 |
 |
Working together toward local sustainability - integrating economy, ecology and community via action and education |
| who we are | what we do | what you can do | contact Local 2020 |
Local 20/20 Water and Land
“…tracing the sinuous relationship between water and land, leads us to realize that, to be truly effective, land use plans must be conceived as land/water use plans.” -from Bruce Babbit’s book – "Cities in the Wilderness"
Many excellent groups are working on various water issues in our area, and this Local 2020 Water Action Group wants to let you know who they are and what they are doing, as well as give you ideas to support efforts to clean up contaminants and conserve water. Our watershed needs your help so that we have of future of adequate fresh water supplies for fish, wildlife and human together.
Water and State Law
The State of Washington is divided into 62 Watershed Resource Inventory Areas (WRIAs) for the purposes of water resource planning. You can read the state law at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=90.82. East Jefferson County is WRIA17 (see insert on right), the Quilcene-Snow Creek Basin, composed of Big and Little Quilcene rivers, Chimacum, Salmon, Snow, Tarboo, and Thordyke Creeks. Jefferson County’s surface waters provide habitat for numerous salmon and trout stocks, many of which have been reduced to critical levels. Three species are now protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act: Hood Canal summer chum salmon, Puget Sound Chinook salmon, and bull trout.
The Department of Ecology is continuing to work with local governments, tribes, business owners, environmental agencies, residents and other entities in both Jefferson and eastern Clallam counties to develop a proposed water management rule (in-stream flow rule) for the Quilcene-Snow WRIA 17. The rule would guide water use planning and decision-making for future human domestic needs while maintaining enough water in streams to protect important fish species and existing water rights. Find more at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr
Each WRIA creates a Planning Unit made up of government and non-governmental stakeholders. Our current Planning Unit [link] holds public meetings every second Tuesday of the month starting at 6:00 pm, held at the WSU Spruce Room at the Shold Business Park in Port Hadlock. To find the approved WRIA 17 Management plan, go to http://wria17.co.jefferson.wa.us (no www.) then look in WRIA 17 Project Documents for "Watershed Management Plan for the Quilcene-Snow Water Resource Inventory Area 17 " (October 2003). Also an "Executive Summary" with all of the 43 recommendations is available. This can also be picked up by going to the Department of Environmental Health at 615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, or call Neil Harrington at 385-9411 for a copy.
Another interesting aspect of our state law is that water rights are registered at the state on a seniority basis. In other words, if a more recent (junior) water right user infringes on the rights of a senior (previous) water right user, then the senior water right gets precedence. In WRIA17, the Department of Ecology has a moratorium on issuing water rights, since more water rights have been issued than could be fulfilled if all users maxxed their allowance.
One exception to this water right process is called “exempt wells”, and these are the private domestic (homeowner) use wells that provide water to many county residents. These wells are drilled without requiring a water right application, and are permitted use up to 5,000 gallons per day. The unlimited creation of more and more of these exempt wells exacerbates the over-allocation of water usage in our basin.
The State of Washington is divided into 62 Watershed Resource Inventory Areas (WRIAs) for the purposes of water resource planning. You can read the state law at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=90.82. East Jefferson County is WRIA17 (see insert on right), the Quilcene-Snow Creek Basin, composed of Big and Little Quilcene rivers, Chimacum, Salmon, Snow, Tarboo, and Thordyke Creeks. Jefferson County’s surface waters provide habitat for numerous salmon and trout stocks, many of which have been reduced to critical levels. Three species are now protected by the Federal Endangered Species Act: Hood Canal summer chum salmon, Puget Sound Chinook salmon, and bull trout.
The Department of Ecology is continuing to work with local governments, tribes, business owners, environmental agencies, residents and other entities in both Jefferson and eastern Clallam counties to develop a proposed water management rule (in-stream flow rule) for the Quilcene-Snow WRIA 17. The rule would guide water use planning and decision-making for future human domestic needs while maintaining enough water in streams to protect important fish species and existing water rights. Find more at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr
Each WRIA creates a Planning Unit made up of government and non-governmental stakeholders. Our current Planning Unit [link] holds public meetings every second Tuesday of the month starting at 6:00 pm, held at the WSU Spruce Room at the Shold Business Park in Port Hadlock. To find the approved WRIA 17 Management plan, go to http://wria17.co.jefferson.wa.us (no www.) then look in WRIA 17 Project Documents for "Watershed Management Plan for the Quilcene-Snow Water Resource Inventory Area 17 " (October 2003). Also an "Executive Summary" with all of the 43 recommendations is available. This can also be picked up by going to the Department of Environmental Health at 615 Sheridan Street Port Townsend, or call Neil Harrington at 385-9411 for a copy.
Another interesting aspect of our state law is that water rights are registered at the state on a seniority basis. In other words, if a more recent (junior) water right user infringes on the rights of a senior (previous) water right user, then the senior water right gets precedence. In WRIA17, the Department of Ecology has a moratorium on issuing water rights, since more water rights have been issued than could be fulfilled if all users maxxed their allowance.
One exception to this water right process is called “exempt wells”, and these are the private domestic (homeowner) use wells that provide water to many county residents. These wells are drilled without requiring a water right application, and are permitted use up to 5,000 gallons per day. The unlimited creation of more and more of these exempt wells exacerbates the over-allocation of water usage in our basin.
North Olympic Peninsula's Local 20/20, Port Townsend and surrounding communities
Working together toward local sustainability - integrating economy, ecology and community through action and education.
Working together toward local sustainability - integrating economy, ecology and community through action and education.
Web site space donated by OlympusNet
Additional thanks to:
WSU Main Homepage, WSU Extension and County Extension Offices,
the Agricultural Research Center, CAHNRS, and the North Olympic Learning Center
Looking for more information? Send us an Email
Additional thanks to:
WSU Main Homepage, WSU Extension and County Extension Offices,
the Agricultural Research Center, CAHNRS, and the North Olympic Learning Center
Looking for more information? Send us an Email
