2007 Accomplishments

Since 1998, the Snoqualmie Watershed Forum and its member jurisdictions have been active in advocating and implementing projects to aid in salmon recovery, water quality and flooding hazard reduction.

The below summary presents highlights of 2007 accomplishments most directly tied to Forum activities and does not include the accomplishments of individual jurisdictions.

Habitat Restoration and Protection

Since 1998, the Forum and KCD have allocated $3.7 Million to 76 projects!

• Launched a new KCD-Snoqualmie Forum Opportunity Fund providing small grants for tributary, stewardship and landowner-based projects. Increased the Snoqualmie Watershed grant budget by $100,000 through extra KCD match. Received a best partnering organization award from KCD in 2007.
  
• Allocated $683,000 in King Conservation District (KCD) grants to 18 conservation projects:
  
  > 1 Large Capital Restoration project
  > 8 Riparian Restoration projects
  > 2 Restoration Maintenance projects
  > 1 Lakeshore Noxious Weed Control project
  > 1 Monitoring Study
  > 4 Outreach, Education and Marketing projects
  > 1 Trail Bridge Repair project
  
• Snoqualmie Watershed recovery projects are recommended to receive $2.5 million in 2007 grants from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board and Puget Sound Partnership fund.
  
• Provided grant writing services to watershed partners on 3 grant proposals. One $50,000 grant has been secured. One $1 million grant request is short-listed for decision in December.

Coordination & Capacity Building

• Hosted the Snoqualmie Summit bringing together nearly 100 participants including elected officials, non-profits, local/state agency staff, and landowners to discuss local conservation issues.
  
• With WDFW, co-organized a series of partner meetings intended to develop a coordinated restoration strategy for the Stillwater Natural Area. Other partners included Wild Fish Conservancy, Stilly Sno Taskforce and King County.
  
• Worked with Stewardship Partners and Stilly Sno Fisheries Enhancement Taskforce to establish agreements with Monroe Corrections (MCC) and pilot the use of correction crews for maintenance work. Both groups have renewed their agreements with MCC for 2008.
  
• Facilitated six Snoqualmie Watershed Forum meetings and six cross-jurisdictional staff meetings.
  
• Hosted four tours including:
  > Project tour in Duvall area for general public (34 participants)
  > Tour of Flood Fencing projects co-hosted with Snohomish County (26 participants)
  > Tour of the Wetland Mitigation site in Monroe for local valley staff (6 participants)
  > Tour of Tulalip Screw trap
  
• Did outreach to policy makers including KCD Legislative Open House, WRIA Legislative Day, and presentation to King County Council Growth and Natural Resource Committee.

Technical & Policy Work

• Sponsored the collection of detailed baseline and post-November 2006 flood data (including orthophotos) for the Carlin Levee removal project completed in 2006.
  
• Worked with landowners and King County Agriculture Program staff to develop programmatic approaches to managing alluvial fans on private lands.
  
• Developing a Snoqualmie Basin Water Quality Synthesis Report to identify key information gaps and to prioritize water quality improvement actions on a sub-basin level.

Promotion & Outreach

• Coordinated and sponsored school education programs in the watershed:

> Nature Vision pilot school education program (30 school sessions to 718 students). Nature Vision has since secured KCD funding to continue and expand the program in Valley schools.
> School planting events hosted by Stilly Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Taskforce (100 students planted 700 trees).

• Installed stream crossing signs at major river crossings on King County roads. So far 6 sites are completed. We have another 6-9 to complete before year-end.
  
• Co-funded the development and installation of two interpretive signs at the Three Forks Natural Area with King County Parks. The signs will be installed in December 2007.
  
• Participated in and/or provided staff and coordination support for public events and campaigns that promote watershed health including:
  > Harvest Celebration Farm Tour
  > Salmon Homecoming
  > Fall for Salmon campaign
  > Public meeting on Lower Tolt Floodplain Reconnection project
  > Snoqualmie Watershed Festival.
  

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