The Scotch Creek Wildlife Area is a complex of 7 separate management units located in Okanogan county in North Central Washington State.  The project is located within the Columbia Cascade Province (Okanogan sub-basin) and partially addresses adverse impacts caused by the construction of Chief Joseph and Grand Coulee hydroelectric dams.  The total size of all wildlife area units is 24,947 acres.  The Scotch Creek Wildlife Area was approved as a wildlife mitigation project in 1996 and habitat enhancement efforts to meet mitigation objectives have been underway since the spring of 1997 on Scotch Creek.  The initial acquisition in 1991 was primarily for the recovery of the Columbian Sharp-tailed grouse, a state threatened species, and enhancement of their critical habitats.  Population estimates of Sharp-tailed grouse on the Scotch Creek, Tunk Valley and Chesaw Units increased steadily from the initial acquisition until about 2006 when the estimates leveled off.  Since that time numbers have decreased.  This could be due to a number of very wet and cold weather events during the spring nesting and brood reading time frame, and/or this could be due to a number of other factors including genetics or predation.  Sharp-tails were translocated from south east Idaho to the Scotch Creek Wildlife Area in 1998, 1999, and 2000 to supplement the existing population which was estimated to be 6 - 10 birds at the time.  The habitat enhancements and genetic supplementation through augmentation appeared to have success as the population increased steadily for 5 or 6 years.  WDFW is formulating plans for 3 years of translocation to the Scotch Creek unit as source populations become available.    

Maintenance of BPA funded enhancements are necessary to protect and enhance shrub-steppe and riparian habitats to recover and sustain populations of Sharp-tailed grouse and other obligate species.  This contract will maintain shrub and tree plantings to ensure continued growth and survival, and the benefit of Sharp tailed grouse winter habitat.  Boundary fence repair will be performed to prevent trespass livestock on all wildlife area units.  Weed control on all acres of the wildlife areas will be performed to restore quality habitat as well as protection from new invaders and maintain existing HU's.  Maintenance of signs, physical improvements, roads and parking areas will protect habitat by directing and informing the public.  Funding of administrative duties will keep project staff informed of new procedures and developments, BPA and DFW personnel informed of on-going projects, keep planning and project reporting on track, and insure smooth operations between all interested parties. In addition we will continue the dialog with the public by hosting an annual Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) meeting.  This meeting outlines our accomplishments over the past year and informs the group about plans for the new year, as well as accepting comments and suggestions from a wide variety of stakeholders.  In addition WDFW is in the process in 2016 to re-write the management plan for the 7 units of the Scotch Creek complex.  Fire protection contracts will be in place with local districts and the DNR to protect improvements and critical habitats.

In 2016 we will start collecting data for a GIS project to locate and store in GIS the location of all structural components of each wildlife area unit.  In the attempt to maintain and prolong the life of all the vehicles and equipment necessary for management and maintenance of the wildlife area, we will build two new equipment storage buildings at the Scotch Creek headquarters.  The bridge deck crossing Scotch Creek at the headquarters has reached its lifespan and is in need of replacing.  We will pull the rotting timbers and replace with 4 x 12 planks to ensure safe crossing to all areas of the headquarters.  The Chesaw unit has never had adequate access for the public.  We will level a site near the Byers residence, complete with a rock hardened site, build a two rail fence surrounding the site and install a 4 x 8 reader board to inform the public of regulations and opportunities on the area.  We will begin a year long process to summer fallow 70 acres of weed infested and degraded habitat on the Similkameen - Chopaka and the Eder unit this year and seed to native shrub-steppe habitat.  We will continue to restore riparian habitats across the units and this year construct and install nest boxes/platforms for several priority species on our wildlife areas.  

We experienced a devastating wildfire in 2015 that burned over all of the Tunk Valley and Pogue Mountain units, and 95% of the Scotch Creek unit.  We will continue this year working with FEMA to replace lost infrastructure and get these areas back to fully functioning units.  53 miles of boundary fencing on these three units will be the biggest challenge.  The habitat is starting to recover, but will take years to see the mature shrubs and trees that were lost.  This year we will learn from this experience and install "fire wise" methods to prepare and protect all structures on the area.