The Northwest Power and Conservation Council released a draft revision of the largest regional fish and wildlife recovery program in the nation.

The program directs more than $250 million per year to mitigate the impacts of hydropower dams on fish and wildlife in the basin.

The Council revises the program every five years, and the current draft has been under development since the summer of 2013.

The Council developed the draft program based on public recommendations, particularly those of fish and wildlife agencies and Indian tribes. In addition to protecting ecosystems and wild fish, the draft program includes these key points:

► Give greater attention to salmon and steelhead passage into blocked areas, notably above Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee dams

► Give greater attention to reducing toxics and eradicating invasive species

► Focus on repairing aging structures and equipment related to projects that implement the program

► Pursue a targeted project-selection process for emerging priority fish and wildlife issues

The Council will conduct public hearings throughout the Northwest beginning late this month and continuing into June.

Comments are due July 9, 2014.

There will be a hearing in Spokane on Monday, June 16:

5-6 pm
Red Lion River Inn
Shoreline B Room
700 N Division
Spokane, WA 99202

Click Here for more information, including links to the draft document.

Final Approved Letter, Submitted 2 July, 2014

The report, Freshwater Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program, 2012 Results, is available at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1403020.html.

Results from the Freshwater Fish Contaminant Monitoring Program in 2012 are summarized for three areas in Washington: the Spokane River, Pend Oreille River, and the North Cascades National Park.  The sampling goals were to: (1) characterize contaminant levels in fish, and (2) determine spatial and temporal patterns in contaminant levels in Spokane River fish.

Results from the Spokane River showed that levels of PCBs and PBDEs in fish remain elevated compared to most areas in Washington.  Differences in PCBs and PBDEs among Spokane River sites were found for about half of the 21 site-species pairings examined.  Concentrations of PBDEs in mountain whitefish from the Ninemile reach were approximately 4 to 10 times higher than in fish from other sites in the river.  In some cases, concentrations found in 2012 appear to be lower than those in 2005.  For PCBs, 2 of 11 cases show a decrease, with both cases occurring in the Mission Park reach.  For PBDEs, 5 of 11 cases show a decrease.

Levels of mercury, PCBs, and dioxins in fish from the Pend Oreille River fall in the 40-80^th percentile range of levels found in fish throughout Washington.

Contaminant levels in fish from the North Cascades National Park were relatively low for all analytes, except for 4,4’-DDE in kokanee that had returned to the Stehekin River from Lake Chelan.  Contamination of Lake Chelan with 4,4’-DDE is well known and is the focus of a water cleanup plan.

Washington’s water quality standards for contaminants in fish tissue, expressed as Fish Tissue Equivalent Concentrations (FTECs), were met for most of the chemicals analyzed.  However, most samples failed to meet FTECs for PCBs.  Several samples of mountain whitefish from the Spokane River did not meet FTECs for dioxins.  One sample of kokanee from the Stehekin River did not meet the FTEC for 4,4’-DDE.

If you have questions, contact Keith Seiders at 360-407-6689 or keith.seiders@ecy.wa.gov.

Extended Investigation Proposed at City Parcel Site

The Washington State Department of Ecology proposes to extend soil investigations at the City Parcel site to look at potential contamination along the northern fence line.

Confirmational sampling conducted during previous environmental work at the site indicated there is residual soil contamination under the surface along the fence line in this area.

The site is located at 708 North Cook Street in the City of Spokane, Spokane County, Washington.

You are invited to:

• Review the draft Work Plan for the proposed sampling and
  supplemental investigation along with the SEPA checklist and
  DNS.
• Send your comments to Huckleberry Palmer at Ecology for
  consideration.

Comments will be accepted May 26 through June 24, 2014.

Click Here to view Fact Sheet with more information.