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| Pgs. 43-238 |
Pgs. 43-238 |
| City Council - Regular Meeting |
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| Information |
| HISTORY: |
The City entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 1918 for the purpose of conserving and protecting the water supply of the City of Walla Walla. The agreement provides for the protection of the watershed, but allows for, "Measures necessary for the proper protection and care of the forests; the marking, cutting, and disposition of such timber as, in the judgment of the forest officers, may be removed without injury to the water supply..."
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
The Notice of Proposed Action for the Tiger-Mill project was issued in January 2023. The City (and others) commented on the project during the public comment period (February 2023). The USFS held an open house on the proposed Tiger-Mill project on February 15, 2023. As shared during the October 14, 2025 Town Hall, the City assisted the USFS in promoting, through city communication channels, the notice of comment period and the open house for the project (see attached documentation).
An Environmental Assessment, Finding of No Significant Impact, and Decision Notice was issued in February 2025. After the City received various objections to the project, a presentation from the USFS was requested to brief Council on the proposed Tiger-Mill project. That presentation and Council discussion took place at the May 27, 2025 council work session. During subsequent discussions, Councilmembers expressed interest in learning more about the proposed treatments and taking a tour the watershed. City staff and USFS staff organized several tours for City Council. Week of July 21, 2025 - the City Council, City Staff, and USFS Staff toured active forest management sites in the Tollgate areas; during the week of September 15 and 22, 2025 - City Council, City Staff, and USFS Staff toured the watershed.
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
The project seeks to reduce the risk, size, and severity of wildfire in and around the watershed.
The Tiger-Mill Project is being proposed to protect the Mill Creek Municipal Watershed and restore ecosystem processes and functions that foster landscape diversity and achieve desired vegetation conditions.
-Project Purpose: Vegetation management (other than forest products); fuels management; Watershed management
-Activities: Fuel treatments; forest vegetation improvements; roadless area management; road maintenance; road improvements/construction; timber sales (From the USFS Tiger-Mill project webpage)
" The work authorized by the Decision Notice is necessary and prudent to provide a safe and reliable source of water for the City of Walla Walla, WA through the accomplishment of multi-use management objectives for these public lands. The purpose of this project is to increase opportunities to manage the spread of natural and prescribed fire safely and effectively, manage stands for resilience to future disturbances across the landscape, and to reduce the risk associated with wildland fires’ potential to degrade the municipal water supply. This will be done through the reduction of hazardous fuels, enhanced diversity in vegetation and protection of water quality. This work is important in forest management, establishing safer conditions for wildland firefighters, and in the long-term management of water resources within the municipal watershed and adjacent public lands." (From the February 2025 USFS Decision Notice - Decision Rationale for the Tiger-Mill project)
Water quality monitoring will be provided during the project as described in Appendix G (Project Monitoring) of the February 2025 Environmental Assessment, which states that a detailed monitoring plan will be developed in cooperation with the City of Walla Walla during the development of the burn plans.
KEY DOCUMENTS/INFORMATION:
Project Overview Map for the Tiger-Mill project (Alternative A, 2025)
1918 agreement (1918)
Ordinance A-386
July 27, 1954 letter (referenced at October 20, 2025 work session)
Fire history map (2024)
Tiger-Mill Notice of Proposed Action (2023)
City comment letter (2023)
EA-FONSI-Notice of Decision
Appendix A (Design Criteria)
Appendix G (Monitoring)
2023 City Communication Efforts
Additional documents were provided as part of the May 27, 2025 work session and can be found here
Additional information on the project can be viewed on the Forest Service's webpage: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/umatilla/projects/62658 |
| POLICY ISSUES: |
Policy direction provided to date: Support for wildland fire fighting and fuel reduction in the watershed has been a state/federal legislative priority of the City since 2016. See Resolutions 2015-121, 2015-122, 2016-05, 2016-129, 2016-130, 2017-109, 2017-110, 2018-124, 2018-125, 2019-118, 2019-119, 2020-121, 2020-122, 2021-153, 2021-154, 2022-120, 2022-121, 2023-101, 2023-102, 2024-100, 2024-101
Pursuant to the policy direction established by council, the City submitted a comment letter on the proposed Tiger-Mill Project dated February 24, 2023. The city highlighted its support for the project and identified three primary concerns:
- Establish buffer zones: establish buffer zones around the creek to prevent runoff of ash and other debris from entering the water.
- Limit the size of the burn: limit the size of the burn to a manageable area and avoid burning near the creek.
- Monitor water quality: monitor the water quality of the creek before and after the burn to ensure the burn did not have any negative impacts on water quality.
As comments have been shared with the City Council during public comment periods at the regular council meetings as well as the October 14, 2025 Town Hall meeting, concerns heard relate to water quality, erosion of steep slopes, impacts on fish, among other issues. The City raised the same concerns, leading to the comment letter asking for robust water quality monitoring, establishing buffer zones around creeks, and limiting the scope of prescribed burns. The USFS heard the City's concerns and included water quality monitoring within the Notice of Decision and specifically identified that the monitoring plan will be developed in cooperation with the City of Walla Walla. The USFS also will establish buffer widths from creeks as identified on page 9 of the Project Design Criteria (Appendix A of the Environmental Assessment). City staff remain committed to working cooperatively with the USFS as we have done for many years. |
| PLAN COMPLIANCE: |
STRATEGIC PLAN:
SAFE COMMUNITY - Organizational readiness around emergency management, infrastructure stability (maintenance/ repair/multimodal), and overall community safety.
HIGH PERFORMING ORGANIZATION - The City will develop a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration with organizations and partners within the community, financial stability/sustainability, and a well trained and supported work force.
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN:
Environment and Natural Resources Goal 1 Water, air, and soil resources in Walla Walla are protected.
ENR Policy 1.8 Protect the community from hazards, including, but not limited to, earthquakes, severe storms, wildfires and flooding.
ENR Policy 1.10 Plan for the anticipated impacts of climate change, and participate in broader efforts to minimize climate change.
Capital Facilities and Utilities Goal 1 Walla Walla’s capital facilities and utilities are well maintained and up-to-date to meet the demands of growth and economic development.
Capital Facilities and Utilities Goal 3 The provision of capital facilities and utilities is coordinated through collaboration with neighboring governments and private providers.
CFU Policy 3.1 Protect the City’s surface water supply in the Umatilla National Forest from the impact of wildfires through coordinated planning with the US Forest Service.
CFU Policy 3.2 Work with State and regional partners to ensure a safe and sufficient supply of potable water is provided to residents, keeping demand in balance with natural supply and growth. |
| ALTERNATIVES: |
Alternatives for City Council's consideration:
- Not send a letter to the USFS with additional questions and comments.
- Send a letter identifying specific concerns and/or questions the City Council would like addressed by the USFS.
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| STAFF RECOMMENDATION: |
| If a majority of the City Council decides to send a letter to the USFS, staff recommends the letter be drafted in the spirit of cooperation. |
| CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: |
| Approved for City Council discussion and possible action. |
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