On April 25th, 2022, the Klickitat County Superior Court issued their 20-page ruling and findings in regard to FWSR’s appeal of the County’s action on Under Canvas. The unfavorable ruling can be read here. LUPA 21-2-183-20
The project will replace an existing 36” wide trail and steps with a path wide enough to accommodate passage of a raft. The new path will probably be paved with concrete. FWSR will submit a short SEPA comment and a longer general comment.
The SEPA comment deadline is November 13, 2020.
General Comment Deadline is November 30, 2020. Written comments relating to the Shoreline Conditional Use Application will be accepted until the time of a public hearing before the Klickitat County Planning Commission. Any comments received will be entered into the record. (Read Shae Hill Proposal here.)
Project description from JARPA: The proposal is to upgrade a small 36″ wide existing gravel trail that goes in the direction the river flows. This trail starts at the top of the earthen shelf and descends west to the bedrock, then currently turns due south for the final few feet with steps. The total drop is approximately 9 feet. The purpose of the trail is to provide and facilitate raft ingress/egress to the White Salmon River, which, due to the stairs, we cannot currently put our raft into or take it out of the river on our property. This is a private use and will not have any commercial aspect. Given the particular slope of the area and overhead fir trees, the path will be straightened and excavated using hand tools. There will be no fill deposited below the present earthen shelf. In the process, the existing wood-reinforced stairs where the path turns south will be removed and replanted with native bushes to further stabilize the earthen shelf (please see the attached replanting plan). The path would then be paved with brown dyed concrete and /or paver stones to safely access the river for ingress and egress.
FWSR submitted two comments on the Spring Creek FPA.
One, written by our attorney, addresses the ways in which the FPA fails to meet legal requirements, including triggers for classification as a Class IV-S requiring a full SEPA. 2020 07 20 Public Comment BRICKLIN & NEWMAN
Our second comment addresses environmental damage that could result from the logging as proposed. For example, there are three known Western Gray Squirrel (WGS) nests in the area proposed to be logged. WGS are in a category known as Priority Habitat Species, along with some species on site. DNR timber harvest rules do not protect these habitats. FWSR comment-Spring Creek FPA 2706931
As we have said before, the DNR rules for timber harvest do not adequately protect things that are required under other state laws to be protected. A SEPA process might produce a higher level of protection. Might is the operative word. The best protection is that logging just doesn’t happen on this parcel.
We need volunteers for River Fest!
Email friends@friendsofthewhitesalmon.org if you are interested in helping with any of the following:
1. Symposium Booth on Friday, June 28th: 6pm
2. Truss Race Registration on Saturday, June 29th:
10am-12:30pm (set up) 3pm-4pm (take down)
3. The Logs: Selling drink tickets this Saturday: 6:30pm
Check out the Events Schedule here
Join us on October 5th for a slow-paced trip through the old lake bed and dam site to the Columbia. With luck, we’ll see salmon and steelhead swimming in some shallow portions of the river, and spawning beds (redds) for the Fall Chinook. Knowledgeable guides from Zoller’s will fill us in on the natural history.
“It’s like having our very own science project in our front yard,” said Mark Zoller, 29 year White Salmon River guide. “We have such a special opportunity to watch nature re-claim and heal itself over the next several years. I’m amazed, as is everyone at how quickly the river hastaken control and is proceeding to repair 100 years of blockage.“
We will experience breath-taking scenery, some fun rapids (Class III), float past the site of Condit Dam, and pass through the Narrows.
There is an approximately 200-yard portage around one impassable ‘keeper’ pool. If you are concerned about how strenuous this portage is, please contact Zollers.
To reserve your seat, call Zoller’s Outdoor Odysseys directly at 509-493-2641.
