthelps local groups and funding entitiesunderstand what kinds of assessments (e.g.,Limiting Factors Analyses) are needed tosupport the types of decisions and actionsneeded to protect and restore salmon habitat.

11

Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery at Local Governmentecovery at Local Governmentecovery at Local Governmentecovery at Local Governmentecovery at Local GovernmentScaleScaleScaleScaleScaleTo effectively respond to the threat to salmon, landuse issues affecting salmon habitat must beaddressed. There are federal, state and local lawsand regulations that apply to land use activities.Several of these laws establish a sharedresponsibility for land use between localgovernments and between the state and localgovernments.

The primary tools for regulating land developmentare developed under the Shoreline ManagementAct (SMA) and the Growth Management Act(GMA), complemented by related requirementsin the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).While there is a wide range of governmentalentities and authorities with a role in land use andenvironmental decisions, counties and cities havethe key land use responsibilities.

The GMA was initially enacted in 1990. The GMAcalls for the fastest-growing counties, and thecities within them, to plan extensively for land andwater use. There are 29 counties and 215 cities– representing 95 percent of the state’s population– planning under the GMA. There are, however,two provisions of GMA that apply to all countiesand cities: 1) the requirement to identify andconserve natural resources lands (mines, farmsand forests); and 2) the requirement to designateand protect critical areas through Critical AreasOrdinances. These areas include wetlands, fishand wildlife habitats, frequently flooded areas,geologically hazardous areas and aquiferrecharge areas.

The Shoreline Management Act, adopted in 1971,established a cooperative partnership betweenstate and local governments in managingshorelines of all water bodies, except for smallerstreams and lakes. Cities and counties developshoreline master programs to regulate shorelinedevelopment in accordance with the ShorelineManagement Act and state guidelines. In 1995,legislation passed requiring integration of SMAand GMA and update of the shoreline guidelines.Updated guidelines were adopted by theDepartment of Ecology in November 2000. Actingon an appeal from business, local governmentsand others, the Shorelines Hearings Board has

remanded the adopted rules to the Departmentof Ecology. The parties to this case have appealedthe Shorelines Hearings Board’s decision toprotect their legal standing. At the same time, theparties have agreed to attempt to negotiate anagreement on new shoreline guidelines.

On a five-year cycle, counties and cities arerequired by the Growth Management Act to reviewand, if needed, amend their comprehensive plansand development regulations to conform torequirements of the GMA and the SMA. Inaddition, all Critical Areas Ordinances must bedeveloped and reviewed using the best availablescience and must give special consideration toprotection and conservation of salmon. The firstreview and revision of plans and regulations mustbe completed by September 1, 2002. Theserevisions are subject to the public review andappeals procedures provided by the GMA andSMA.

Over the next several years, cities and countieswill be updating their shoreline master programs,growth management land use plans, CriticalAreas Ordinances and other developmentregulations, and their stormwater managementprograms. These efforts provide an excellentopportunity for local governments to upgrade theirplans, programs and regulations to provide ahigher level of protection of natural resources,including salmon habitat. This in turn can helpwith the recovery of salmon and with removing orreducing uncertainties local governments andprivate landowners face under the ESA. Financialand technical assistance may be available forthese local government updates.

Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery Through Harvest andecovery Through Harvest andecovery Through Harvest andecovery Through Harvest andecovery Through Harvest andHatchery InitiativesHatchery InitiativesHatchery InitiativesHatchery InitiativesHatchery InitiativesThe Washington Department of Fish and Wildlifeand the Treaty Tribes are co-managers ofWashington’s fishery resources and are preparingcomprehensive fish management plans forsalmon species. These plans are developedwithin a complex institutional context that includesthe Pacific Salmon Treaty with Canada andfederal court jurisdiction over many fishing issues.The plans focus primarily on harvest andhatcheries issues, but because of the closelinkages between harvest, hatcheries and habitatconditions, several of the plans also address

12

habitat issues in watersheds affected by thefishery management plans. Comprehensive planshave been developed for coho, Puget Soundchinook and Hood Canal/Strait of Juan de Fucasummer chum salmon.

The state and the tribes have extensive annualprocesses for regulating commercial andrecreational fishing. As part of a congressionallyauthorized hatchery reform initiative, WDFW andtribes are working with the Hatchery ScientificReview Group to evaluate the operation of existinghatcheries and recommend changes. They alsoare developing Fishery Management andEvaluation Plans and Hatchery GeneticManagement Plans. These plans identifyimprovements that need to be implemented infishing regulations and at existing hatcheries andprovide information required by NMFS to qualifyfor limits on take prohibitions under Section 4(d)rules for threatened species, or through Section7 or 10 procedures if endangered salmon areimpacted.

These harvest and hatchery efforts for salmonrecovery often operate at coastwide, state andregional scales. However, these efforts also areimplemented within watersheds. For example,RFEGs around the state have been active in usinga variety of fish supplementation projects tosupport salmon recovery. Coordination withhabitat conservation efforts is important to ensurethat the role of salmon in the health of thewatershed ecosystem is taken into account.

Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery Through Hydropowerecovery Through Hydropowerecovery Through Hydropowerecovery Through Hydropowerecovery Through HydropowerInitiativesInitiativesInitiativesInitiativesInitiativesHydropower facilities fall into two general groups– federal (operated by Corps of Engineers or theBureau of Reclamation) and non-federal(generally operated by private developers,investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, orpublic utility districts).

Federal hydropower facilities—Modifying and mitigating the effects of theColumbia-Snake River Basin Hydropower systemon salmon populations is being addressedprimarily through a NMFS Section 7 BiologicalOpinion, working with the Bonneville PowerAdministration, Corps of Engineers, Bureau ofReclamation, Federal Energy Regulatory

Commission and the Northwest Power PlanningCouncil (NWPPC). The state, working throughthe NWPPC and the Columbia Basin Fish andWildlife Authority (CBFWA), in consultation withNMFS, influences the development of strategiesto be implemented and funded by federalgovernment agencies. Columbia Basin tribes alsoare active in CBFWA and are influencingstrategies and funding to mitigate effects of thehydropower system.

The NWPPC, a regional body consisting of twomembers each from Washington, Oregon, Idahoand Montana, was created under the NorthwestPower Act of 1980. It supports fish recovery effortsin the Columbia-Snake River system that mitigatethe effects of the hydropower system. The Councilrecently revised its Fish and Wildlife Program toemphasize sub-basin (i.e., watershed)assessment and planning throughout theColumbia River Basin and to ensure effective useof Bonneville Power Administration funding forhabitat preservation and restoration. The scopeof the Council’s program is broader than salmonrecovery and includes actions to also benefit otherfish and wildlife.

Non-federal hydropower facilities—Modifications of the operations of manyhydropower projects are being investigated andpursued. The purpose of these modifications isto implement salmon protection, mitigation andenhancement measures. With more than 160hydropower projects federally licensed or beingconsidered for licenses in the state, and with 75%of energy coming from hydropower projects, thetask is daunting. Several of these projects areengaged in proceedings to renew licenses, whichprovide an avenue to implement improvementsat hydropower facilities. For example, passageat hydropower dams has been improved by acombination of less disruptive water releaseschedules, structural changes at dams andmanagement actions. Several hydropoweroperators (e.g., Mid-Columbia Public UtilityDistricts) have opted to develop HCPs underSection 10 of ESA.

State agencies, tribes, and other interests playan important role in negotiation and conditioningof hydropower licenses and HCPs.

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Salmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon RSalmon Recovery Through the Cleanecovery Through the Cleanecovery Through the Cleanecovery Through the Cleanecovery Through the CleanWWWWWater Actater Actater Actater Actater ActThe objective of the Clean Water Act is to “restoreand maintain the chemical, physical and biologicalintegrity of the nation’s waters.” While it is a federallaw, it provides for delegation of broad powers tothe states, resulting in a state-federal partnership.The Department of Ecology is the state agencyprimarily responsible for implementing the CleanWater Act in Washington. Specific activitiesrelevant to salmon recovery include:

Establishing water quality standards,especially those that describe minimumconditions for aquatic life;Listing impaired rivers and streams notmeeting water quality standards anddeveloping cleanup plans to meet thestandards;Issuing and enforcing permits to dischargewastewater, stormwater, and industrialpollutants (NPDES);Developing strategies and awarding grantsto control nonpoint source pollution;Issuing water quality certifications forhydropower projects and other projectsaffecting aquatic resources.

In addition, and specific to the Northwest, is aprotocol worked out between the states and

regional offices of affected federal agencies(Environmental Protection Agency, ForestService, and Bureau of Land Management) fordealing with waters on federal lands that haveimpaired water quality. It provides that it is theresponsibility of the federal land managementagencies to protect and restore the quality ofpublic waters under their jurisdiction.

Through these and other Clean Water Act efforts,opportunities exist to work with state and federalagencies when developing watershed plans forsalmon habitat conservation.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONTo find out more about the salmon recovery effortsmentioned in this document, refer to theAppendix. Many references and points of contactare listed which can help answer your questionsand help you get involved.

To better understand salmon habitat conservationefforts and how these efforts can come togetherat the watershed level, see the “Roadmap forSalmon Habitat Conservation at the WatershedLevel.”

A- 1

APPENDIX Resources and Contacts in Salmon Recovery

Agencies Programs/Products Contacts

National Marine Fisheries Service

ESA Listings; Protective Regulations (Section 4(d) rules); Recovery Planning and Technical Recovery Teams

www.nwr.noaa.gov/ (206) 526-6150

Northwest Power Planning Council

Fish and Wildlife Program; Sub-basin Planning Guidance

www.nwcouncil.org/ (503) 222-5161

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Programmatic Section 7 consultations for restoration projects

www.nws.usace.army.mil/ers/compliance.html (206) 764-6908

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management

Clean Water Action Plan and Unified Federal Policy for a Watershed Approach

www.cleanwater.gov/ufp/ (202) 452-7752

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

Clean Water Act and ESA Integration; Protocols for water cleanup plans

www.epa.gov/region10/ (206) 553-1200

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

ESA Listings, Recovery Planning and Habitat Conservation Plans

http://pacific.fws.gov/ (360) 753-9440

Fede

ral

USDA Forest Service

Northwest Forest Plan

www.fs.fed.us/r6/ (503) 808-2971

Office of Community Development

Growth Management www.ocd.wa.gov/info/lgd/growth/ (360) 725-3000

Stat

e

Conservation Commission

Limiting Factors Analyses

www.conserver.org/salmon/index.php3 (360) 407-6336

A- 2

Agencies Programs/Products Contacts

Department of Ecology

Shoreline Management; Clean Water Act

Programs; Nonpoint Source Pollution Control Plan; State Environmental

Policy Act; Watershed Planning

www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/shorelan.html www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wq/wqhome.html

www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/sepa

(360) 407-6922 www.ecy.wa.gov/watershed/index.html

(360) 407-6548

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Pacific Salmon Treaty; Salmonid Stock Inventory; Fishery Management and Evaluation Plans; Hatchery Genetic Management Plans Aquatic Habitat

Guidelines; Habitat stewardship

and technical assistance Salmon Recovery

Planning Grant Program and Regional Recovery Plan Model Volunteer

opportunities support

www.wa.gov/wdfw/recovery.htm (360) 902-2651

www.wa.gov/wdfw/hab/ahg/

(360) 902-2566 (360) 902-2598

(360) 902-2713

www.wa.gov/wdfw/volunteer/index.htm

(360) 902-2598

Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office

Statewide Strategy to Recover Salmon: Extinction Is Not An Option; Guidance on Watershed Assessment for Salmon; Roadmap for Salmon Habitat Conservation at the Watershed Level

www.governor.wa.gov/esa/ (360) 902-2216

Stat

e (c

ontin

ued)

Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council

Data base of federal and state financial assistance

www.infrafunding.wa.gov

A- 3

Agencies Programs/Products Contacts

Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation

Statewide Monitoring Strategy

www.wa.gov/iac/SalmonMonitoring.html (360) 902-2956

Department of Natural Resources

Forest Practices Rules, Forest and Fish Report

www.wa.gov/dnr/htdocs/fp/div/div.html (360) 902-1400

Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team

Puget Sound Water Quality Management Plan (Stormwater habitat and sediment elements)

www.wa.gov/puget_sound/ (360) 407-7300

Salmon Recovery Funding Board

Project Funding Strategies and Guidance

www.wa.gov/iac/salmonmain.html (360) 902-3026 St

ate

(con

tinue

d)

Washington Department of Transportation

Transportation Permit Efficiency and Accountability Uniform

Environmental Project Reporting System

www.wsdot.wa.gov/eesc/environmental/ (360) 902-3026 www.ueprs.wa.gov

Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board

Regional salmon recovery and watershed planning

www.lcfrb.gen.wa.us/ (360) 414-4171

Puget Sound Salmon Forum

Shared Strategy for Puget Sound Salmon Recovery

www.sharedsalmonstrategy.org

Snake River Salmon Recovery Region Committee

Regional coordination of habitat conservation

www.governor.wa.gov/esa Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, Eastern Regional Coordinator (509) 663-9755

Reg

iona

l

Tri-County Salmon Recovery Initiative

Central Puget Sound Endangered Species Act Response

www.salmon.gen.wa.us/ 1-887-725-6669

A- 4

Agencies Programs/Products Contacts

Upper Columbia Salmon Recovery Board

Regional salmon recovery and project priorities

www.governor.wa.gov/esa Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, Eastern Regional Coordinator (509) 663-9755

Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission

Columbia Basin Co-manager Fisheries Plans

www.critfc.org/ (503) 238-0667

R

egio

nal

(con

tinue

d)

Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission

Western Washington Co-Manager Fisheries Plans

www.nwifc.wa.gov/ (360) 438-1180

Mid-Columbia Public Utility Districts

Habitat Conservation Plan

www.chelanpud.org/ (509) 663-8121

Regional Fishery Enhancement Groups

Salmon recovery projects

www.wa.gov/wdfw/volunter/vol-8.htm

Salmon Recovery Lead Entities

Salmon habitat priorities and projects

www.wa.gov/wdfw/grants/leadlist.htm (360) 902-2409

Wat

ersh

ed/L

ocal

Watershed Planning Units

Watershed plans www.ecy.wa.gov/watershed/index.html (360) 407-6548

Persons needing this information in an alternate format may contact the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, PO Box 43135 Olympia WA 98504-3135

Printed on recycled paper. Printed in the U.S.A.