Situation Assessment, 2018 - 2019
Changes to the Spirit Lake/Toutle-Cowlitz River System from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens put the region at ongoing risk of moderate and potentially catastrophic flooding, due to the buildup of sediment. Engineering measures from the 1980s to reduce flooding risks now need costly repairs or modifications, presenting an opportunity to re-evaluate risk management strategies.
The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) asked the Center in 2018 to conduct a situation assessment for long-term risk management, given the different economic, cultural, and social priorities of regional stakeholders and the respective roles of federal, tribal, state, and local authorities and other groups in the region.
The Situation Assessment for the Long-Term Management of Spirit Lake/Toutle-Cowlitz River System report summarizes an interview-based assessment process. The assessment explored prospects for a collaborative system-level entity to identify resources and additional information needed to inform long-term management decisions. The assessment found conditions favorable to a collaborative process.
- SLTCRC Declaration of Cooperation (approved December 2021)
Final Draft Declaration of Cooperation_12-09-21
Final with Signatures (coming soon)
Original Signatures (before combining into one document):
- City of Castle Rock
- City of Kelso
- City of Longview
- Cowlitz Conservation District
- Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation
- Cowlitz County
- Cowlitz Indian Tribe
- WA Department of Ecology
- US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Cowlitz County PUD
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
- Lower Columbia Fish Recover Board (LCFRB)
- Consolidated Diking District #1
- Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Council of Governments (CWCOG)
- U.S. Army Corp of Engineers (USACE)
- U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
- WA Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW)
- WA Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (coming soon)
- SLTCRC Operating Protocols (approved on March 10, 2022)
Spirit Lake/Toutle-Cowlitz Rivers Collaborative, April 2021 – Present
Representatives of the U.S. congressional delegation, Cowlitz Tribe, and state and federal agencies expressed support for a collaborative approach to long-term sediment management and related issues. The watershed-wide consortium is intended to benefit current and long-term planning efforts to address sediment and land management, public safety, and other important issues.
As initially envisioned, the goals for meetings in 2021-2022 include:
- Identify parties’ interest in, and willingness to commit to, a long-term collaborative.
- Identify common interests and desired outcomes for:
- Important issues, challenges, and opportunities for involved parties.
- Discussions related to ongoing efforts, information needs, and potential partnerships.
And, if support emerges for key parties to commit to a system-level, long-term collaborative:
- Define purposes and goals.
- Develop timelines and benchmarks.
- Identify necessary short-term funding and staffing.
- Draft basic operating structures, preliminary commitments from involved parties, and funding options.
Meeting Materials & Schedule
See below for past meeting materials and upcoming meeting dates through the end of the calendar year. All meetings will be held online until January of 2022, when they will likely be held in-person in Kelso, WA.
If you are interested in the work of the Collaborative and would like to observe a meeting, please contact the project coordinator, Kara Whitman at kmwhitman@wsu.edu.
- June 16, 2022
Meeting Materials to be posted 1 week prior to meeting.
In-Person Location and WebEx information sent out to participants on June 9, 2022 *.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- May 11, 2022
Meeting Materials:
- SLTCRC_05_11_22 Agenda_draft
- SLTCRC_Steering Committee Role_draft
- SLTCRC mtg summary 4.14.22_DRAFT
- DRAFT Summary Finance committee meeting 4.18.22_ draft
- The draft work plan spreadsheet has been sent out over email.
- Meeting slides (coming soon)
In-Person Location and WebEx information sent out to participants on or before May 5, 2022 *.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Maggie Counihan (maggie.counihan@wsu.edu) for details.
- April 14, 2022
Meeting Materials
- SLTCRC_04_14_22 Agenda_draft v2
- 4/14/2022 Meeting Slides
- SLTCRC Finance Work Group mtg 3.21.22 DRAFT revised 3.29.22 (1)
- SLTCRC March 10th, 2022 Meeting Summary
- SLTCRC Work Plan 2022-2025 DRAFT v2 with prioritization questions
- Screening Tool (image above)
WebEx information sent out to participants on April 7, 2022 *.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- March 10, 2022
Meeting Materials
- SLTCRC_03_10_22 Agenda_draft
- SLTCR 3.10 DRAFT mtg summary
- Meeting Summaries
- Draft SLTCRC fact sheet_V3 02_16_22
- SLTCRC_DRAFT OP.PROTOCOLS_3.3.22
- Sediment Mgt_Toutle-Cowlitz system_outline for 03-10-22_FINAL
- Data Work Group Presentations
WebEx information sent out to participants on March 3, 2022*.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- February 10, 2022
Meeting Materials
- SLTCRC_02_10_22 Agenda_draft
- SLTCRC_DRAFT OP.PROTOCOLS_for_2-10-22
- Draft Meeting Summary 1/13/2022 mtg
- SLTCRC Finance committee Summary 1.24.22 mtg
- STCRSC Slides 2-10-22 mtg (1)
- SLTCRC Draft summary 2.10.22 Mtg
WebEx information sent out to participants on February 3rd, 2022 *.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- January 13, 2022
Meeting Materials
- SLTCRC_01_13_22 Agenda_draft2
- Final Draft Declaration of Cooperation_12-09-21 changes accepted
- SLTCRC_Operating Procedures_Draft_for review_Dec.2021
- Draft Notes from the 12.9.21 Meeting
- STCRSC Slides 1-13-22 mtg
- Presentation Slides “Watershed Recovery in the Toutle Basin” 1.13.22
- DRAFT Mtg Notes 1.13.22_SLTCRC
WebEx information sent out to participants on January 6th, 2022*.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- December 9, 2021
Meeting Materials
- SLTCRC_12_9_21 Meeting Draft Agenda
- Meeting Notes from the November 10th meeting
- Meeting Slides for 12.9.21
- Final Draft Declaration of Cooperation 12/2/21
- SLTCRC_Operating Protocols_Draft_12-02-.2021
- Sediment mgt solutions + issues organized for breakout room session
- DRAFT Mtg Notes 12.9.21_SLTCRC
WebEx information sent out to participants on December 2nd, 2021*.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- November 10, 2021
Meeting Materials
- SLTCRC_11_10_21 Agenda_revised
- Draft Summary Notes from the October 14th Meeting
- STCRSC Slides 11-10-21 mtg
- Missions and Mandates DRAFT spreadsheet (Excel File)
- Draft Meeting Notes 11.10.21 MTG
WebEx information sent out to participants on November 14th, 2021*.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- October 14, 2021
Meeting materials
- SLTCRC_10_14_21 Draft Agenda draft
- Draft Summary from the September 9th, 3021 Meeting (See September meeting Folder)
- 10_07_21 Draft Declaration of Cooperation
- STCRSC Meeting Slides 10-14-21
- SLTC_Collab_USACE-14Oct2021 (US Army Corp Slides)
DRAFT Summary Notes from the meeting:
WebEx information sent out to participants on October 7th, 2021*.
*If you wish to attend this meeting, but do not have the WebEx attendance information please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for details.
- September 9, 2021
Meeting Materials
- SLTCRC_09-09-21 agenda-draft
- 9.9.21 Declaration of Cooperation_all comments
- STCRSC Slides 09-09-21 meeting
- SLTCR Meeting DRAFT Notes 9.9.21
Examples of Declaration’s of Cooperation for Reference
- Declaration of Cooperation Tillamook Basin Flooding Reduction Project
- Declaration of Cooperation Lower Columbia Solutions Group
- Historic Columbia River Highway Collaborative Declaration of Cooperation
*Please contact Kara Whitman (kmwhitman@wsu.edu) for WebEx information if you wish to attend the meeting.
- July 8, 2021
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Meeting Materials:
- June 2, 2021
-
Meeting Materials:
- April 28, 2021
-
Meeting Materials:
- Agenda (pdf)
- Meeting Notes (pdf)
- PowerPoint Presentation (pdf)
- USDA & USFS YouTube Video: “Mount St. Helens Eruption, Spirit Lake and Toutle River Watershed”
Resources
- The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018. A Decision Framework for Managing the Spirit Lake and Toutle River System at Mount St. Helens.
- Grant, Major, and Lewis, 2020. The Geologic, Geomorphic, and Hydrologic Context Underlying Options for Long-Term Management of the Spirit Lake Outlet Near Mount St. Helens, Washington (pdf).
- Grant, Major, Mosbrucker, and Sweeney, 2020. A Multidecade Analysis of Fluvial Geomorphic Evolution of the Spirit Lake Blockage, Mount St. Helens, Washington.
- USACE Long Term Sediment Management Plan
- Spirit Lake Toutle Cowlitz River Flyover Video
- Cowlitz Count Mission/Vision/Goals for the SLTCRC 9-29-2021
- Article: Removing Sediment to Restore Wetlands Clears Revenue Paths