Update and Change to the Beaver Habitat Project
The Tenmile Lakes Association recently met with the government permitting agencies that will be reviewing (and eventually signing off on) the Beaver Habitat Project. The meeting included representatives from the City of Lakeside, NOAA, DLCD, OWRD, the US Corp of Army Engineers, and ODFW. We talked to a NOAA representative who had a lot of experience with beavers and the creation of similar beaver habitat projects in the state of Oregon. He felt that due to the width of the creek and the high winter flow that it would not be a good site for a beaver habitat project. The representative also reviewed our current 404 Permit and believed that the initial habitat would have worked until winter came and washed it away.
After more discussion, the representatives felt that a Large Wood Project would be more likely to get approved and potentially get a grant to help fund the project. The Tenmile Lakes Basin Partnership has procured grants for and completed Large Wood Projects in the past.
The Large Wood Project will cost more than the Beaver Habitat Project would have cost as the logs for the project must be at least 24 inches in diameter and will need to have the placement of the logs engineered to function properly. The new project will also need heavy equipment to place the logs. We still hope to use the same location, although the Large Wood Project would extend down the creek farther.
Representatives from TLA, TLBP, and the City of Lakeside will be meeting with an experienced Large Wood Project engineer on May 2nd, 2019. We will then re-write the 404 Permit to reflect the changes in the project. We’ll also begin looking into grants and funding. We expect to be required to do the same studies previously proposed by the City of Lakeside, estimated to cost $50,000. In addition to the studies, we’ll need funds for the cost of engineering, the logs, heavy equipment, and labor for the project.
We will need the people interested in preserving our beautiful lake to donate money to TLA for this project. TLA is a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax deductible.*
Alan Whitney
*See your tax accountant for details.
