The Chinook Recovery Plan encourages federal, state, and local jurisdictions to limit environmental impacts from development (p. 25). WDNR regulatory (Forest Practice Application Review) water type maps have been widely adopted to regulate development near streams; however, because the regulatory maps are demonstrably inaccurate, many streams are not receiving the protection they warrant under existing laws. Mechanisms for checking or correcting the data presented in both regulatory maps and application submittals rely on field verification. Unfortunately, local and state jurisdictions are increasingly forced to rely on inadequate maps and/or submittal information and to reduce on-site visits because of budget and personnel cuts.

This project will improve the protection of up to 66 miles of streams that support or impact ESA listed species. Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC) will use WDNR–sanctioned water typing protocols to conduct watertyping surveys in sub-basins (including the Lower South Fork) prioritized with assistance from the Technical Advisory Group. Survey results will be incorporated into WFC's online interactive GIS (see: http://wildfishconservancy.org-/) and will be made available to all affected state, local, and tribal governments. In addition to providing data to ensure informed and responsible management of these watersheds and improving the recovery strategy with species-specific distribution data, WFC will develop five restoration project conceptual designs.