Shawn Hathaway, Gil Rossner and Geoff Harvey of the HLWA Board were joined by Carl Petrick, Forest Supervisor, Kim Pierson, the Assistant Forest Supervisor, Dan Scaife, Coeur d’Alene River District Ranger, and Jason Smith, district recreational specialist for the trip.  The group met at 10 AM Friday, April 29^th at the Sportsmans Access Parking Lot.  The Forest Supervisor and Assistant Supervisor had only an hour and a half to spend on the trip.  The trip started with an overview of Hayden Lake and its water.  The parking lot provided a view down the lake to Henry’s Point facilitating a discussion of the lake’s dual water quality nature.  The point was made that we must protect the lake’s water quality and the special sensitivity of the lake north of Henry’s Point.  The point was emphasized that the Forest Service manages 63% of the lake’s watershed. Careful management of the forest land is important to the lake’s water quality.

The group moved up to the Hayden Creek Shooting Range.  The typical array of shot up solid waste and shell casings was found covering the range.  The spring conditions and the recent snowpack runoff clearly demonstrated where the range drained directly to Hayden Creek.  All participants agreed that the situation was unacceptable.   The forest supervisor indicated that measures were required immediately to block drainage from the area to Hayden Creek.  The Forest Service reiterated its earlier stated intention to halt all target shooting in the Hayden Creek watershed within a quarter mile of the road except for the gun range.  The agency is also exploring management of the range with representatives of the National Rifle Association and Fernan Rod & Gun Club.  The Association’s representatives reiterated its position that somebody was needed to manage the site.  The forest supervisor indicated that would only be effective if somebody was on site regularly.  The Association again reminded the Forest Service its position that FSR 437 be closed west of the range and converted into a 50 inch minus trail between the range and Ohio Match (FSR 206) junction. The Ranger indicated the road west of the range was not needed to manage the forest.  Josh Nelson indicated that range users would resist, because they could not carry in all their gear to the range.

The group drove on up to the Ohio Match Junction.  The fact that the road and creek met each other in between was noted and the forest managers acknowledged they had observed that in transit.  The Associations plan to place a parking area on mud bogged areas was noted as was the very small length (500 yards; 0.3 miles) of the fifty inch minus trail proposed.  The close connection of the road and the creek was given as a prime reason for this approach.  Carl and Kim had to return to town at this point.

The remaining group proceeded up to the road above the upper FSR 437- Ohio Match Junction.  A stop was made along the road where it drains directly to the creek.  The out sloped road requires in sloping and drain water management.  Ranger Scaife noted that Honey Badger proceeds could be used to make these improvements.

The group moved on to the NF Hayden Creek Junction one of many shooting areas passed with facility damage and litter.  The trip participants assisted Ranger Scaife in collecting stream discharge and collection of water quality samples.  Data and samples were collected from the North Fork and East Fork above the confluence.  The group traveled on up to the Hells Canyon Trailhead and data and samples were collected from Hells Canyon Creek and the East Fork Hayden Creek.  The area just below the trailhead was once treated with float logs from an earlier dock cleanup to discourage mud bogging. Such logs were offered to treat additional areas from the Watershed Improvement District’s dock removals.

The group drove back down to the road west of the gun range.  A stop was made to show one of the worst locations where road runoff drains directly into Hayden Creek.  A final stop was made near the property boundary where another set of discharge data and water quality samples were taken.