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PAEOM, WILSON- CHERRY <br />Goals <br />WATERSHED ASSESSMENT <br />and Objectives <br />Nanetini, Wilson, Chei'i't, <br />Ci -eek Watet-shed <br />This Watershed Assessment is intended to develop <br />community support and partnerships between <br />stakeholders to identify watershed issues related <br />to: Flooding, Irrigation, Infrastructure, Water Quality, <br />Fish and Aquatic Habitat. <br />Study Area Issues/Problems: <br />o Flooding: <br />o Wilson and Naneum creeks have <br />regularly flooded Ellensburg and the <br />surrounding area since 1894. <br />o Flooding is an ongoing public hazard <br />requiring expensive post flood <br />restoration. <br />o Flood management has changed in <br />recent decades, irrigation canals may <br />no longer deliberately convey flood <br />flows, stream channel dredging and <br />wood removal are less desirable flood <br />management actions due to habitat <br />impacts. <br />• Irrigation: <br />o The Yakima basin has the most <br />intensive development and use of <br />water in the state. <br />o The watershed includes many <br />unscreened water diversions and <br />impassable barriers resulting from a <br />complicated system of intersecting <br />streams and ditches primarily managed <br />for irrigation. <br />o Irrigation infrastructure could be used <br />to supplement flows in designated <br />stream channels along with <br />implementation of water conservation <br />projects (similar to projects in the <br />Taneum/Manastash). <br />o The Yakima River Basin Integrated Plan <br />is intended to address many water <br />supply issues on a landscape level. This <br />project was considered a high priority <br />habitat project for the Integrated Plan, <br />and is intended to identify strategic <br />opportunities to align with the plan and <br />associated funding. <br />• Infrastructure: <br />o Instream barriers that prevent fish <br />passage and affect habitat may include; <br />undersized culverts and bridges, roads, <br />developed lands, and utilities. <br />o Much of this infrastructure is aging or <br />has been continually damaged by <br />floods, long-term plans for replacement <br />and upgrades need to be identified, <br />coordinated, funded, and implemented. <br />o Partnership opportunities for <br />infrastructure improvements need to <br />be identified and maximized. <br />• Water Quality: <br />o Water quality issues impact water uses, <br />potentially making it unsafe for drinking <br />or recreation and threatening the <br />health of aquatic animals and fish. <br />o Total maximum daily toads (TMDts) <br />have been developed. Current activities <br />include water quality monitoring and <br />implementation of recommended <br />actions. <br />o This study will consider existing water <br />quality issues, but will not be identifying <br />stand-alone water quality projects. <br />• Fish and Aquatic Habitat: <br />H:\sharepoint_nan_wil_cherry_assess\Final_Goais and Objettive2 (Autosaved).doa <br />