Superintendent Terry Darby announced the availability for public review of a draft environmental assessment on the restoration of Doan Creek within the park. The environmental assessment review period will close August 13, 2004.
Copies of the document are available for inspection and review at the Walla Walla public library and the Touchet public library. Interested persons can come to the park to read the environmental assessment or obtain their own copy. The park Visitor Center is open every day from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Interested parties may telephone the park at 509-522-6360 or email whmi_superintendent@nps.gov. The document is also available through Whitman Mission’s website at www.nps.gov/whmi under “Management Docs”.
The proposal would create a Doan Creek channel across the northern one-third of the park. Designed to be excellent fish habitat, it would be lined with native trees, shrubs, and grass. During the Whitman Mission General Management planning process and public meetings of 1999 and 2000, this project received support and became one of the action items in the General Management Plan approved in September, 2000.
Whitman Mission is located 7 miles west of Walla Walla off U.S. Highway 12. Whitman Mission is open 7 days a week. Summer Visitor Center hours are 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Park grounds close at dark. Visitor information may be obtained any time by calling 509-529-2761 or by visiting the park website at www.nps.gov/whmi.
