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Bowers Field Wildlife Hazard Management Plan <br /> 1 Background <br /> Kittitas County Airport(Bowers Field [ELN]) is a public use general aviation(GA) <br /> airport. The airfield is in central Washington, at the northern end of the city of <br /> Ellensburg, and is managed by the city. The mission is to operate and develop the <br /> Airport and Industrial Park in a safe and efficient manner, support professional aviation <br /> education programs, enhance the economic benefit to the County,and support local and <br /> regional emergency preparedness. In support of this, ELN management decided to <br /> develop a wildlife hazard management plan(WHMP)to serve as guide for reducing <br /> wildlife hazards at the airfield. <br /> A wildlife hazard assessment(WHA) is conducted to gather wildlife hazards information <br /> at an airport and that information aides in the development of a WHMP. Because ELN is <br /> not a Part 139 Certificated airport and is not held to the same regulations and a WHA is <br /> not required. ELN requested assistance from the United States Department of <br /> Agriculture, Wildlife Services (USDA WS)in developing the WHMP. USDA WS <br /> conducted a wildlife hazard evaluation(WHE)to identify hazardous wildlife and <br /> attractants negatively impacting aviation safety. A WHE is a simplified form of a WHA, <br /> with fewer site visits and less stringent surveys. The WHE is Chapter 2 of this document <br /> and was used in the development of the WHMP. <br /> USDA WS is the primary federal agency authorized to assist public and private entities <br /> with addressing wildlife hazards and protecting property and safety from wildlife <br /> damage. USDA WS has a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Association <br /> of State Aviation Officials and the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA)recognizing <br /> WS' expertise in identifying and mitigating wildlife hazards for aviation safety. <br /> USDA WS regularly provides hazardous wildlife management training to airports <br /> throughout the country and was integral in the development of the Washington State <br /> Department of Transportation's 2009 Aviation Stormwater Design Manual; the first <br /> stormwater design manual in the United States to specifically address hazardous wildlife <br /> management at/around airports. <br /> 1.1 Locational Aspects <br /> Bowers Field encompasses 1,240 acres and has one runway. Runway 11-29, is 4,300 feet <br /> long and 150 feet wide. It is equipped with transmitter-activated lighting,making it <br /> available24 hours a day. There are two fixed-based operators, a fueling facility,and 12 <br /> county-owned T-hangars. There were an average of 165 operations per day during 2020. <br /> The Central Washington University aviation program is operated out of ELN and is <br /> responsible for nearly 90%of the annual operations. <br /> Urban sprawl is encroaching upon the airfield from the south and southwest. Agriculture <br /> and ranching are the primary land uses in the other three directions. There are numerous <br /> 1-1 <br /> 31 December 2024 <br />