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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1989-03-23 KRSMA Board Minutes~Z ~p i1-1?_,3~ J~ ~' ~V . ~`~~'~ C~1GaR 19~`~ ~n ~~ i, . a CtC'( ADM~~- ' Vic'. ":~Ty UE. ~C~r. Kenai River Special Management Area Advisory Bcard Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association Building 9:00 a.m., March 23, 1989 I. CALL TO ORDER President Heimbuch called the meeting to order in the Cook Tnlet Aquaculture Association Building at 9:07 a.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: Rod Berg,. Loretta. Breeden, Dale Bondurant, Loren Flagg, Floyd Heimbuch, Dennis Randa, John Vaughan, Al White, Frank Mullen, Ron Rainey, Dolly Farnsworth, Dan Doshier, Duane Harp, and Kevin Delaney for Paul Krasnowski. MEMBERS ABSENT: Corps of Engineers representative. II. PUBLIC COMMENT Ron Rainey spoke as an individual on his concern:> of the lack of agency help to control bank erosion not caused by natural occurrence=. but by boats moving at high tide and foot traffic. He feels property owners need help since both Kenai and Soldotna derive revenues from the recreational fishery in the river; and yet the private land owner is being asked to pay individually to correct bank stabilization problems created by the recreational fishery. Ron Rainey -was appointed chairman of a Bank Stab~,_lization Committee with Al White, John Vaughan, and lluane Harp as 'members. The committee .will draw up some concrete suggestions for the Board to review at the next meeting. Mr. Riddle, a landowner also experiencing the same problem, would like to provide the Bank Stabilization Committee with information he has received from the Soii Conservation Service and other agencies regardi.nq their a,u~~~t~~~rzt:,Lrirrrs 1`i,r:` K2 dr.cr~i~~1nG1 tlm ~r.~rrerl.rarr. Ernie ICnac]cstedt, a landowner, wanted to ]snow what could be done to keep cruides from using his lawn as a toilet. Rod Berg asked him to give biro a list of guide boat numbers doing this and he will personally take care of the situation. III. COMMITTEE REPORTS Water Quality Committee: Dan Doshier reported he has been getting support for their resolution and has received 13 letters of support from legislators and the governor. The Director would like a fact sheet to go along with the resolution with suggestions as to who should get the money. Coastal. Zone Committee: Loren Flagg reported the committee met in January. The draft Kenai Peninsula Coastal Zone Ianagement Plan has been approved by the Borough Assembly, and it will now be forwarded to the State Coastal Zone Management Program. for approval. There is some .concern of the lack 'of recreational concerns being addressed in detail. There was discussion of the nc-ed to start the development of the AI~ISA for the Kenai River. 'I''he KRSfIA ADVISORY BOARD 2 Minutes :March 23, 1989 committee would like to use the Kenai River Plan as a starting point for the AMSA. Work on the Kasilof AMSA has already started. IV. OLD BLTSINF,SS A. Lower Five Miles of Kenai River. There was discussion as to why the lower five miles of the Ken<~i River was taken out of the original legislation. According board members from the original KRSMA Board, the City of Kenai was upset about having it in the Area and wanted to manage the harbor and mouth itself; and if it hadn't been taken out the original Senate B5.11, the bill would not have passed. Ron Rainey stated the City of Kenai does not want to do anything to damage the viability of the river. Tlrey do not want to see commercial fishermen or industry be regulated as recreational fisheries. Frank Mullen pointed out that the Kenai River Plan boundary does include the mouth. Loretta Breeden stated the plan has "'not been adopted by the City of Kenai. Dale Bondurant felt the Board should make suggestionea to include the river and go before the City of Kenai and the state legislators. It was felt the City of Kenai should have a harbormaster to help control the harbor. Rod Berg stated that it has been proven by Fish & Game biologists that the lower five miles has the highest diversity of fish life and it is the responsibia.ity of this Board to protect it, Loretta Breeden stated the mouth should be included because it is the only heavy industrial area on the river, it is an unmanaged harbor, water. quality is not being properly monitored, and wetlands, -tidelands, and estuaries are important to the fisher}~. The intent of the original legislation was to designate the river and selected state-owned uplands into the state park system, to protect and perpetuate the fishery, wildlife resources and habitat in the adjacent area and to manage the recreational uses and development activities in the unit and adjacent areas of the river, She wonders why this mandate does not apply in the lower part of the river when it applies in the upper river. Jim Evenson, a commercial fisherman, stated he is against the inclusion of the lower five miles. The enabling legislation excluded it and he pointed out the Board would have to go through the same legislative procedure to include it. He felt this is a waste of time. He stated the use of the water in that area is not recreational below the bridge. He feels the canneries are doing a good job. He feels if it were included more and more recreational fishermen will be attracted to the area and that it would create a safety problem. He~ddes not feel any commercial fishing boats are contributing to the garbage dumping into the river. Loren Flagg wanted to know how the inclusion would affect permitting and EPA enforcement in the area, Superintendent Garry stated it would not change any of the authorities of other agencies. It would give Parks more authority to handle any conflicts between recreational users in that lower five miles. Tim Hiner, a Kenai River guide, strongly supported the inclusion of the lower five miles stating it is vitally important. It could on7.y enhance he fish and wildlife development for all user groups included. In the upper part of the river, the development of the Kenai River Special KRSMA ADVISORY BOARD 3 Minutes 4arch 23, 1989 ° Manac~emer.t Area has made a better environment for everyone, including all fish and wildlife. He is concerned with the garbage dumping and chemicals used to wash down commercial fishing boats and the toxins contained th rein. Sylvia Spearow, from the Kenai Peninsula Borough Planning Department, scat>d she didn°t feel one way or the other but wanted to bring to the Board's attention that there are other ~:'ays of planning and regulating the lower five miles and addressing the problems that currently exist. The City of Kenai wants to update their City Comprehensive Plan. The City probably has mare auth.ori.ty over a lot of. the issues than State Parks would have even if the area was included under their jurisdiction because Parks would only have authority over state lands and the water column. Many of the concerns are occurring on City-owned wetlands and private lands outside the water column. The Board may want to present the City with a resolution of what the Board feels needs to be included in their plan. Another way would be through the Kenai Peninsula Coastal Zone Management Plan. That plan might also haveanore authority than the Kenai River Special Management Area Management Plan. The Board should address the KPCZMP and ma):e comments about their concerns. It may be better to coordinate with other authorities. rather than just focus on Par]cs. Phil Brna, Fish & Game Biologist-Habitat Division, has mixed feelings. "he most important consideration is to protect fish and wildlife no matter -where it is on the river. However, what does putting it in the park really buy? There are now many existing authorities. We need to increase the presence of some of these authorities, especially that concern with pollution. DAN DOSHIER MADE A MOTION TO FORM A SPECIAL COP^,IiITTEE SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE TO FORMULATE FACTS TO ASK THE LEGISLATURE TO INCLUDE THE LOWER FIVE MILES OF THE RIVER INTO THE KENAI RIVER SPECIAL MANAGEMENT AREA AND TO PRESENT THESE FACTS TO TIME BOARD AT THE NEXT MEETING. JOHN VAUGHA.I SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED UIdA1SII~0USLY. LORETTA BREEDEN MADE A MOTION TO REQUEST THE CITY OF KENAI TO DO THE FOLLOWING: 1) START WORK ON A TOXIC CHEMICAL/HAZARDOUS WASTE ORDINANCE, 2) START WORK ON A WETLANDS ORDINANCE FOR THE CITY, AND 3) REGULATE THE HARBOR AREA AND LOWER FIVE I~ILI/S OF THE RIVER. DALE BONDURANT SECONDED. MOTION CARRIED WITH 9 AYES AND 3 NAYS, WITH DOLLY FARPdSWORTH, P'RAkIK MULLEN AIdD JOHN VAUGHA2d CASTING THE NAY VOTES. AL WHITE STATED SINCE THE FISH AND GAME HAS TURNED OVER THEIR AUTHORITIES TO STATE PARKS, HE MADE A I40TION FOR THE CITY OF KENAI ADOPT PARKS REGULATIONS REGARDING SPORTS FISHING AND GUIDING IN THE LOWER FIVE MILES OF THE RIVER. LORETTA BREEDEN SECONDED. Walter Ward explained the fishing regulations already apply in that area as far as fish and game. Al white withdrew his motion and will work with Ranger Ward to get a precise wording nor. his motion for the next meeting. KRSMA ADVISORY BOARD 4 Minutes March 23, 1989 A Lower 5-•Mile Committee was then formed with Dennis Randa as chairman and John Vaughan, Loretta Breeden, and Rod Berg as members. Kevin Delaney stated he will offer Fish & Game assistance. B. Bank Stabilization. Terry Bendock, from the Department of Fish & Game, gave a presentation on juvenile fish within the Kenai River.. There are at least 27 species of fish in the river and the Chinook Salmon are the most probable to be impacted by effects in or along the river. Rearing habitat preference appears to be contiguous along the main stream with naturally occurring habitat conditions varying. Cover is the greatest determinant of habitat preference. In the presence of instream or riparian cover, catch rates do not vary significantly. In the absence of cover, catch rates varied by depth, substrate size, and velocity. Adverse effects from removing cover can be mitigated by a) decreasing velocity, b} increasing substrate si<e, or c) increasing the depth. Structure permit stipulations need to insure suitable values for habitat. Groins are one of the most significant manmade obstructions effecting the movement of juvenile fish since all chinook fry need to travel the entire length of the river and probably aver-winter in Skilak Lake. Water velocities around groin ends prevent fry from passing. C. Dunham Permit. Al White questioned the status of the Dunham permit which Mr. Sonny Miller addressed the Board last meeting. It appears the permit has been let prior to letting the Board look at the stipulations as -:agreed by the Corps of EngineeY-s at the last meeting. Ranger Millington reported that Mr. biller has had his property resurveyed recentl and a portion of the bulkhead does actually fall on ivYr. Miller's property. The scope of the permit that all the agencies have issued only deal witYi Mr. Dunham's property. However, Mr. Miller does have an argument that leaving that portion of the bulkhead by itself will .,mate a back eddy. This is basically a problem between neighbors. As agencies we are .not able to mediate between their dispute. Al White reiterated his concern that the Corps had stated they would let the Board see the permit prior to it being let and did not do so. ° D. Cooper Landing Selections. Arlan DeYong, from the Division of Land and Water Management, gave a report of the status of the Cooper Landing selections. There are pending minicipal selections by the Borough of approximately 72,000 acres of state land of which parts are in the Cooper Landing area. State selections go through an application made to the Forest Service, the Forest Service approving or denying, and the approval being given to BLM for the processing of the patent to the State. It is the Division of Land's recommendation now to reject the Borough selections highlighted in green on his map, and then to include those lands (about 345 acres) by executive action with an Interagency Land Management Assignment into the Kenai River Special I•Sanagement Area. KRSMA ADVISORY BOARD 5 Minutes 114arch 23, 19II9 AL WHITE Iw1ADE A MOTION FOR TAE BOARD TO SUPPORT THE DIVISION OF PARKS & OUTDOOR RECREATION ENTERING INTO AN INTERAGENCY LANB N~'v2TAGEMENT AGRE::MENT FOR THE COOPER LANDIi"IG SELECTIONS. LORETTA BREEDEN S,'~COPTDED. MOTION PASSED UiIANIMOUSLY. E. Kenai River Corridor. Marcia Ward spoke regarding the Kenai/Kasilof Soil and Water Conservation District whit-:h is connected with the US Department of Agriculture. The purpose of a conservation district is to provide an orderly development of land for guiding settlement and preserving soil and water resources and controlling and preventing soil erosion. The district got involved with the Kenai River a few years ago and has been putting together accurate detailed information o~' the physical. properties of the Kenai River corridor. The district offers te=chnical assistance to citizens and now offers assistance to the Board. Uoug Van Patten, soil scientist, spoke on the study which involves a soil study survey, a vegetation inventory, and a streambank classification. Jim Lawton spoke on the streambank portion of the study stating he would like to identify each different type of streambank erosion, draw up a group of solutions for each type of erosion that has each agencies' approval, and to put out publications to advise the public of their findings. There will be a specialist coming up in May to assist in a pilot study. In the River Basin Program funding is declining and they are now looking for funds or cooperative agreements with -other agencies. To do the 50 miles of the -' Kenai River is estimated at $116,000. AL WHITE MADE A MOTION TO CONTACT OUR LEGISLATORS AND ADVISE THEM THE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE CAN DO THE MECHANICS OF A SOIL STRVEY AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO SUPPLY THE FUNDING FOR IT AND TO SEND A LEmmER TO nrTR CnnTGP.ESSIONAL DELEGATION WITH THE GENERAL CONTEXT AND ASK DELEGATION TO BREAK LOOSE OF SOME IhONEY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. FRAPdK MULLEN SECONDED. bI0TI0N CARRIED UPTANIMOUSLY. V. NEW BUSINESS A. Mooring Buoys. Ernest Knackstedt made an appeal to the Board to support approval of his placing a recreational mooring buoy at Mile 6 between May 1 and October 30. It will not be in the middle of the stream where boats drift. It is in a„tidal zone and would not be a problem area. He'removed his last year when asked by a ranger to do so. There was discussion about Mr. Garcia's permits permitted through the Corps of Engineers prior to the Kenai River Special Management Area being established. FRANK MULLEN I~fADE A MOTION TO ADVISE TFIE DIVISION TO AUTFIORIZE MR. ERIIES`P KNACKSTEDT THE USE OF HIS TRADITIONAL MOORIIIG BUOY ON THE TIDELANDS AND THIS AUTHORIZATION WOULD NOT BE TR.~NSFERABLE. AL WHITE SECONDED. IiOTION C~iRRIED WITH 5 AYES, 3 NAYS, AND 1 ABSTAIN. MESSRS. BERG, RANDA, AND DOSHIER CASTING THE I7AY VOTES AND LORETTA BREEDEPT ABSTAINING. KRSMA ADVISORY BOARD Minutes March 23, 1989 6 B. Slikok Creek Proposed Land Exchange. There is a proposed land exchange between the City of Soldotna, the University of Alaska, and the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. The Division after reviewing the situation, it caould have to be done by legislation to amend the boundary of the Kenai River Special Management Area, and the Division will not be proposing the amendment. Basically the City of Soldotna would like to take over management of Slikok Creek SRS and put in an RV Park, and use the revenues received for development along the river and creekfront to prevent erosion. Superintendent Garry feels it is a good idea to put satall parks within city bouncaaries under city management. C. Update on Proposed Park Regulations by Superintendent Garry. The public hearings have now been held for the proposed regulations, and the public comment pe:-iod officially closed March 17. Scme changes have been made to the regulations the Board supported in January. There were questions regarding Parks limiting guides on the Kenai. The Division has no intention of limiting guides at this time. Before a limitation would be considered, the L%ivision of Par}cs and Outdoor Recreation would have to come up with a total carrying capacity for the river of not only guides but all other use also. VI. ADJOURNMENT 'A. 'Phe date for the next meeting is May 18 at at 9:00 a.m. at the Coo}: Inlet Aquaculture Association building. The meeting was then adjourned. Respectfully submitt//ed; Earlene Reed, Secretary