Resident Fish Stocking and Wells Wildlife Area Funding
Public Utility District No. 1 of Douglas County (Douglas PUD) strives to be a good steward of wildlife and fish resources. The Wells Project area is home to a variety of fish (i.e. salmon, steelhead, trout and bass) and wildlife (i.e. otters, waterfowl, upland birds, eagles and deer). As part of the relicensing of the Wells Project, Douglas PUD and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) entered into an Off-License Settlement Agreement (Off-License Settlement) on December 17, 2007.
Under the Off-License Settlement, Douglas PUD provides funds to WDFW to raise 20,000 pounds of rainbow trout. The trout will be stocked annually in lakes found throughout Okanogan, Chelan and Douglas counties to enhance recreational fishing opportunities.
The Off-License Settlement also provides funds for the operation and maintenance of the Wells Wildlife Area (WWA). The WWA is operated by WDFW and consists of six Habitat Management Units with a combined area of over 8,200 acres. Development of wildlife habitat for native wildlife species along with public wildlife-oriented recreation are features of this Off-License Settlement.