Entiat Cooperative River Basin Study

Excerpts from the report: The Entiat River Basin is located along the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in north-central Washington. The Basin drains directly into the Columbia River, about 20 miles north of the City of Wenatchee in Chelan County. The drainage area is about 266,500 acres. Topography is extremely steep and dissected. Vegetative cover is primarily forest. Eighty-seven percent of the Basin is in public ownership, primarily National Forest. In the lower valley are 1,300 acres of orchardland, much of it classified as prime agricultural land. The overall objective of USDA participation in this Study is to develop an integrated protection plan for the Entiat Basin. It includes development of a program of structural and land treatment measures that primarily address the problems identified by the Entiat Citizens’ Committee. It was determined early in the Study that the concerns of the Citizens’ Committee were attributable to increases (since the 1970 fires) in water runoff, subsequent erosion, and sedimentation. Major study elements, then, were to determine the location, type, and rate of erosion and sedimentation, evaluate their onsite and offsite effects, and develop alternative means of reducing erosion and minimizing adverse effects of sediments. A priority is assigned to proposed remedial and preventative activities which may occur on a variety of fronts. The cost of this activity is related to a predictable, expected reduction in one of the problem areas. The value of this reduction is stated in terms of its effect on stated citizen concerns.