Bonneville Power Administration(BPA) prepared the Albeni Falls Wildlife Management Plan: Environmental Assessment in 1996.  The plan guides the development of wildlife mitigation projects associated with Albeni Falls Dam proposed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Albeni Falls Interagency Work Group, approved by the Northwest Power Planning and Conservation Council (NPPCC), and proposed for funding by BPA.  The plan enables the IDFG and the Kalispel, Coeur d'Alene, and Kootenai Indian Tribes to: 1) Protect and enhance through land acquisition, a variety of wetland and riparian habitats; 2) Restore 28,587 Habitat Units (HUs lost as a result of the construction of Albeni Falls Dam), and; 3) Conduct long-term wildlife habitat management activities at individual mitigation project sites (USDE 1996).

The Northern Idaho Wildlife Mitigation Agreement was jointly prepared and approved by the IDFG and BPA in June 1997 (BPA and IDFG 1997).  The agreement formalizes obligations of both parties in the protection, mitigation, and enhancement of wildlife habitat through the acquisition, protection and management of projects. The Pend Oreille Combined Lands Wildlife Management Area POCLWMA represents a portion of ongoing actions to mitigate wildlife habitat losses associated with the construction and operation of Albeni Falls Dam.

Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) prepared the Albeni Falls Wildlife Management Plan: Environmental Assessment in 1996.  The plan guides the development of wildlife mitigation projects associated with Albeni Falls Dam proposed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) and the Albeni Falls Interagency Work Group, approved by the Northwest Power Planning and Conservation Council (NPPCC), and proposed for funding by BPA.  The plan enables the IDFG and the Kalispel, Coeur d'Alene, and Kootenai Indian Tribes to: 1) Protect and enhance through land acquisition, a variety of wetland and riparian habitats; 2) Restore 28,587 Habitat Units (HUs lost as a result of the construction of Albeni Falls Dam), and; 3) Conduct long-term wildlife habitat management activities at individual mitigation project sites (USDE 1996). In lieu of annualizing HU losses the NPPCC has decided to mitigate losses at a 2:1 ratio. That is, for every two (2) HUs protected the HU ledger will be reduced by one (1) HU.

The Northern Idaho Wildlife Mitigation Agreement was jointly prepared and approved by the IDFG and BPA in June 1997 (BPA and IDFG 1997).  The agreement formalizes obligations of both parties in the protection, mitigation, and enhancement of wildlife habitat through the acquisition, protection and management of projects. The Pend Oreille Combined Lands Wildlife Management Area POCLWMA represents a portion of ongoing actions to mitigate wildlife habitat losses associated with the construction and operation of Albeni Falls Dam.

The current objective of the Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project is to perpetually protect and manage high quality floodplain and riparian habitats, including cottonwood forests, emergent wetlands, and scrub-shrub wetlands for all species that depend on these habitat types for all or a portion of their life history requirements.

Between 1997 and present, IDFG has acquired 11 wildlife mitigation parcels through the Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project for the POCLWMA totaling 1,292 acres and yielding 1,893 HUs (Table 1).  Wildlife management plans have been prepared for nine (9) of the 11 parcels.  IDFG acquired two wildlife parcels in 2005, and will complete baseline Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) and wildlife management plans for these parcels in 2006. In accordance with the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project (AFIWG 2001), the purpose of the wildlife management plan is to describe the current situation and the long-term management activities necessary for the protection, enhancement and maintenance of wildlife habitat on mitigation parcels.

Table 1.  Pend Oreille Combined Lands Wildlife Management Area

Mitigation Property Year Acquired Acres Total Habitat Units
Albeni Cove 1999 70 60
Carter's Island 1997 96 312
Cocolalla Lake 1999 98 84
Deep Creek 2005 40 40
Denton Slough 1997 17 41
Derr  Creek 1997 240 373
Gold Creek 2005 310 310
Lower Pack River 1999 30 84
Rapid Lightning 1999 110 187
Trout Creek 1999 216 315
Westmond Lake 1999 65 87
Totals 1,292 1,893