CBB Shorts: Koocanusa Refill; Bureau's New Regional Deputy Director; Oregon Conservation Grants; Washington's Healthy Watersheds Guide

(Editor's Note: If your organization has important personnel news of interest to Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife mitigation stakeholders, please e-mail the notice to Bill Crampton at bcrampton@cbbulletin.com and put "personnel news" in the subject line. We will publish the information in our CBB Shorts feature.)

-- Corps Begins 2008 Refill Of Libby Dam's Koocanusa Reservoir

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun refill operations of Koocanusa Reservoir, impounded by Libby Dam in northwest Montana.

The project will pass the VARQ Flood Control Flow, currently 13,800 cubic feet per second. Inflows on Thursday averaged 15.6 kcfs, according to Corps data. The project will hold this outflow until the sturgeon flows commence sometime in late May or early June.

The operation is consistent with the Corps' December 2007 decision to operate Libby Dam strictly in accordance with VARQ operating procedures as described and evaluated in the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact and Decision document signed Dec. 31, 2002 for interim implementation of VARQ flood control with fish flows http://www.nws.usace.army.mil/ers/reposit/Interim_VARQ_Final_EA.pdf

For real-time river basin information from the Reservoir Control Center go to

http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/ftppub/project_data/daily/lib.txt

http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/nws/hh/basins/koot.html

For more information on the Columbia Basin Water Management Division:

http://www.nwd-wc.usace.army.mil/

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--- Personius Selected As Bureau Of Reclamation's Deputy Regional Director

Tim Personius of Boise has been selected as the new deputy regional director for the Bureau of Reclamation's Pacific Northwest Region, announced Regional Director Bill McDonald.

Personius replaces Karl Wirkus, who accepted a position as deputy commissioner of operations for the bureau in Washington, D.C.

"Tim is a problem solver, focused on customer service, and truly understands what Reclamation is all about. I am extremely confident in the work that he will continue to do for the Region and Reclamation in his new position," McDonald said. "His involvement in complex and controversial water resources management issues has been invaluable."

"I am honored and humbled to be selected for this position," Personius said. "These are extraordinary times for water resource management. Water delivery in the face of climate change, growing populations, and endangered species is a tremendous challenge for the arid west. I'm excited to be able to play a part in tackling these issues, and proud that Reclamation has a leadership role in solving these complex problems."

Personius, who has served as special assistant in the regional office since 2006, has successfully managed many long-standing and contentious water project issues in the region, helping resolve water delivery, endangered species and Indian water rights conflicts, according to the agency. He joined Reclamation's Pacific Northwest Region in 1998, as the land resources officer for the Ephrata Field Office in Ephrata, Wash. He also served as the program coordinator in Resource and Technical Services, Boise, Idaho, and as the Pacific Northwest regional liaison officer in Washington, D.C.

He received a bachelor of science in forestry from the University of Montana, Missoula, and a master of science in range science from Montana State University in Bozeman. His early federal service includes various land and natural resource management positions with the U.S. Forest Service in Washington and Idaho, Bureau of Land Management in Montana, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in South Dakota and Montana.

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--- Oregon Grants Available For Conservation Projects

In preparation for Oregon's 150th birthday celebration in 2009, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife are seeking proposals to conserve Oregon's fish and wildlife species -- the western meadowlark, chinook salmon, Oregon swallowtail butterfly and American beaver.

This is the second round of funding being made available against an OWEB-dedicated $1 million in Oregon Lottery funds for on-the-ground projects to aid in conservation of the state's symbolic species. Applications are due July 25.

In the first round of funding totaling $283,000, five grants were awarded that address three of the state's species: the Western meadowlark, beaver and chinook. Projects were selected through a joint review by ODFW and OWEB. Funding will be administered by OWEB.

Proposed projects must focus on actions that address conservation of the four target species under priorities identified in the Oregon Conservation Strategy. Application materials and additional information are available on ODFW's Web site, http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/oregon_150_grants.asp

For more information:

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, http://www.oregon.gov/OWEB/index.shtml

Oregon Conservation Strategy, http://www.dfw.state.or.us/conservationstrategy/

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--- New Washington Dept. of Ecology Education Guide Focuses on Healthy Watersheds

The newest publication in the Washington Department of Ecology Environmental Education Guide series explains how the health of people is linked to the health of the watersheds where they live.

The 12-page guide, "Working for Washington's future: Healthy Watersheds, Healthy People," describes what watersheds do, explains how people are affecting them, and highlights watershed restoration projects around the state. The brochure serves as a guide for things each of us can do to improve our watershed environment.

"The good news is that little things matter: the actions you take affect your watershed, no matter how small. You can start improving the health of your watershed today by doing something as simple as turning off the water when you brush your teeth, or replacing part of your lawn with beautiful native plants that use less water," said Evan Sheffels, Ecology Director Jay Manning's special assistant for water policy.

"Working for Washington's future: Healthy Watersheds, Healthy People" is available on-line at http://www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0801018.html