MINUTES FOR THE MEETING

ASHLAND FOREST LANDS COMMISSION

March 11, 2008 – 5:30 PM

Community Development, 51 Winburn Way

MEMBERS PRESENT:            Carolyn Breece, Craig Gorson, Christopher Iverson (Acting Chair), Ben Rice

Members Absent:                                 Anthony Kerwin, Jim Lewis, Dan Maymar

Staff Present:                                                   Pieter Smeenk, Nancy Slocum, Keith Woodley

Non-Voting Members Present: Marty Main, Eric Navickas

I.                CALL TO ORDER: Acting Chair Christopher Iverson called the meeting to order at 5:40 PM in the Siskiyou Room.

II.              APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Iverson /Rice m/s to approve the minutes of February 12, 2008 as submitted. Motion passed unanimously.  

III.            PUBLIC FORUM: None

IV.            ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA: Smeenk asked that results of the just released Reeder Reservoir sediment study be placed on the agenda. Woodley asked that discussion of the letter dated March 6, 2008 from Linda Duffy be placed on the agenda. Commission granted requests.

V.              NEW BUSINESS

A.     Reeder Reservoir Sediment Study

Bob Willis PE, Brown & Caldwell, completed a sediment study of Reeder Reservoir as part of the recent water treatment plant process improvements project. The study included a visual inspection, water quality sampling, algae sampling, sediment sampling and bathymetric mapping. Divers were employed for two dives.

Hosler Dam was built in 1928. The most recent improvements to the dam were in 1985. The inspections showed that the dam was in surprisingly good shape. The divers checked and cleaned the outlet valves. Sediment behind the dam was 10 to 12’ thick, but it tapered quickly as distance from the dam increased. Because of the 1997 flood, the consultants expected to find large boulders in the sediment, but they did not.

The testing found larger than normal phosphorus levels which contributed to the taste and odor problems caused by algae growth that occurred this fall. The sediment was comprised mostly of silt and sand with some wood. Incoming streams also tested high in phosphorus and low in nitrogen.

The topography of the reservoir bottom was mapped and changes could be due in part to the quality of the previous 1987 topographical survey. Willis estimated 5,000 to 10,000 cubic yards of new material, with 5,000 to 6,000 cubic yards of that amount deposited directly behind dam. The 1997 flood added approximately 3 to 4 feet of new material behind the dam. The reservoir was last sluiced in 1987; new environmental regulations would prevent a similar sluicing project.

Brown and Caldwell had the following recommendations for the City:

1.      Make better use of the two existing diversion systems;

2.      Install circulation devices to break up the temperature profile of the anaerobic layer;

3.      Install circulation devices at low speed to upset the first ten feet of the water level to depress the life cycle of the bad tasting algae;

4.      Conduct regular monitoring;

5.      Carefully monitor algae;

6.      Measure sediment again in five years to establish a sediment rate;

7.      Generate an environmentally sound sediment removal plan;

8.      Uncover the sluice gates;

9.      Conduct a safety inspection every five years.

Smeenk noted that the TMDL baseline (as defined by this study) could not be increased according to federal regulations. He noted that future maintenance of the 2060 Road would be important to meet those regulations.

Navickas asked if Willis had any recommendation for treating in riparian areas. Willis was previously employed by the Portland Water Bureau in the Bull Run watershed and said it was important to maintain stream shade, minimize activities within the riparian areas, maintain stream buffers and remove roads to decrease soil movements.

Navickas asked if the Portland Water Bureau had a fire management plan. Willis replied yes and added that the bureau had stopped all logging. He noted that Bend, Oregon was another resource for a fire management plan.

Rice asked if Portland’s fuels reduction process included species mix for nitrogen loading. He said littering increased nitrogen and phosphorus. Willis was not familiar with this process.

IV. Old Business

A.  2008 Earth Day Participation

Iverson noted that he would not be available on April 19^th for Earth Day. He was, however, willing to assist with any needed preparation. Gorson volunteered to work the booth for part of the day. No one else could commit to participating.

Iverson/Gorson m/s for the Commission to participate in Earth Day if at least two commissioners volunteered to work the booth. In addition, at the next meeting the Commission would set a date for a public information hike in April or May so it could be publicized at Earth Day. Motioned passed unanimously. Commission asked Slocum to contact the three absent commissioners about volunteering. If two commissioners could not be found, the Commission would not participate this year.

B.     Approve 2008 Goals

The goals were adopted as part of the February minutes.

C.     Winburn Parcel Management Plan

The final review subcommittee consisting of Breece, Maymar and Rice met and edited about one third of the document. The subcommittee asked to be placed on the April agenda. Kerwin and Main were finishing the section on soils and riparian areas.

VI.            NEW BUSINESS

A.   Discuss Ideas for Community Outreach

Gorson asked the commission to suggest ideas for the Commission’s community outreach goal. Ideas included a hike in the watershed, fuel reduction for property owners, needed water quality ideas to get people involved, high school or SOU involvement, noxious weed eradication field trips, send letter to schools that field trips were available, set up a fire ecology trail, create a video documentary. Main noted that he taught classes at the university and had a list of potential projects. Iverson thought it important to define the goal for community outreach. Was it promotion? Education? Iverson and Gorson volunteered to meet before the next meeting and draft a goal. Iverson asked that this issue be placed on the next agenda.

B.  Review Maiyo Riparian Study

Slocum distributed the executive summary for the 2000 Ashland Creek Stream Study (Bear Creek to Reeder Reservoir) prepared by the Siskiyou Research Group in conjunction with Susan Maiyo, USFS. The Commission had hoped the study could be used to provide information useful in management of the Winburn Parcel. Main explained that the “Third Reach” is the section between the swimming hole and Reeder Reservoir. This section was the only functioning natural stream in Ashland Creek. In other sections migrating fish were blocked by creek structures in Lithia Park, the swimming hole and the reservoir. There was also a lack of large woody debris. Main reported that the only existing study above the reservoir (west and east fork) was completed in approximately 1969. [A subsequent study was later found: “West Fork Ashland Creek: 2001 Stream Study Report” by the Rogue River National Forest Ashland Ranger District.]

C. FEIS Update Letter Dated March 6, 2008 from Linda Duffy

Duffy sent a letter to the Mayor and City Administrator updating the status of the Ashland Fire Resiliency’s FEIS. Duffy estimated she could make the draft FEIS available to the City in mid April or May for a 30 day “governmental” review. Woodley noted that a City Council Study Session updating AFR was tentatively scheduled for May. Woodley asked the Commission if the AFRCATs were still a viable group and asked how staff should proceed administratively. Woodley noted that recommendations for further collaboration was not addressed in Duffy’s letter and there was question as to whether the agreed upon points were indeed correct.

Rice wondered is the Forest Service could present the FEIS to the Commission. Commission asked that the process for reviewing the draft FEIS be placed on the April agenda. Commission asked Slocum to contact all those on the AFRCAT to see if anyone was interested in participating in the review. Gorson asked for a timeline of what has taken place with the AFR thus far.

VII.          COMMISSIONER COMMENTS: None

VIII.       ADJOURN: 7:35 PM

Christopher Iverson, Acting Chair

Respectfully Submitted, Nancy Slocum, Accounting Clerk