Biweekly report Jul1-15 2024 - Region 1 (Eastern)

Bear-Safe Food Lockers: North Region 1 Water Access Area staff members, Supervisor Dziekan and Natural Resource Technician Brant, District 1 Wildlife Biologist Prince, and Sherman Creek Wildlife Area staff members, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Palmer and Wildlife Manager Anderson, installed Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) first bear-resistant food locker in a two-day process.  

They placed the bear-resistant food locker at a popular campground on Sherman Creek Wildlife Area. The box is identical to those used by the adjacent Colville National Forest. Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Palmer’s professional construction skills came in especially handy for construction of the concrete pad. A portable electric concrete mixer was essential to getting the pad poured in a reasonable amount of time. There are four lockers left to install. Two lockers will be placed in campgrounds at LeClerc Creek Wildlife Area, where grizzly bears could conceivably be passing through, and two more for busy campgrounds at Sherman Creek. A WDFW logo sticker marks the first box. Hopefully this is the first of many bear-resistant food lockers placed at WDFW camping areas throughout the state!  

W.T. Wooten Wildlife Area Lakes: Natural Resource Technicians Jensen and Tritt checked the fish screens, adjusted water levels, and cleaned up trash around the lakes. Rainbow Lake is looking very green already this summer, so Wildlife Area Manager Dingman spent time talking with hatchery staff members about options to move more water through the lake to clean it up. 

William Lake Access Area Work: This week, Access Manager Dziekan and Natural Resource Technician Brant worked fixing a sink hole that had been developing over time at the Williams Lake Access Site. Brant has been monitoring it, working on the fix, and handling most of the work. Over the previous couple weeks, the hole has only grown. Both Dziekan and Brant loaded up fine sand, gravel mix, tamper, cold pack asphalt repair, and a jackhammer to repair the hole. Brant started breaking up the asphalt with a jack hammer while Dziekan did the mowing. Brant quickly discovered that the issue was much larger than what was originally thought. 

Williams Lake Poison Hemlock Control: Finally, there is very good control of the poison hemlock at Williams Lake after several treatments. 

Rainbow Lake Algal Bloom: Wildlife Area Manager Dingman contacted Columbia County Public Health and let them know there is already an algal bloom in Rainbow Lake. A Columbia County Public Health employee came out to look at the lake and take photos of the crusty, blue plaques that are forming to send to Washington Department of Ecology for further instructions regarding testing. Dingman has continued to monitor the lake and take photos to send to Columbia County Public Health. She researched potential treatments for the lake and talked to professionals about options for controlling the increased amount of phosphorus in the lake that is causing the cyanobacteria issue. Natural Resource Technicians Tritt and Jensen put warning signs at every entry point to Rainbow Lake to warn the public about the blue-green algae and its effects. 

Access Area Gravel Lot Maintenance: Maintenance Mechanic Heimgartner and Natural Resource Technician Nielsen used their 2025R tractor to spread gravel at the Faha and Pine Bar access sites. 

Elk Hazing: Natural Resource Technician Moberg checked for elk daily in known problem areas and hazed elk off crop fields in Walla Walla and Columbia counties. Hazing efforts have had to slow due to drying crops.  

Problem Wildlife: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris responded to four calls regarding problem turkeys, snakes, foxes, and badgers. Harris provided advice on living with wildlife and preventing conflict.  

Garfield County Cougar Report: Wildlife Conflict Specialist Wade’s mother was contacted over the weekend by a Garfield County homeowner who had observed and photographed a cougar near their home. The reporting party (RP) did not have contact information for Wade at the time of the observation. When Wade followed up with the RP, they stated the cougar was observed several times by different residents in the area. The RP was concerned for the safety of their grandchildren and horses. Wade shared information and resources as well as provided contact information for himself, Officer Delp, and WILDCOMM. He asked the RP to call promptly if the cougar returned to the area.    

Turkey Home Invasion: Biologist Brinkman assisted Wildlife Conflict Specialist Harris with a wildlife conflict situation when an adult female wild turkey flew into the bedroom window of a private residence in Spokane. The turkey shattered the glass window, was resting on the bed when the biologists arrived on scene. The turkey was quickly subdued and after an assessment of its health, was released on site. Despite breaking through the window, only minor abrasions were found on the turkey, and no broken bones were detected. The fact that the bird was able to be released on site was making the best of an otherwise fowl situation. 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Assistant Agreement: This Monday, Wildlife Area Assistant Manager Wagner took the pickup over to spray the skips out on the 70-acre field of BLM land just west of Telford Road across the Whitaker Lake pasture. Private Lands Biologist Baarstad had gotten good coverage on the restoration project, so the patches were minimal. 

Weed Spray: Natural Resource Specialist Whittaker spent the week spraying forage plots on Smoothing Iron Ridge. He applied a broadleaf herbicide to the spring oats field on the south ridge of Smoothing Iron Ridge and applied a second round of herbicide to chem-fallow fields in preparation for seeding them this fall. Due to past wear and tear, modifications and repairs were made at the end of the week to the 3-point PTO sprayer for the tractor. In preparation for the heat advisory, the army truck was brought down from the agriculture fields and filled with water in case a wildfire broke out on the wildlife lands. 

Habitat Development: Private Lands Biologist Nizer and Natural Resource Technician Rumiser mowed down weeds at a habitat conservation designated area. Nizer used a string trimmer for the weeds around the spring plants at a habitat plot. The plot was created on a hunt by written permission property and the plants provide cover and food for pheasants.  

Habitat Evaluation: Private Lands Biologist Nizer and Natural Resource Technician Rumiser evaluated the future project sites that will be mowed with the marsh master. Both areas were too wet to mow the bull rush and cattails. The areas will be reevaluated in a couple weeks after warm weather has dried up the marshes. The marsh will be mowed once more, then a prescribed burn will take place, followed by a chemical spray to kill any of the bull rush.  

Chief Joseph Wildlife Area Irrigation Work: As time allows this summer, two fields at Joseph Creek will receive irrigation. Setup and getting pumps to work properly has been difficult this year. However, it has been worth the effort. Elk are heavily using the two fields. One field is irrigated alfalfa, and the other was seeded with a mixture of sorghum and black sunflowers this spring. Additionally, pollinators are heavily using the blossoming sunflowers. 

Library Wildlife Presentations: Private Lands Biologist Nizer presented at four Whitman County libraries. Nizer taught kids about echolocation in bats and whales and had an activity for the kids to learn hands on. Nizer also taught the kids about native animals in Washington and showed pelts to the kids. 

4-O Ranch Wildlife Area Hay Pile Dismantling Effort: Using a rental excavator and the wildlife area cat, Natural Resource Specialist Whittaker and Wildlife Area Manager Dice worked last week to dismantle and scatter approximately 1,600 round bales of hay. The hay is two years old and was filled with rot and moisture. It was scattered to prevent the pile from catching fire from spontaneous combustion at the recommendation of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). DNR staff members were on site to monitor the work and provide fire protection with their engine.