AC30_WDFW_11-16-2018
STATE OF WASHINGTON
DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
2315 N Discovery Place Spokane Valley, Washington 99216-1566 (509) 892-1001 FAX (509) 921-2440
November 16, 2018
City of Spokane Valley
Attn: Lori Barlow
10210 E. Sprague Avenue
Spokane Valley, WA 99206
RE: Painted Hills Planned Unit Residential Development Project SUB-2015-0001/PRD-
2015-0001. EIS Scoping Comments
Dear Lori,
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) would like to submit the
following comments for consideration pertaining to the proposed Conditional Letter of
Map Revision – Fill (CLOMR-F):
The revised SEPA Checklist dated August 8, 2018 indicates Chester Creek flows through
the southwest portion of the site. It states Chester Creek is identified on the Washington
State DNR stream map as a Type F (fish bearing) stream, however the applicant indicates
it is likely inaccurate due to the fact it is dry most of the year and there is no upstream or
downstream water body to supply fish when the water flows. The Department of Fish and
Wildlife does not concur with this assumption. Department staff have observed fish in
Chester Creek upstream of this site on more than one occasion.
It is not required for a stream typed as “F” to possess water in all portions of the stream
year around to be considered a fish bearing stream. Water type may be determined by
applying the physical characteristics identified in WAC 222-16-031(3). In this case, type
F streams in Eastern Washington must have a bankfull width of 3 feet or greater and 16
percent or less gradient. Additionally, the Forest Practices Board Manual (Section 13)
states, “Waters downstream of a known fish location are assumed to have fish use”,
therefore, the proposal to re-type Chester Creek from F to Ns would not be supported by
WDFW without a full protocol survey. A protocol survey throughout the entire drainage
would be required to confirm fish absence and thus re-type the stream from F to Ns.
The current SEPA checklist also proposes a culvert extension at the Thorpe Road
crossing on Chester Creek. The applicant will need to obtain a Hydraulic Project
Approval to conduct any work on streams within the project area.
Thank you for your time and the opportunity to provide comments.
Sincerely,
Leslie King
WDFW Habitat Biologist