Residents urge denial of Chelan County expedited HPA for Company Creek; staff says review ongoing

Residents of the Stahikan (Stehegan) River area urged the Department of Fish and Wildlife to reject an expedited hydraulic project approval (HPA) application from Chelan County that proposes building a temporary road and placing barriers in the river during kokanee salmon spawning.

Multiple callers said the project would permanently damage river hydrology and spawning gravel and urged denial. Jonathan Rosenblum of Company Creek said the plan to dam and re‑channel the river "would permanently damage river hydrology, aquatic habitat, and fish life" and urged the department to deny the expedited HPA application. Local property owners (Carolyn McConnell, Barbara Gross, Phil Fenner) likewise told the commission that landward alternatives exist and that the project should not proceed during the kokanee spawn.

Habitat staff member Chris Conklin said the department is reviewing the application and coordinating with National Park Service and county partners; he confirmed no permit has been issued and that the expedited pathway requires showing imminent threats or emergency justification. "No permit's been issued. We do have an application for an expedited, and we're working through that with everybody we can," Conklin said. The department will evaluate impacts, mitigation options and whether viable landward alternatives exist before deciding whether to issue an HPA.