Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Environment Conservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife outlines McNary National Wildlife Refuge priorities and large Wallula floodplain restoration project
Summary
Refuge staff described habitat work, public‑use programming and a proposed Wallula floodplain restoration project that would reconnect 1,500 acres of historic floodplain; staff warned of frozen design funds, major staffing shortages and invasive species pressure.
Stephen Kahl, project leader for the Mid Columbia River National Wildlife Refuge Complex, briefed the Walla Walla County Board of Commissioners on May 19 about McNary National Wildlife Refuge operations, habitat priorities and a large floodplain restoration project in the Wallula reach of the Walla Walla River.
Kahl said the refuge is “managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, not by WDFW or the Corps of Engineers,” and that McNary is the center of a four‑refuge complex serving roughly 44,000 acres across eastern Washington and Oregon. He described the refuge’s focus on wetlands, riverine and riparian habitat for waterfowl, shorebirds and other species and outlined recent wildlife news: two newly discovered eagle nests, a new Western grebe nesting colony and expanded burrowing‑owl nest installations using artificial burrows.
Big project: Wallula floodplain restoration. Kahl presented the restoration of roughly 1,500 acres of historic floodplain along the lowest six miles of the Walla Walla River as the refuge’s largest current habitat objective. The project, a partnership with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), would reconnect the river to its floodplain to improve seasonal wetlands, groundwater recharge and juvenile salmon habitat. Kahl said the project area largely sits inside McNary refuge boundaries, which simplifies land‑ownership complications.
Funding and status: Kahl said CTUIR received a $150,000 grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office for conceptual design and alternatives analysis; the refuge received $675,000 in biennial funding for 15% design work, but Kahl said that funding “for now has been frozen.” The presentation also noted ongoing coordination with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NOAA, and work on pre‑restoration bird monitoring with Blue Mountain Audubon Society.
Operational constraints: Kahl told commissioners the refuge is severely understaffed — several permanent positions remain vacant and the complex lacks law‑enforcement and biology staff. He said invasive plants such as phragmites and recurring wildfires are major management problems and that blue‑green algae and highly pathogenic avian influenza have posed public‑health and wildlife‑mortality concerns. He urged more volunteer engagement and better public visibility of refuge programs.
Public use and outreach: Kahl described popular public programs — hunting (lottery and free‑roam areas), birding, kayak tours and new Saturday nature hikes — and said the refuge has added over 500 Facebook followers this year. He and commissioners discussed trail connections to Hood Park and the Sacagawea Heritage Trail, improvements to the boat launch and an ADA fishing platform, and volunteer and Friends‑group activities.
Ending: Kahl asked county leaders to help raise the refuge’s visibility and offered to provide tours; commissioners encouraged outreach and said they will consider ways to support the refuge’s volunteer and partnership needs.
