HIKING — Join a Colville National Forest wildlife biologist on his annual naturalist’s tour of the Elk Creek Trail near Sullivan Lake on May 18. 

Mike Borysewicz, a veteran wildlife biologist at the Sullivan Lake District, will show participants an old prescribed burn heavily used by elk, a cascading waterfall and a wildflower meadow on this delightful two-mile-long loop trail. 

• The hike is No. 47 in the new guidebook Day Hiking Eastern Washington, but a chance to tag along with Borysewicz shouldn't be missed.

Meet at the Elk Creek Trailhead with shoes, clothing and a pack with lunch and water.

When: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. 

Where: Elk Creek Trail Head.  Five miles northeast of Metaline Falls. Drive east from Highway 31 on County Road 9345 (toward Sullivan Lake).  The Trail Head is located at the Mill Pond historic site northwest of Sullivan Lake.

Info: Mike Borysewicz, Sullivan Lake Ranger District, Wildlife Biologist, (509) 446-7500

RIVERS — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a new 42-year license for Boundary Dam on the Pend Oreille River downstream from Metaline Falls. Boundary, built in 1967, is the largest hydroelectric dam owned by Seattle City Light and produces 25 percent of the city's electric power.

Recreationists will benefit from several conditions of the relicensing process and negotiations, underway since 2004. Kayakers in particular are applauding the concurrent federal approval for removing Millpond Dam on Sullivan Creek, a tributary to the Pend Oreille River.

Millpond Dam is a 134-foot-long, 55-foot-high concrete dam with an 850-foot-long, 10-foot-high earthen dike that creates a 63-acre reservoir just downstream from Sullivan Lake. Millpond Dam has blocked Sullivan Creek since 1909.

The Washington Department of Ecology approved a permit for dam removal last year.

Removal should be completed within the next five years.

Dam removal settlement talks began in 2008 when American Whitewater, the US Forest Service, and the State of Washington successfully challenged a federal decision to give up jurisdiction over the dam, which had not generated power since 1956, according to Kevin Colburn, writing on the American Whitewater website.

Seattle City and Light eventually agreed to a settlement in March of 2010 to fund the removal of Millpond Dam as a condition for relicensing Boundary Dam.

• New recreational trails on the east side of the reservoir.
• New non-motorized boat access with parking and facilities at the Metaline Falls Portage.
• Upgrades to six dispersed recreation sites along the Boundary reservoir, including sanitation systems, picnic tables, fire rings and watercraft land and tie-up areas.
• Improvements to Metaline Park in the town of Metaline.
• New interpretation and education sites throughout the Boundary project area. 

The removal of Millpond Dam also is expected to benefit native redband and cutthroat trout, as well as mountain whitefish, by improving stream temperatures, restoring sediment to the areas downstream of the dam, and likely restoring fish passage.

In addition, the dam removal will expose whitewater rapids not seen for over a century. American Whitewater produced images predicting what the restored area might look like.

“Our re-licensing process was unique,” said Seattle City Light Superintendent Jorge Carrasco. “We undertook a process of close collaboration with all stakeholders to reach an agreement for the protection and enhancement of native fish and wildlife; the expansion of recreational and cultural amenities; and to ensure the water quality of the Pend Oreille River and its tributaries.”

• Began generating power in 1967
• Cost to build: $94 million
• 740’ long and 340’ tall
• A thin-arch structure, it is 32’ thick at the base and just 8’ thick at the crest
• Produces up to 1,040 megawatts of power

• Details can be found on the gage description secion of the AW Sullivan Creek webpage.

WILDLIFE WATCHING — Kokanee provide two notable spectacles in this region for anglers and nonanglers alike:

Bald eagles flock to the Wolf Lodge Bay area of Lake Coeur d'Alene to feast on spawned out kokanee starting this month and peaking around Christmas. The spectacle attracts thousands of visitors to the Higgens Point are and the Wolf Lodge exit off I-90.

Sullivan Lake kokanee are running up Harvey Creek to spawn, providing a notably accessible viewing point from the bridge area at the south end of the lake.

I'll have much more about the eagles as they begin their congregation.

Read on for more details about the Sullivan Lake viewing opportunity that started this week.

Life is good this week at Sullivan Lake — or at any lake for that matter.  Enjoy.

NATIONAL FORESTS — Robert Sanchez, a 10-year career Forest Service employee and University of Idaho alumnus, has been  named District Ranger of the Republic Ranger District, based out of Republic, Wash.

Colville National Forest Supervisor Laura Jo West announced the appointment last week.

Sanchez will be coming to Republic in September from the Mendocino National Forest, based in Willows, Calif., where he is the forest hydrologist.

Read on for details on Sanchez's career

NATIONAL FORESTS — Gayne (pronounced guy-na) Sears, a 25-year career Forest Service employee and former animal packer and wilderness ranger, has been named district ranger of the Newport and Sullivan Ranger Districts, based out of Newport.

Colville National Forest Supervisor Laura Jo West made the announcement last week.

Sears will be coming to Washington in September from Utah, where she is enrolled in the Masters of Natural Resources graduate degree program at Utah State University.

Read on for details on Sears' career.