Snedecker Conservation Easement Assessment

Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) evaluated the potential to acquire a conservation easement on a ½ mile stretch of the Touchet River, between the towns of Waitsburg and Dayton, WA. This stretch of the river is a high priority protection and restoration reach in a major spawning area identified in the Salmon Recovery Plan for Southeast Washington (2011). Current habitat conditions are somewhat degraded, but there is some floodplain connectivity as a sugar dike paralleling the river is mostly setback from the river by about 30 yards. An assessment is an important step in the conservation easement acquisition process to negotiate the terms of the conservation easement with the landowner, to investigate title encumbrances, and to appraise the value of the conservation easement. The assessment shows that a conservation easement is worthwhile and is strongly supported by the landowner. BMLT worked with the landowner to identify and evaluate several easement configuration alternatives for the property. They completed a title review, appraisal, review appraisal, draft easement, and hazardous substance evaluation. The final easement configuration includes a conservation zone on a portion of the property, and within that conservation zone there will be a riparian zone, an agricultural zone specifically for grazing horses and pack animals, and a one acre building envelope for a potential future residence. Funding to acquire the easement has been secured. This project is intended to benefit Chinook salmon, steelhead, and bulltrout.

Determine feasibility of preserving instream and riparian habitat.