1. Safety of Dams—Coquille Tribe
2. Feasibility studies
3. Geomorphology studies
4. Suquamish groundwater investigations
5. Nisqually flood protection
6. Warm Springs Tribes water development planning
7. Quinault beach resort water supply
8. Lummi Indian Nation infrastructure development
9. Skagit System Cooperative river restoration
10. Upper Skagit Indian Tribe water supply
1. Safety of Dams—Coquille Tribe
The Bureau of Reclamation conducts Safety of Dams inspections for agencies within the Department of the Interior. Based on Reclamation’s evaluations, two small dams located on Coquille Tribal lands near Coos Bay, Oregon, will be removed and rebuilt to control seepage. The dams, which store approximately 136 acre-feet of water used for irrigation, were originally constructed in 1924 as part of a sawmill operation.
In 2002 and 2003, Reclamation developed final designs and specifications for the dam repairs. A geosynthetic material will be added to the embankments to enhance the dams’ resistance to earthquakes. New fish ladders will be constructed adjacent to new spillways which will be able to pass higher volumes of flood water. Repair work is expected to start in late winter or early spring, 2004 and work is expected to be completed by spring 2005.
The modifications to the dams are funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Under an interagency agreement, the Bureau of Reclamation will provide construction management and design support. After the modifications are completed, the Coquille Tribe will be responsible for operating the dams for irrigation of tribal organic cranberry bogs.
Work continued on Phase III of the Umatilla Basin Project in cooperation with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. This is a water exchange project to pump water from the Columbia River to irrigation districts so that more water can be left instream in the Umatilla River. Activities in 2002 and 2003 focused on the development of a hydrologic model that will assist in evaluating the potential for increasing streamflows for the benefit of anadromous fish species. Funds were provided to the Tribes to enable their participation in model development and analysis of fisheries benefits. Phases I and II of the project are completed, resulting in measurable increases in anadromous fish returns to the basin.
The Pacific Northwest Feasibility Studies Act of 2002, P.L. 107 142, provides Reclamation with the authority to undertake water supply feasibility studies with three tribes in western Washington, the Makah, Lower Elwha Klallam and the Tulalip. While funding to initiate these studies will not be available until FY 2004, Reclamation continued to work with the three tribes in 2002 and 2003 to collect data and identify issues to be addressed in the feasibility studies.
An appraisal report was completed in 2002 evaluating several alternatives for meeting the water supply needs of the Makah Indian Reservation. Because one of the most promising water supply sources is located within the Olympic National Park, the National Park Service was contacted to understand its concerns. The NPS has asked to be a cooperating agency in the study and suggested that desalination be evaluated as one of the action alternatives. Reclamation worked with the Tribe to collect water quality data and to provide information on water treatment technologies that could be used in assessing the potential for desalination on the reservation.
The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe participates with Reclamation and the National Park Service on activities leading to the removal of two major dams on the Elwha River. While supporting the dam removal project, the Tribe is concerned about the potential impact to groundwater levels and septic systems on the reservation. Reclamation has assisted in the evaluation of future groundwater levels and in evaluating alternatives to individual septic water treatment systems. At this time, the Tribe is negotiating an agreement with the City of Port Angeles that would allow the Tribe to send its wastewater to the city for treatment. Reclamation will assist the Tribe in designing a wastewater collection and delivery system, while the National Park Service will include the delivery pipeline in its supplemental environmental impact statement for the dam removal project.
The Tulalip Tribes is in the process of planning for its future domestic water supply needs on the reservation. The current water supply is dependent on the Tulalip aquifer which is being stressed by increased demand due to growth in Indian and non-Indian populations both on and off the reservation. A business park has also been developed by the Tribes on the reservation. The USGS has partnered with the Tribes to investigate the potential for the aquifer to meet future water supply needs and develop plans for aquifer protection, and Reclamation is helping to fund this study. The feasibility study would investigate alternatives for conjunctive use of the groundwater supply as well as surface water supplies made available through a contract with the City of Everett.
Geomorphology studies examine river processes and responses to changes from natural causes or human activities. The information developed through these studies assists resource managers in developing plans to address concerns such as erosion or restoration of fish habitat. Reclamation has been working with Tribes and interested agencies in western Washington to study geomorphic processes in the Dungeness, Hoh, Quinault, and Puyallup River basins.
As a member of the Dungeness River Management Team, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe approached Reclamation about undertaking a geomorphological investigation of the lower Dungeness River at the northeast end of the Olympic Peninsula. The team was interested in restoration actions to improve salmonid habitat in the river, but lacked scientific information on the potential impacts of proposed projects. In 2002 Reclamation published a final report describing the existing physical river processes, determining how the processes have been affected by human activities, and developing potential restoration options for consideration.
The Hoh Tribe, concerned about loss of salmonid habitat and erosion on its 1-square-mile reservation, engaged Reclamation in a study of the Hoh River. Erosion along the banks of the Hoh River has also impacted infrastructure owned and maintained by the Olympic Nation Park and by Jefferson County, so these entities also participate in the study. In 2002 and 2003 Reclamation collected and analyzed data on the historic channel migration zone, the location and extent of woody debris in the system, pools and hydraulic controls (riffles and rapids), and sediment inputs to the system. A final report will be prepared in 2004 documenting and assessing areas that are at risk from the river and areas that have a high potential to be at risk in the future. In addition, potential management options to address erosion while improving salmonid habitat will be evaluated.
As with the Hoh River, erosion along the Quinault River threatens Olympic National Park infrastructure. The Quinault Tribe wants to ensure that any bank stabilization project would not create other problems that could affect their reservation downstream or degrade existing salmonid habitat. The Tribe is particularly interested in protecting and restoring habitat for sockeye salmon, a species that has great cultural significance for the Tribe. Work in 2002 and 2003 focused on data collection activities such as aerial photography, stream channel surveys, and geological field work.
The Puyallup Tribe of Indians and Pierce County, Washington, have been
collaborating on habitat restoration projects in the Puyallup River basin
east of the city of Tacoma. Activities primarily involve land acquisition
and levee setbacks. In order to assist these restoration efforts, the
Tribe has asked Reclamation to undertake a study of sedimentation movement
and hydraulic processes in the Puyallup River watershed. The purpose of
this study is to better understand the existing hydraulic and sediment
processes in the Puyallup River basin, how the proposed levee setback
is expected to alter those processes, and what impacts a levee setback
might have in other reaches being considered for future restoration projects.
Data collection activities were initiated in 2003.
4. Suquamish groundwater investigations
The Port Madison Indian Reservation (PMIR) consists of about 7,700 acres in northern Kitsap County, Washington. It is home to the Suquamish Tribe. The PMIR is located in an area of rapid population growth and residential development; to the southeast is Bainbridge Island, Poulsbo lies to the west, and the unincorporated Kingston Urban Growth Area lies to the north. Population growth has resulted in development and the pressure to develop additional ground water resources within and surrounding the PMIR.
Precipitation is the sole source of ground water recharge and surface water runoff on the Kitsap Peninsula. Water rights (claims, permits and certificates) issued by the Washington Department of Ecology allocate a quantity of ground water in the Kingston sub-area (designated in the Kitsap Basin Assessment, Golder, 2002) that is 391% of the estimated recharge. Actual ground water use is significantly less; estimated use in the Kingston sub-area in year 2000 is 7% of the estimated recharge. Tribal water rights are not quantified nor are they included in the Kitsap Basin Assessment (Golder, 2002). The disparity between allocated rights and actual water use highlights the importance and immediacy of Tribal water resource planning to protect their water resources and ensure that there is enough water to meet future needs.
The effects that ground water pumping has on surface water flows is unknown at this time due to a lack of detailed water level information and the amount of hydraulic continuity between the aquifers and streams. Urbanization increases the quantity of impervious surfaces and decreases the amount of water that can infiltrate the soil and become ground water recharge. In addition, urbanization can change the quantity and timing of surface water runoff. There is a need to understand these effects for making planning decisions about new development, aquifer water use and salmon habitat maintenance.
The objectives of this study are to develop a conceptual flow model that describes the ground water flow system and to develop a water budget that estimates the quantity of ground water recharge and discharge and the quantity of ground water that can be allocated for use on the PMIR. In 2002 and 2003, Reclamation has been developing a data base of area groundwater wells, including locations, depths, geologic and hydrologic characteristics. In addition, groundwater recharge and hydraulic conductivity values were calculated in order to develop a water budget for the study area.
The Nisqually River is located near Olympia, Washington. The Wa He Lut Indian School and Frank's Landing Community, part of the Nisqually Tribal Reservation, are located along the left bank, a short distance upstream from the Interstate 5 Bridge. The school and community are subject to flooding and bank erosion from the Nisqually River. Reclamation undertook a hydraulic reach analysis to assist the Natural Resources Conservation Service in designing flood and bank protection measures. In addition, Reclamation developed designs for managing and evacuating stormwater in the area around the school, the tribal smokeshop, and nearby residences.
6. Warm Springs Tribes water development planning
The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon (Warm Springs Tribes) are the legal successor in interest to the seven bands of Wasco and Sahaptin speaking Indians of the mid-Columbia area whose representatives were signatories to the Treaty with the Tribes of Middle Oregon of June 25, 1855. In 1997, the Warm Springs Tribes successfully settled their on-Reservation reserved water rights claims for a variety of uses including both consumptive and instream flow rights. The settlement includes water for present and future instream flow, agriculture, domestic, municipal, industrial, commercial, recreation, and livestock needs. In addition, the Warm Springs Tribes have the right to market up to 200 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the Deschutes River with 25 cfs of that amount available from the Metolius River. Use of groundwater in lieu of surface water is also authorized if the Warm Springs Tribes find it to be advantageous.
Although the Warm Springs Tribes have a large water right, there is presently little or no consumptive use with the exception of non-agricultural uses, primarily centered on domestic, commercial, and recreation uses. A major reason for this limited water resources development is the lack of a long-term water development plan to guide future water development activities. Such a plan, when tied to a long-term economic plan, would allow for the implementation of projects that are economically and technically justifiable. In 2002 and 2003, Reclamation provided funds to the Tribes to initiate the water development planning effort.
7. Quinault beach resort water supply
The Quinault Indian Nation, requested assistance from Reclamation to investigate ways to expand its water supply and to assess the current water treatment system serving its resort in Ocean Shores, Washington. The Quinault Nation uses two shallow wells and a treatment process of rapid sand filtration, followed by UV, ozone and chlorine disinfection to meet the resort’s water supply needs. The two shallow wells contain high levels of iron, manganese, and hardness. The wells, water treatment plant, and storage tank barely keep up with the existing water demand. The finished water storage tank levels drop in the summertime due to the increase in visitors to the resort. In addition, the threat of declining water levels in the area from drought may force the Quinault Nation into water restrictions or possibly even hauling water long distances for drinking, cooking, and bathing. The tribe has plans to build housing units adjacent to the Quinault beach resort which will exacerbate the water supply problems. In 2003, Reclamation performed an assessment of the resort’s water treatment system in order to develop recommendations for improvements and further studies. A report will be completed in 2004.
8. Lummi Indian Nation infrastructure development
The Lummi Reservation consists of over 20,000 acres located in northwest Washington, near the city of Bellingham. The Lummi Nation completed a water needs assessment in 1995 which identified and prioritized water system infrastructure needs. While a few of the identified projects have been completed or are in the process of being completed, additional improvements in source capacity, storage, and distribution system efficiency are needed. The Lummi Nation is seeking financial and technical assistance for several priority projects, including distribution system interties and storage, fish hatchery improvements, integration of non-tribal water systems into the Lummi distribution system, aquifer delineation, and streamflow measurements. In 2003 Reclamation provided funds to the Nation for undertaking the biological and environmental assessments required for obtaining construction permits.
9. Skagit System Cooperative river restoration
The Skagit System Cooperative is a collaborative effort of the Swinomish, Upper Skagit, and Sauk-Suiattle Tribes to address habitat restoration for salmonid species in the Skagit River watershed. Part of the effort includes the removal or breaching of dikes that had been constructed to protect agricultural land near the river mouth, thereby restoring natural estuarine functions. In 2002 and 2003, Reclamation provided surveying services to the Cooperative that will allow for design and monitoring of restoration projects. Reclamation also provided training in surveying techniques and interpretation to the Cooperative.
10. Upper Skagit Indian Tribe water supply
The Upper Skagit Indian Reservation comprises 86 acres, located about
75 miles north of Seattle. In 2002, Reclamation assisted the Tribe in
assessing the adequacy of its existing potable water supply, storage,
and distribution systems. The potable water supply system assessment found
that the existing water supply wells are capable of meeting current and
future demands; existing storage is insufficient to meet current and future
domestic, fire, and related storage component requirements; and the pipeline
distribution system needs to be upgraded to meet fire flow standards.
Reclamation also undertook preliminary engineering design studies of wastewater
conveyance and potable water distribution systems that would allow the
Tribe to connect to existing utility operators in the area. Alternative
pipeline routes and cost estimates were developed for the Tribe’s
use in seeking construction grants.
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