Here ya go.........

WDFW is thinking about buying the access.....

see:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/acquisitions/

Would be nice to see a few bucks spent of land, in the Black Creek area!!!!!! Sure could use more parking there..!!!!!

good luck using it after they give all the fish to the indians

This needs to happen in a big way! Glad they finally acknowledge it's importance to us.

Sure hope the state of Washington isn't giving these logging companies any kind of tax breaks. [Bleeeeep!] bastards!!!!!

That would be a huge gift to the fishing community. I really regret not talking my kids down that drift before it was closed off.



Fingers crossed!

Money well spent! Hope they get to an agreement. Looking at the map it might even allow for a launch below the bridge, which will make the logging truck/fisherman parking a non issue.

It's supposed to be down river quite a bit. Accessing at the gate on the left before you drop down the hill to the launch. No interaction between the two user groups.

A move in the right direction.

They should increase the site size by including the land to the South East.

The road just east of the site and running south, midway between the east site boundary and Schafer creek, provides access to the large gravel bars below.

15 years ago saw responsible use of this large area for overnight camping and multiple uses.

Put up signage to encourage people to report unreasonable conduct of others and set rules.

Placing below the bridge might not be the best. High water floods in that area and screws up the access roads. Huge deep puddles form preventing access. The high bank from the bridge up would survive any high water event.

it is things like this that the WA steelhead license plates should fund

Down the river, camping and party's, noise got more than a few access points closed down, and are still closed to this day. Big gravel bar below the "culver" has been shut off to drift boat put in/take out, Yellow house/pump house, just above Wynoochee Wild Wood, was another one, Carter Creek was another drift boat put in, even Sterling Bar, Twin Bridges, people ignored the Port posted signs....camped over night, trash, parties.

Property owners wanted to close gravel bar access, across from White Bridge, because of the above mentioned problems, even had a cable across road at on time BUT power lines kept the road open.

Just following the rules, written or not written.....access is so important!!!!

That looks good. Much better than the pay to play crap many were clamoring for around here a few weeks ago.

This is exciting, but I'd be a lot more excited to hear they were planning to reopen the Puget Sound rivers. Sadly, based on what the project description says, I think WDFW's already given up on that, and they're trying to sell improved access to the Wynoochee as mitigation for the loss of those fisheries. That's not the sort of "Wynoochee Mitigation" folks around Grays Harbor have been trying to get done. On that note, WDFW had better get to work on the "original" mitigation. The Nooch is going to need a lot more fish to support all of Puget Sound.

On another, related topic, can you guys running sleds with 5 and 6 guys in them please STOP? This ain't the Cowlitz, people, and it can't sustain that kind of onslaught for long. I'm not looking to ban sleds. I just think a little restraint is in order, considering that this #1 steelhead destination in Western Washington thing is looking more and more like a long-term deal.

No $hit!









That was my understanding as well from the people I've talked to. There isn't and won't be any more launching from the bridge. The gate on the left before the hill WAS the main access years back and I think that is the intent again.




With some re-grading and bulldozer work, perhaps a little rip-rap here and there, I think a lot of those concerns would be addressed. I remember some of those deep puddles…..but I also don't think they'd seen any maintenance in decades. Pretty easy fixes IMO.

The Wynoochee Mitigation......23 years that the funds were set aside. The fund was for both Coho and Steelhead. Over the years, lots of meeting, lots of promises by Region 6 personnel that it is indeed being worked on.....even the WDFW Commission said to "get it done" and set a goal of September 30, 2014.....well guess what......more meetings but STILL NO FISH IN THE RIVER.

IMO-----conflict between the agencies, WDFW and QIN, is a major stumbling block. What ever that block is,,,,needs to be resolved. I have made a few presentations at the WDFW Commission meets, now when I go, I carry a "can on a rope", and basically tell Commission.."NO MORE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD", 23 years way to long.

Somebody who has been it longer then me should chime in but thought that "Wynoochee Mitigation" money being talked about now is only for salmon, primarily coho.

If I understand the history (remember that it was separate state agencies that made the agreement) the Game Department agreed that if they could use the money to fix up Lake Aberdeen Hatchery that WDG would pay for the steelhead production agreed to. In perpetuity.

WDF agreed to mitigating x salmon (primarily coho because WDF said there weren't spring Chinook up there). For a while, the agency wanted to use the money for habitat improvement which would provide significantly fewer fish. Which seems to open them to criticism for telling the public we will get you X and then settle for Y but "it's better".

It is both steelhead and Coho on this Mit funds CM.




That was the original funds for the dam and yes that is what was agreed.



Yup that was back when Sue Patnude was regional Director. Having met WDF&W's engineering department the thought of a 2.5 million buying nothing but a show piece for habitat that did about zero for the numbers of fish required I was right with everybody else calling BS.

That was a lot of years ago CM. Did I mention you take great notes.

Somebody has to. Causes problems when they can be referred to when somebody wants to say "I never said that"

Hope this access happens.Good luck,

SZ

As of last Friday, It looked like a no go. Green Diamond told the dept, they changed thier minds and want to lease it instead of sell it. Grant money can only be used for purchase. It was thru to the point of public testimony, and they changed the game. So when I talked to the dept last week, they did not know where it was headed.......