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Relicensing

Study Planning, Execution and Reporting

Pre-NOI Study Planning and Reports.

The City has been involved in natural resource study planning since well before formal initiation of relicensing. During 2000 and 2001, the City held informal meetings with various resource agencies to discuss preliminary studies for fish resources in Sawmill Creek, the primary waterway flowing out of the project dam. These discussions resulted in development of Preliminary Sawmill Creek Fisheries Study Plan which was implemented from late 2000 through, 2001. Reports for the 2001-2005 study season have been distributed (fisheries reports for 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004). Surveys were prepared by Mr. Wolfe and the City.

Fisheries and Wildlife Study Planning and Meeting(s)

On April 24th , 2003, the City conducted a formal planning meeting for fisheries and wildlife studies at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game offices in Juneau. Prior to this meeting, the City distributed a Draft Fisheries Study Plan and a Draft Wildlife Study Plan, both via e-mail. These study plans, unlike the Preliminary Sawmill Creek study plans discussed under “Pre-NOI Study Planning” were based on agency comments on the ICD and discussion during the Initial Consultation Meetings. They also included Blue Lake studies .

Details of these plans were discussed at the meeting. Draft and Final minutes were prepared for this meeting.

The Final Fisheries Study Plan and Final Wildlife Study Plan were distributed after incorporation of agency comments.

Other study plans will be developed in the future, including, but not limited to, those for cultural resources, water quality, and recreation. The City will post the draft and final versions of those study plans on this website as they become available.

Instream Flow Study Planning.

A general instream flow study planning meeting was held in Sitka on October 22, 2003, in association with the Scoping meeting and site visit. Minutes of the October, 2003, IFIM meeting were prepared by the City.

The City conducted another instream flow meeting on December 8, 2003, in Juneau to discuss details of an instream flow method. At that meeting, a proposal for Expert Habitat Mapping (EHM) was made by US Forest Service (USFS). Following the meeting, the City prepare a Draft Instream Flow Study Plan which described a combination of EHM and hydraulic measurement-based instream flow methods for Sawmill Creek. Also at that meeting, the instream flow sub-group discussed and preliminarily approved a list of target fish species and life stages. Draft and final minutes for the December 8th meeting were distributed by the City on December 12, 2003.

The City conducted an instream flow site visit on March 3, 2004 , to help familiarize participants with Sawmill Creek hydraulic and habitat features. Following the site visit, a meeting was held in Sitka to discuss general instream flow study planning.

The City convened a teleconference with ADF&G’s Anchorage Instream Flow Coordinator on 3/25/04 to discuss techniques and equipment for the hydraulic measurement component of the studies. Draft minutes of that teleconference were distributed by the City on 4/02/04.

Following that teleconference and further discussions with USFS, it was agreed that the instream flow studies would include only the hydraulic measurement component. The City does not currently plan to use the EHM component described in the minutes of the December 8, 2003, meeting.

Based on discussions at all previous instream flow meetings and site visits, a Supplement to the Instream Flow Study Plan was distributed by the City on April 9, 2003. On April 15, 2004, the City initiated a conference call among instream flow sub-group members. During that teleconference, the City introduced its instream flow consultant, Jon Ptacek of Miller Ecological Consultants (MEC) of Ft. Collins, CO. Draft minutes of the teleconference were distributed by the City on April 28, 2004.

An interagency instream flow site selection field trip was held on April 20, 2004. Cross-section locations were established in Sawmill Creek Reaches 1-5. Beginning April 20 and continuing through April 22, the City and its instream flow contractor conducted field measurements of the selected cross-sections on Sawmill Creek.

On September 8, 2004, another instream flow meeting was held in Juneau to discuss how the instream flow negotiations would proceed. Draft minutes and Final Minutes of that meeting were prepared by the City.

On September 24, 2004, the City distributed a draft Instream Flow Data Report documenting 2004 field work on Sawmill Creek by Miller Ecological Consultants (MEC), of Ft. Collins CO. The report is currently under review.

On January 19, 2005, a meeting of the Instream Flow Team (IFT) was held in Juneau to discuss Habitat Suitability Curves (HSC’s) for coho and steelhead. Prior to this meeting, the City distributed a Draft HSC Paper for review. Draft meeting minutes are currently being reviewed by attendees; after approved finalization, the meeting minutes will be made available in the website.

Based on comments from the meeting, a Revised Draft HSC Paper was distributed to the Instream Flow Mailing List on February 15, 2005.

Cultural Resources Study Planning.

A Draft Cultural Resources Study Plan was submitted for review by appropriate agencies on May 28, 2004. Comments were received from certain agencies, and are reflected in the Final Cultural Resources Study Plan distributed on September 28, 2004. At this time the City is selecting a cultural resources contractor to conduct field surveys and gather historical and archaeological information.

Subsistence Study Planning

A Draft Subsistence Resources Study Plan was submitted for review by appropriate agencies on June 9, 2004. Comments were received from certain agencies, and are reflected in the Final Subsistence Resources Study Plan distributed on September 23, 2004. At this time the City is selecting a cultural resources contractor to conduct field surveys and gather historical and archaeological information.

Recreation Study Planning

Recreation study planning has been conducted primarily in consultation with the US Forest Service Sitka Ranger district office. A preliminary draft recreation study plan was reviewed by USFS and a series of comments, mostly regarding placement of traffic counters on Blue Lake area access roads and trials, were incorporated. A revised draft recreation study plan is currently under review.

Study Execution and Reporting.

To date, the City’s fisheries contractor (Mr. Karl Wolfe of Sitka) has, in cooperation with the Electric Department, prepared four Sawmill Creek Fisheries Reports. The 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 Preliminary Sawmill Creek Fish Study Reports, distributed in 2002,2003,2004 and 2005. Documented results of the 2000-2005 surveys.

On June 27, 2005 a Wildlife Resources Report was distributed to the Project fish and wildlife mailing list (see cover letter).The second wildlife report (in Word.doc format), documenting surveys during 2005, was sent to selected agency and tribe participants on February 27, 2006. While the report was not identified as a draft, timely comments are welcome. All reports are available in hard-copy at the Contact Address ,and have been distributed to all relevant resource agencies and the Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA)