In recent weeks WDFW rolled out the latest version of a plan for the use of Wynoochee Dam Mitigation. As someone who sat through so many meetings, for Bill and his kick the can down the road visits to Commission meetings, and Joe with a mountain of files from 25 years of effort it was difficult to take. That said we were asked to look at things differently by Rep. Blake, to bring a team together to develop a alternate proposal which we did. The letter below and the proposal are the results of that effort.

Hopefully you folks can support our effort as from our perspective it honors the intent of Wynoochee Mitigation Agreement and has far greater benefits to the Wynoochee Ecosystem than the WDFW proposal.



Director Susewind, President Sharp, WDFW Commissioners

On September 24, 2019 WDFW presented it most recent plan for the use of the Wynoochee Mitigation Funds supported by Quinault Nation (the Nation). To say components such as the use of net pens and Wynoochee Mitigation funds to rear and release Coho smolts at Bingham Hatchery on the East Fork of the Satsop River caused emotions to boil over would be somewhat of an understatement.

For long time advocates with literally hundreds of hours sitting in meetings and file cabinets full of documents on the history of the issue it was particularly difficult. One long time advocate declared that this issue was going to be an "epic food fight."

It was shortly after the meeting that I became aware that Rep. Blake was concerned about the issue and contacted him. To be honest his take on the issue was different. While recognizing the failures of the past he advocated a different approach. Rather than reject the WDFW proposal out right based upon the failings of the past that we use the new proposal as a base to offer an alternative approach. An approach that may not and likely is not easier but would allow WDFW, the Nation, and the local communities to come together for the good of all and the resource. His point was we have accomplished this in the past with efforts such as Long Live the Kings on the Wishkah River, the grass roots efforts of East Grays Harbor volunteers on the Satsop River. The list is long so the question, why not again? Why not now on the Wynoochee River?

With Rep. Blake's encouragement we reached out to many to create an alternative proposal for the use of Wynoochee Mitigation funds. We ask that WDFW and the Nation consider our alternate not because it is simpler (which it is not) but it is best for the resource. To use the Wynoochee Mitigation issue to bring together all the citizens concerned about the future of the Wynoochee River and the resource.

For the team,