Background

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.  The Northern Idaho Wildlife Mitigation Agreement was jointly prepared and approved by the IDFG and BPA in June 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 represents a portion of ongoing actions to mitigate wildlife habitat losses associated with the construction and operation of Albeni Falls Dam.  

The Northern Idaho Wildlife Mitigation Agreement was jointly prepared and approved by the IDFG and BPA in June 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 (WMA) 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 Pend Oreille Combined Lands WMA totaling about 1,457 acres and yielding and estimated 3,327 HU (Table 1).  As of 2006, Wildlife management plans have been prepared for nine (9) of the 11 parcels.  IDFG acquired a wildlife parcel in 2005, and completed a baseline Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) in 2006. Since then,  IDFG acquired  two parcels in the Lower Pack River Habitat Segment and two parcels that will be included under the Rapid Lightning Habitat Segment.  HEP assessments will be completed for these parcels in 2007.  IDFG also acquired 62 acres in Benewah County on the St. Joe River.  This parcel, while not in the Pend Oreille Subbasin, will be included under this contract until other arrangements can be made.  A HEP will be completed for this acquisition in 2007.  As a consequence of the recent mitigation efforts, IDFG is now in the process of preparing a new management plan for the WMA.  In accordance with the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the Albeni Falls Wildlife Mitigation Project, 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 (HU)
Albeni Cove 1999                 70 114 (5-year HEP)
Carter's Island 1997                 96 312
Cocolalla Lake 1999                 98 186 (5-year HEP)
Denton Slough 1997                 17 41
Derr  Creek 1997                 240 379
Gold Creek 2005                 310 928 (2006 baseline HEP)
Lower Pack River 1999                 30 84
          Conner Lot 2006                 0.24 1
          Liu Lot 2007                 0.54 1
Rapid Lightning 1999                 110 204 (5-year HEP)
          Shields 2006                 41 41
          Ginter 2007                 101 101
Trout Creek 1999                 216 570 (5-year HEP)
Westmond Lake      1999 65 87            (5-year HEP)
Lower St. Joe 2007                 62 62

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game Administrative contract assumes the responsibility of collecting, maintaining and forwarding to BPA any and all documentation pertaining to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance measures that must be undertaken prior to the start of implementation activities occurring on wildlife mitigation sites.  This contract for the Pend Oreille Combined Lands Wildlife Management Areas covers the operation and maintenance, as well as the research, monitoring and evaluation of the mitigation properties.

All the management and administrative responsibilities for the implementation activities under this SOW are funded through a separate IDFG Administrative contract #31272.

The project goal is to protect, restore, maintain, and manage wetland, riparian, and upland coniferous forest habitats on the Pend Oreille Combined Lands Wildlife Management Area (WMA)

• Management of Acquired Lands:  to manage, protect, and enhance wildlife species and their habitats based on sound ecosystem techniques and principles.  To continue operation and maintenance activities on project lands.

• Monitoring and Evaluation:  to monitor vegetative cover and habitats using scientific principals and techniques to ensure that project objectives are being met and to provide a basis for use of adaptive management when appropriate.  To evaluate species and habitat responses to management activities for the benefit of fish and wildlife using mitigation lands.

•Enhancement and Restoration:  to implement sound ecosystem management to enhance and/or restore degraded habitats on project lands over time.