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ones rn <br />� T W_ <br />Kittitas County, Washington <br />BOARD oiFCOUNTY <br />COMMISSIONERS <br />District One District Two --- District Three <br />Cary Wright Laura Cisiadacz Brett Wachsmith <br />October 24, 2022 <br />To: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service <br />From: Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners <br />RE: Letter of Support for Kittitas Conservation Trust's Application to USFWS funding (BIL & Recovery <br />Challenge) for Gold Creek Restoration Project <br />To U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, <br />Kittitas County wants to provide our support of Kittitas Conservation Trust's (KCT) application for the <br />Gold Creek Restoration. This project is an important step to the recovery of Gold Creek bull trout. This <br />project represents a great opportunity to address the limiting factors to native fish production including <br />dewatering and habitat degradation. The project will address significant impacts over the last century <br />from development and resource extraction and provide the best opportunity to restore natural flows <br />and functions of this critical bull trout tributary. <br />Over the last 20 years there have been significant Investments In connecting habitats and providing <br />migratory corridors for fish and wildlife in the Snoqualmie area of Washington State. This project will <br />build on those investments and provide great benefits to all species who depend on river corridors and <br />the area. It is essential that these habitats are functioning in a natural state to provide for resiliency and <br />corridors for movement, especially during these uncertain times of unprecedented climate change. <br />For over 10 years, Kittitas Conservation Trust has done extensive data collection, assessment, and design <br />by working with a diversity of partners, Yakama Nation, and local communities to ensure restoration <br />actions identified for Implementation will meet multiple goals and objectives. Kittitas County has <br />engaged in these efforts both because of the fish and wildlife benefits from instream flow restoration, <br />but also because of Kittitas Conservation Trusts work with adjacent landowners to look for opportunities <br />to also address existing flood hazards. It is through these partnerships that we can realize large-scale <br />restoration efforts to benefit the recovery of buil trout and improve over habitat function for both <br />wildlife and people. <br />Kittitss County Cvurth=e • 205 West 5h Avenue, 5TE 108 • Ellensburg, WA 98926 <br />(509) 962-7508 •FAX (509) 962-7679 <br />