Drafter
Clerk 09/06/2011
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A MOTION requesting the executive to include an ecological assessment for a portion of the Soos Creek basin in the executive-proposed 2012 budget.
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WHEREAS, the Soos Creek basin is a valuable ecological system for both hydrologic and habitat functions, especially with respect to the protection of threatened salmon species, and
WHEREAS, as the incorporated areas within the Soos Creek basin continue to become more developed, the preservation of this ecological system will become more important for fish and wildlife over time as other patches of habitat in the region will be presumably lost to development, and
WHEREAS, in recognition of its value, the parks and recreation division is in the process of developing a management plan of lands along the Soos Creek Park Trail corridor. As part of that process, an ecological assessment of the properties along that corridor, in order to inform future decisions for preservation or acquisition of lands within the corridor to maintain its habitat value, and
WHEREAS, the Soos Creek Park Trail corridor and the corresponding ecological assessment does not extend to the south of SE 272nd Street, and
WHEREAS, a significant portion of the Soos Creek basin lies south of SE 272nd Street remains unstudied and its hydrologic and habitat functions remain at risk from degradation, and
WHEREAS, a first step to minimize future degradation of these functions and to prioritize future habitat restoration efforts, would be to conduct a similar ecological assessment that identifies where these functions are being hindered, and
WHEREAS, an appropriate study area would extend downstream along the main stem of Soos creek from SE 272nd Street to its confluence with the Green river and an upstream segment on Little Soos creek to the county's hatchery natural area, and
WHEREAS, according to the parks and recreation division, the ecological assessment conducted as part of their Soos Creek Park Trail manage...
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