Meeting Minutes – TWG Meeting September 29, 2004
IDWR Office – Boise, ID

In Attendance –

Al Rea, USGS
Linda Davis, IDWR
Sandra Thiel, IDWR
Leigh Bailey, Payette National Forest

Via Phone Conference –

Valdon Hancock, Sawtooth National Forest

The meeting began at approximately 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 23.

HUC REVIEW

Goose Creek 17040211 – Discrepancy  between Utah and Idaho lines, Idaho side of linework.  Valdon Hancock, Sawtooth NF – The group reviewed this huc.  The Utah portion of the certified linework has crossed an NHD line to cut off a portion of Cave Gulch.  The ortho-photo shows this portion turns to the left, rather than to the right.  It was decided to use Valdon’s line rather than Utah’s for this portion to make the linework hydrologically correct. 

There was a discussion regarding the renumbering of the Goose Creek-Beaverdam Creek 5^th field watershed (Utah has this as 1704021102/Middle Goose Creek).  Valdon strongly disagrees with the 5^th field breaks that have been certified for Utah for the following reason:

“Beaverdam Creek is a major tributary and a "Classic Watershed" (See our
standards definitions) and a very logical place to divide to 5th-field when
you look at the subbasin as a whole, not just relative to the State of
Utah.  I agree that Goose Creek 6th-field delineation of "Composite
Hydrologic Units" on Goose Creek at Coal Banks Creek is probably best, but
it is a minor stream, and the division could almost as easily use the mouth
of another tributary to divide the subwatersheds.  Furthermore, a division
at Beaverdam Creek leads to a more equal area division between the
5th-field watersheds”.

The Idaho proposal would be to have the 5^th field breaking at Beaverdam Creek, even though Utah’s certified data has it labeled so that Birch and Coal Banks are part of the up stream 5^th field.  Idaho will contact Karen Hanson with a couple questions regarding this split:

Questions for Karen

Have you delineated the rest of the huc, fifth field (17040211 01 – 02)  Spring Creek, into Nevada?  

Also, the group thinks that the 5^th fields 1704021101 and 1704021102 are larger than necessary.  Idaho will contact Karen Hanson and ask her what process did she use for lumping them together?

Valdon Hancock reported that the down stream most 5^th huc should be named Goose Creek /Oakley Valley.  Genna called it Birch Creek (because it was the largest tributary in the lowest 5^th), but a more suitable name would be Goose Creek-Oakley Valley.  It was decided to use Valdon’s suggestion for this name.

The 6^th field huc name that contains the reservoir (tributary is Cave Gulch) will be renamed Lower Goose Creek Reservoir.

The 5^th field names will be as follows:

Goose Creek  Headwaters
Little Goose Creek
Goose Creek/Trout Creek (formerly Upper Goose Creek)
Goose Creek/Beaver Dam (formerly Middle Goose Creek)
Goose Creek/Trapper Creek (formerly Lower Goose Creek)
Goose Creek/Oakley Valley (formerly Birch Creek)

Genna Ashley will gather all the line work for basin and make the appropriate changes. 

Raft River 17040210 – The group would like to check with Erv Cowley and see if he has any linework created for this huc, then coordinate between Erv, Valdon, and IDWR.  Genna Ashley will send the Utah linework to Valdon Hancock.

Curlew Valley 16020309 – The group reviewed this huc.  Linda Davis delineated the Idaho portion of this huc.  There is one area at the northern portion that was delineated at 6-6^th field hucs.  This area will also be broken out into a separate 5^th field – it will fit the size criteria.  This huc also contains the Curlew National Grassland area, and Lee Leffert (Caribou-Targhee NF) will be contacted for coordination in this area.  Idaho would like to possibly remove the line between the 2-6^th fields “Mud Spring” and “Buckboard Canyon” to create one oversize 6^th.  It appears that Karen Hanson delineated the streams flowing into the depression of the Pocatello Valley as a closed basin, and the group would like to ask Karen Hanson about the streams to the west, and move or delete the 6^th field line, which would create the oversized 6^th.  The Idaho preference would be to lump these two 6^th field units together.  This huc will be reviewed again in the future.

Lower Bear-Malad 16010204 – The group reviewed this huc.   The group worked on the upper 285,000-acre area that had not been delineated by Karen Hanson.  The Little Malad drainage will be broken out as one 5^th field, creating 2-5^th fields in this area, approximately 132,000 and 153,000 acres.  Linda’s linework was preferable in the Daniel’s Reservoir area to the linework previously delineated by Karen Hanson.  The group would like to use Linda’s linework instead, breaking at the dam.  Wright Creek (above Daniel’s Reservoir) should be one watershed at 23,000 acres, and Dairy Creek (flowing into Wright Creek, should be one watershed.  Two 6^th field units will be created from the Upper and Lower Devil Creek.  Numerous 5^th and 6^th field concept lines were delineated and names/numbers were discussed.  These changes will be made and this huc will be brought back for a continuing review.

ACTION ITEMS:

Idaho will contact Karen Hanson, USGS with a list of questions and/or clarifications regarding the above-mentioned hucs. 

Genna Ashley will gather all linework together and work on the Goose Creek huc changes identified in the meeting.

Genna Ashley will send the Utah certified linework to Valdon Hancock.

NEXT SCHEDULED TWG MEETING (S):

Next TWG Meeting – Tuesday, October 26th at the IDWR office – Idaho Water Center, 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 5:00 p.m.