Tri State Steelheaders

“Membership is by payment of annual dues.”

“Members vote for board members at the annual meeting.”

“For the form 990 a copy of the tax return was provided to the board members for them to ask questions.”

“Annually the board members review and sign the organization's conflict of interest policy statement. The board reviews each situation and takes appropriate action.”

“The board reviewed comparable salaries by other similar organizations in the state of washington. The board approves the salary and other compensation that is offered to its executive director.”

“Form 1023, forms 990 and other governing documents are currently available on the organizations's website and by request.”

“Volunteers for restoration projects to enhance water quality and riparian habitat on walla walla's urban streams: volunteers remove sod, invasive species and assist with planting native trees, shrubs, forbs, and grasses. Volunteers for stream monitoring: volunteers provide assistance with stream flow monitoring in the walla walla watershed for the washington state department of ecology during stream discharge measurements. Volunteers to evaluate watershead health: teacher/student teams from eight regional public and private schools monitored over twenty riparian restoration sites measuring water temperature, stream flow, dissolved oxygen, ph level, macro invertebrate presence, stream bank profiles and canopy coverage. Volunteers for kids fishing days: volunteers provide hot dogs and soda for kids, teach young fishermen how to cast, bait hooks and other elements of fishing. Volunteers for crab feed: volunteers ask community businesses for donated items to be raffled off or auctioned at the crab feed, sell dinner tickets, assist in serving meals to several hundred people and setup and cleanup the rented facility after the event.”

“Overview tri-state steelheaders is a community-based non-profit organization that has been actively involved in salmonid habitat restoration since its inception in the mid-1960s. The group was granted 501(c) 3 status by washington state in 1989 and was designated a regional fisheries enhancement group in 2000. Projects are funded by grants from state and federal agencies, private foundations, and corporate sponsors. Our organization receives valuable support from the walla walla community as well and thanks to generous donations from individuals and businesses, the steelheaders' 2018 crab feed fundraiser netted over 12,000 for education and youth events. In 2018, volunteers donated over 551 hours to support our mission. Restoration mill creek fish passage - park to otis flood control measures on mill creek include a two-mile long section of concrete-lined channel. This concrete channel is a passage barrier to migrating salmon, steelhead, and bull trout. Retrofitting of the concrete will create depths and velocities that migrating fish can successfully pass. Construction funding was secured to improve fish passage for 930 feet of the flood control channel between park st and otis st. Permit applications were completed, and construction is scheduled for 2019. At the completion of this section, about 25% of the concrete channel will be passable to fish. Bridge to bridge restoration - phase 2 the bridge to bridge project is intended to improve instream habitat, riparian habitat, and floodplain function on about two miles of the lower walla walla river. Grant funds awarded by the salmon recovery funding board completed fundraising for construction of phase 2. Permit applications were completed, and construction is scheduled for 2019. Brewer wetland this 23-acre site has been improved with mitigation funding for impacts to regional wetlands. Three new ponds created 1.25 acres of new open water. After grading in late 2015, five acres at the north end of the site were enclosed with deer fencing, seeded with a native grass mix, and planted with over 5,000 trees and shrubs in the spring of 2016. In 2017, americorps volunteers planted additional trees to replace initial plantings that did not survive. This year's monitoring shows a continuing high success rate for the trees and other vegetation. Jones ditch fish screens in partnership with the walla walla county conservation district and two landowners, this project installed fish screens on three irrigation pumping stations to protect juvenile salmon and steelhead.”

“Recreation support of jumbo trout program tri-state steelheaders continued to support the wdfw jumbo trout program by purchasing food used to raise about 4,000 rainbow trout. "jumbos" are about 1.5 - 2 pounds, and are released into approximately 20 southeastern washington lakes, including bennington lake in walla walla. Kids fishing days on the free fishing weekend in june, tri-state steelheaders and the u.s. Army corps of engineers co-sponsored the annual kids fishing day at bennington lake. We also partnered with the forest service to hold a kids fishing day at jubilee lake in july. In all, 230 kids registered for the events. Rods and reels were available to loan to kids who did not have gear of their own. Four lucky raffle winners went home with new fishing poles. Seven kids won new poles in the casting contest and the biggest fish contest. Participants also enjoyed free hot dogs and soda. The events were made possible by our partnering agencies and by many local volunteers and businesses.”

“Return of sherwood trust funds -26,000”