Washington Wildlife Areas: Chiliwist Physical Geography

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The Chiliwist Wildlife Area is generally southwest-facing and is used heavily by wintering mule deer, white-tailed deer, and golden eagles.  Winter wheat and alfalfa food plots, shrubs and grasses planted in old agricultural fields, and a winter deer-feeding program help keep deer out of nearby orchards.  The CWA ranges in elevation from about 1,000 feet above sea level (ASL) to nearly 3,100 feet ASL on the top of Chiliwist Butte.  Over a mile of Chiliwist Creek transects the CWA.  There are two manmade ponds on Chiliwist Creek.  A riparian area runs through Frazier Canyon in the northwest corner of the CWA to the Delfeld Meadow. Habitats of the CWA include wetland (at least three subtypes) characterized by Water birch, Mountain alder, Hawthorn, Willow, and Red Osier dogwood; shrub-steppe (at least three subtypes) characterized by Bluebunch Wheatgrass, Bitterbrush, and Needle and thread grass; rocks and cliffs; and dry site forest (two subtypes) characterized by Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. The Chiliwist unit is primarily managed for mule deer, white-tailed deer, turkeys, doves, blue grouse, and other upland birds.  Many non-game birds and furbearers also use the area. Temperatures at nearby Omak range from an average of 24oF in January to an average of 71oF in July.  The average liquid equivalent is just over 12 inches of precipitation.  (For more info: Western Regional Climate Center)