FINAL Shoreline Analysis Report for for Shorelines in Whitman County; the Cities of Colfax, Palouse, Pullman and Tekoa; and the Towns of Albion, Malden and Rosalia Prepared for: Whitman County P.O. Box 430 310 N. Main Street Colfax WA, 99111 August 2014 FINAL WHITMAN COUNTY GRANT NO. G1400494 S H O R E L I N E A N A L Y S I S R EPORT FOR SHORELINES IN WHITMAN COUNTY; THE CITIES OF COLFAX, PALOUSE, PULLMAN AND TEKOA; AND THE TOWNS OF ALBION, MALDEN AND ROSALIA Prepared for: Whitman County P.O. Box 430 310 N. Main Street Colfax WA, 99111 Prepared by: STRATEGY | ANALYSIS | COMMUNICATIONS 2025 First Avenue, Suite 800 Seattle WA 98121 August 12, 2014 The Watershed Company This report was funded in part Reference Number: through a grant from the 130736 Washington Department of Ecology. Cite this document as: The Watershed Company and BERK. August 2014. Final Shoreline Analysis Report for Shorelines in Whitman County; Cities of Colfax, Palouse, Pullman and Tekoa; and the Towns of Albion, Malden and Rosalia. Prepared for Whitman County. The Watershed Company Contact Person: Amy Summe / Clover Muters BERK Contact Person: Alex Cohen T A B L E O F C ONTENTS Page # 1 Introduction ............................................................................... 1 1.1 Background and Purpose ............................................................................. 1 1.2 Shoreline Jurisdiction .................................................................................. 2 1.2.1 Shorelines of the State .................................................................................... 2 1.2.2 Shorelines of Statewide Significance ............................................................ 3 1.3 Study Area ..................................................................................................... 3 2 Summary of Current Regulatory Framework .......................... 4 2.1 Shoreline Management Act .......................................................................... 4 2.2 Local Regulations ......................................................................................... 5 2.2.1 Whitman County .............................................................................................. 5 2.2.2 Town of Albion ................................................................................................. 6 2.2.3 City of Colfax .................................................................................................... 6 2.2.4 Town of Malden................................................................................................ 7 2.2.5 Town of Rosalia ............................................................................................... 7 2.2.6 City of Palouse ................................................................................................. 7 2.2.7 City of Pullman................................................................................................. 7 2.2.8 City of Tekoa .................................................................................................... 7 2.3 State Agencies and Regulations .................................................................. 8 2.4 Federal Regulations .................................................................................... 10 3 Summary of Ecosystem Conditions ...................................... 12 3.1 Palouse (WRIA 34) ...................................................................................... 12 3.1.1 Geographic and Ecosystem Context ........................................................... 12 3.1.2 Topography, Geology, and Drainage Patterns ........................................... 13 3.1.3 Major Land Use Changes .............................................................................. 13 3.1.4 Fish and Wildlife ............................................................................................ 15 3.2 Middle Snake (WRIA 35) ............................................................................. 16 3.2.1 Geographic and Ecosystem Context ........................................................... 16 3.2.2 Topography, Geology, and Drainage Patterns ........................................... 17 3.2.3 Major Land Use Changes .............................................................................. 17 3.2.4 Fish and Wildlife ............................................................................................ 18 i 3.3 Hangman (Latah) Creek (WRIA 56) ............................................................ 19 3.3.1 Geographic and Ecosystem Context ........................................................... 19 3.3.2 Topography, Geology, and Drainage Patterns ........................................... 19 3.3.3 Major Land Use Changes .............................................................................. 19 3.3.4 Fish and Wildlife ............................................................................................ 20 4 Shoreline Inventory ................................................................. 20 4.1 Inventory Data Sources, Assumptions and Data Gaps ............................ 20 4.1.1 Ecological Characterization ......................................................................... 21 4.1.2 Land Use Characterization ........................................................................... 25 4.2 Reach Delineation ....................................................................................... 29 4.3 Summary of Shoreline Inventory Results .................................................. 32 5 Analysis of Ecological Functions .......................................... 32 5.1 Approach, Rationale and Limitations of Functional Analysis .................. 32 5.1.1 Functions and Impairments .......................................................................... 33 5.1.2 Limitations ...................................................................................................... 40 5.2 County Shoreline Results ........................................................................... 40 5.2.1 Lakes ............................................................................................................... 40 5.2.2 Palouse River ................................................................................................. 47 5.2.3 South Fork Palouse River ............................................................................. 50 5.2.4 Rock Creek ..................................................................................................... 52 5.2.5 Cottonwood Creek ......................................................................................... 54 5.2.6 Fourmile Creek............................................................................................... 56 5.2.7 Hangman Creek ............................................................................................. 58 5.2.8 Pine Creek ...................................................................................................... 60 5.2.9 Union Flat Creek ............................................................................................ 62 5.2.10 Snake River .................................................................................................... 64 5.3 City and Town Shoreline Results ............................................................... 68 5.3.1 Town of Albion ............................................................................................... 68 5.3.2 City of Colfax .................................................................................................. 72 5.3.3 Town of Malden.............................................................................................. 80 5.3.4 Town of Rosalia ............................................................................................. 82 5.3.5 City of Palouse ............................................................................................... 85 5.3.7 City of Pullman............................................................................................... 89 5.3.8 City of Tekoa .................................................................................................. 95 5.4 Restoration Opportunities .......................................................................... 99 ii 5.4.1 County- and City-wide ................................................................................... 99 5.4.2 City of Palouse ............................................................................................. 100 5.4.3 City of Pullman............................................................................................. 101 6 Land Use Analysis ................................................................ 102 6.1 County ....................................................................................................... 102 6.1.1 Lakes ............................................................................................................. 102 6.1.2 Palouse River ............................................................................................... 104 6.1.3 South Fork Palouse River ........................................................................... 108 6.1.4 Rock Creek ................................................................................................... 110 6.1.5 Hangman Creek ........................................................................................... 112 6.1.6 Pine Creek ...................................................................................................