Into the Watershed
500 N Tausick Way, Walla Walla, WA 99362, USA
46.0790886
-118.27804789999999
Walla Walla draws its water from Mill Creek through a diversion dam, high in the Blue Mountains. Above that dam lies the Mill Creek watershed, an area closed to all traffic because of the risk of fire.
Ash from a fire in the watershed would be devastating to the town’s water supply, and to aquatic life in Mill Creek. We’ll take a look at each stage in the diversion and head up to the watershed to learn about some planned solutions for this risk.
First, we’ll visit the Walla Walla intake dam and speak with Tom Krebs about what the City would do in case of a fire to keep the water flowing.Then we’ll head up to the watershed to discuss some of the solutions that have been planned to reduce the fire risk in the forest there.
Our host will be Joe Sciarrino, a member of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan Steering Group and ranger for the US Forest Service. Joe will show us a few Forest Service projects outside the watershed. Then, he’ll discuss fire risks to Mill Creek, and what local organizations can do to prevent them.
We will meet at the Walla Walla Community College main parking lot by the flagpole. Bus transportation will be provided.