Meeting Minutes – TWG Meeting June 22, 2005
IDWR Office – Boise, ID

In Attendance –

Al Rea, USGS
Gene Dana, USGS
Christa Braun, BLM
Linda Davis, IDWR
Sandra Thiel, IDWR
Genna Ashley, IDWR

Via Phone Conference –

No attendees

Due to difficulties with NetMeeting connection, Valdon Hancock was unable to call-in.

The meeting began at approximately 10:15 a.m.

 

NEWS TO REPORT

NHD News:  The final two hucs - Asotin and Pend Oreille, have been sent to the contractor.  The Jordan huc should almost be complete and available soon.

Karen Hanson has been working with EPA for possible funding on Idaho watershed work.  More information will follow, if funding is secured. 

 HUC REVIEW

Caribou-Targhee NF hucs - The 4th field boundary was reviewed and refined between the Beaver-Camas/Upper Henry’s and the Beaver-Camas/Medicine Lodge hucs.  See shapefile Meeting_20050622 for exact lines.  Genna Ashley will make these edits, incorporate them, and send the changes to CTNF for review. 

Due to time limitations, all of the identified areas did not get reviewed.  These hucs will be put on a future agenda for a continuing review.

Big Wood 17040219 – Note:  Valdon Hancock with the Sawtooth National Forest tried to call in via NetMeeting, but the connections were unavailable.  Genna Ashley will send Valdon the meeting notes for this review, and Christa Braun will work with Valdon to incorporate his changes.  Christa will incorporate the USGS 4th field boundary linework, with the exception of the areas contained in the shapefile Meeting_20050622.shp, and any other edits Valdon Hancock may have sent to BLM. 

The 5th field boundary line at the confluence of the Big Wood River and Warm Springs Creek was adjusted further upstream so that it did not parallel the Big Wood River.

The 6th field boundary line by the Shoshone Ice Caves/Black Butte Crater was moved to the other side of the lava tubes (west).  The Black Butte Crater-Big Wood River 6th field huc will be renamed Cottonwood Reservoir-Big Wood River.

Christa Braun will continue work on this huc and coordinate with Valdon Hancock, Sawtooth NF.  Genna Ashley will send Christa the shapefile worked on during the meeting.

Lower Boise 17050114 – Genna Ashley reviewed this huc with the group.  The Hartley Gulch 6th field huc was broken out, and the remaining Lower Boise River-Mill Slough 6th field was combined with the Little Gulch Creek 6th field, and renamed Lower Boise River-Mill Slough.  This will bring this 6th field to approximately 40,500 acres, just slightly above the maximum.  Big Gulch Creek was broken out further upstream.

The Cottonwood Creek 6th field changes were reviewed and checked from the last meeting.

A portion of the Low Line Canal 6th field unit was split so that it didn’t cut off the Dixie Slough.  The left over 6th field area will be grouped with the Dixie Slough 6th.  See shapefile Meeting_20050622.shp for details.

A portion of the Boise River outlet was redrawn to the confluence of the Boise River/Snake River, on the Idaho side of the bank, per the standards.

Genna Ashley will make the above-mentioned changes and submit the unit to Dave Blew for one last final look.  If these changes appear to be hydrologically correct to Dave, this huc will be considered draft approved.

MISCELLANEOUS DISCUSSION

Christa Braun reported that the American Falls and Lake Walcott hucs may only be delineated to the 5th fields, if there is not enough hydro to support 6th’s. 

Al Rea stated that he has been in contact with Mike Latta (one of the national WBD coordinators), and it sounds likely that Idaho will be awarded funding for watershed delineation.  There was some discussion regarding expectations, etc., and it was decided that when funds are awarded, Linda Davis (IDWR) and Al Rea (USGS) meet and work out the particulars.  Al Rea stated that Steve Garcia would be available to work on watersheds in about a month.  Al would like Steve to do the initial 24k delineations, and have Gene do the review work.  Ken Skinner may also be able to devote some time to this project. 

Al Rea mentioned that the initial breakdown of potential fund allocation listed work for June and July 2005, and that needs to be clarified with Karen.  Linda Davis will look into this issue.

Al Rea stated that the ESRI watershed tools should be almost finished, and there should be some training opportunities soon.  This could help expedite attributing and error checking. 

Erv Cowley (BLM), and Valdon Hancock (Sawtooth National Forest), will both be retiring at the end of the year.  Valdon stated that he is currently working on the Raft River huc and plans to have it completed before he leaves.  Erv Cowley is working to complete as many watersheds as time will allow before his departure too.

The TWG will work to get a first review completed for the few hucs that have not been looked at yet.  Genna Ashley will compile a list and make contacts for any available data that might be out there for these hucs.  The TWG would like to concentrate on any hucs that BLM or Sawtooth National Forest has interest in – so that Erv Cowley and Valdon Hancock have the opportunity to provide input before they leave.

The TWG will put the American Falls and Lake Walcott hucs on the agenda for a review during the July meeting.

  

ACTION ITEMS:

Genna Ashley will make the edits for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, mentioned above, and send those edits to CTNF for review. 

Christa Braun will continue to work on the Big Wood unit, and incorporate the 4th field boundary lines from USGS.  She will also coordinate with Valdon Hancock for his edits.  Genna Ashley will send the shapefile worked on during the meeting, and the meeting notes to Christa and Valdon so they can coordinate. 

Genna Ashley will make the changes for the Lower Boise huc, and have it reviewed by David Blew, IDWR.

Linda Davis will review and possibly clarify the funding breakdown for June/July 2005 with Karen Hanson and Al Rea.

Genna Ashley will compile a list of non-reviewed hucs and get any new linework that may be available for these areas. 

The American Falls and Lake Walcott hucs will be put on the next agenda.

  

NEXT SCHEDULED TWG MEETING (S):

Date to be determined soon – IDWR Offices, 322 W. Front Street, Boise, ID

For directions and/or NetMeeting connections, please contact Genna Ashley at (208) 287-4880 genna.ashley@idwr.idaho.gov

 

***Subject to change before meeting***

 

The meeting concluded at approximately 5:15 p.m.