WRIA 43 Phase 3 Plan Development

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WRIA 43Phase 3 Plan Development

• Building a Watershed Plan with the Functions and
  Values of the WRIA 43 Planning Unit
• May 16th, 2006 Meeting

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• Steering Committee is developing and reviewing
  the contents of the Plan
• Scott Barr Carol Paul
• Dennis Bly Dean White
• Eddie Johnson Don Rolfe
• JoAnne Krupke Dan Rossman
• Dave Lundgren (LCCD) Keith Holiday (Ecol.)

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OLD BUSINESSTIME SCHEDULE

• Looking to get draft Watershed Plan submitted to
  Planning Unit at June 20th, 2006 (grant requires
  by July 17, 2006) so have time to review during
  summer.
• During summer (June-July) will conduct public
  meetings
• Meeting with commissioners again in June
• Commissioner presentations SEPA (Aug-Sept)
• Lincoln, Grant and Adams Counties

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Old Business

• 1) Spokane County Update
• 2) 2007-2009 Budgets submitted
• Propose an initial hydrostratigraphy study
• Initiate gauging at the outfall of WRIA 43 to
  include an estimate of groundwater discharge
• Fund gauging at Rocky Ford and Irby
• Conduct losing/gaining reach study on Crab Creek
  Conduct FLIR study on Crab Creek
• Initiate well abandonment program (setup
  database, prioritize)
• 3) Voting Status

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UPCOMING MEETINGS OF INTEREST

• May 17th (Wednesday) WRIA 59 Ecology discussion
  on the adjudication process streamlined vs.
  normal. Discussion on WRIA 59 adjudication, and
  potential adjudication in Spokane Valley Aquifer.
  Meeting at Chewelah City Hall, 9-12 am
• May 18th (Thursday) CRI EIS Scoping Meeting.
  Colville Agricultural Trade Center, 4-7 pm.
  (also will be held in Moses Lake at Fire Dept.
  Multi-purpose room from 4-7 pm on May 22nd.)
• May 24th (Wednesday) WRIA 54 discussion on
  adjudication and the Spokane Valley adjudication.
  Airway Heights Community Center, 13120 W. 13th
  Ave. Upstairs Courtroom.

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Basic Over Riding Principal of the Watershed Plan

• The Crab Creek watershed is a unique and poorly
  understood physical and biological environment
  that requires local input for management to
  protect the interests and values of the residents
  and landowners within the watershed.

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MISSION STATEMENT

• To develop a plan to manage and protect the
  water and related resources in an environmentally
  and economically sound manner that is in the
  interest of the residents and landowners of the
  Upper Crab Creek Watershed.
• (adopted by PU on November 20th, 2001)

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INITIAL GOALS

• During the Phase I planning process, three goals
  were identified for the planning process. These
  were approved by the Planning Unit in November
  2001 and were identified as
• To analyze and document existing and historic
  status of water resources in the Upper Crab Creek
  Watershed and plan for the future needs of the
  citizens of the watershed.
• To develop a plan for the people of the Upper
  Crab Creek Watershed which respects cultural and
  historic values, as well as environmental
  functions of the watershed.
• To implement the plan and monitor its
  effectiveness in meeting the intent of the
  mission statement with periodic evaluation.

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PHASE 3 GOALS

• Water Quantity Goal Define and manage the
  available water resources in the watershed for
  economic, domestic, and environmental uses.
• Water Quality Goal Improve overall water quality
  in surface and groundwater where determined
  necessary without adversely impacting the economy
  within the watershed.
• Habitat Goal Maintain fish and wildlife habitat
  within the watershed for a balance of economic
  and recreational purposes through efficient and
  effective management programs by local
  stewardship.
• Instream Flow Goal Evaluate flow within the
  mainstem of Crab Creek to support the goals of
  the Plan and determine if an instream flow
  recommendation is warranted.
• Water Storage Goal Develop feasible water
  storage projects to support and enhance water
  needs within the watershed.

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PHASE 3 GOALS

• 6) General Planning Goal Develop a local
  comprehensive watershed plan which provides a
  cooperative framework for water resource
  management and decision making in WRIA 43.
• 7) Economic Goal To implement and promote
  water resource planning that encourages economic
  growth within the watershed.

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Recommended Minimum Flows for Protection of Fish
Habitat (trout)
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Recommended Flows
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CONDITIONS

• The Planning Unit does not want to recommend a
  reservation account with the instream rule making
  process and does not support any such reservation
  associated with the instream flow rule making
  process.
• Ecology to only condition future surface water
  diversions to the instream flow that are within
  the perennial reaches of Crab Creek at the Irby
  and Rocky Ford Road gauging locations, that
  section of creek which is no further than 1.15
  mile upstream of each gauging station (the
  reaches that were evaluated in the Phase 2
  Technical Assessment). This is recommended as a
  result of the hydraulic analysis conducted during
  the instream flow study between the two gauging
  stations which revealed that there is no
  correlation of flows between the gauging stations
  and the creek is flowing under unique hydrologic
  conditions. And the findings that the instream
  flow analysis is limited in its ability to
  represent the actual environment that exists
  throughout the Crab Creek Watershed.

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CONDITIONS (cont)

• Ecology to only condition future groundwater
  withdrawals to the instream flow that are
  demonstrated to have a direct hydraulic
  continuity to the creek, such as wells within the
  unconsolidated sediment aquifers. Also Ecology
  to exempt groundwater withdrawals from an
  interruptible status if they meet the following
  provisions
• Groundwater withdrawal is extracting groundwater
  from the Grande Ronde basalt aquifers.
• Groundwater wells are cased throughout the
  unconsolidated sediments and a minimum of
  200-feet into the basalt bedrock.
• Proponent of a groundwater well to be completed
  in the unconsolidated sediment aquifer and/or
  Wanapum aquifer that does not meet the previous
  two criteria demonstrates there is not a direct
  hydraulic connection from the groundwater
  withdrawal to the stream reach where the gauging
  station is located, which is based upon best
  available science.

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CONDITIONS (cont)

• Ecology to reopen instream flow rule in 10-years
  after initial adoption date and reevaluate if
  flows should be modified if additional data and
  analysis is available. Ecology and WDFW will
  work with the WRIA 43 watershed group in a
  cooperative effort to reach agreement on any
  future flow modifications, if proposed.
• Ecology or other state agencies will not propose
  any new or modify future existing instream flows
  within WRIA 43 unless they are negotiated and
  agreed upon with the local watershed planning
  group (and any subsequent adaptations to the
  implementation group).

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CONDITIONS (cont)

• Ecology is obligated to use the mutually agreed
  upon flow levels for their draft rule and must
  start the process over from the beginning with
  local negotiated input if the public testimony at
  the hearings is strongly for recommending a
  different flow level.
• Ecology not to condition any domestic exempt
  wells to the instream flow rule

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TABLE of Contents

• Preliminary TOC was reviewed by PU in February
  2006.
• Additions/Subtractions have been made while Plan
  is under development
• Need to approve one option

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SEPA Options

• Adoption and Determination of Significance (DS)
  can be issued if it is determined that the
  statewide EIS document adequately addresses the
  probable significant adverse impacts associated
  with the recommended alternatives in the Plan.
• Does not require a public comment period or
  public notice
• Just notify agencies w/ jurisdiction, and
  interested parties

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SEPA Options

• 2. Adoption and Determination of Significance
  (DS) and addendum could be prepared and issued
  if is determined that the statewide EIS document
  adequately addresses the probable significant
  adverse impacts associated with the recommended
  alternatives in the Plan, but there is a need to
  provide local decision makers with additional
  minor information regarding the Plan.
• Requires preparation of addendum document to be
  circulated w/ the notice of DS
• Does not require a public comment period or
  public notice
• Just notify agencies w/ jurisdiction, and
  interested parties

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SEPA Options

• 3. Adoption and Supplemental Environmental EIS
  could be prepared and issued if is determined
  that the statewide EIS document addresses some,
  but not all, of the probable significant adverse
  impacts associated with the recommended
  alternatives in the Plan, and there is a need to
  conduct additional environmental analysis.
• Notice of adoption is included in the
  supplemental EIS
• Lead agency does not have to conduct scoping
  meetings
• Draft Supplemental EIS is circulated to agencies
  and public for 30-day comment period
• Does require a public comment period and public
  notice
• Prepare and circulate a final EIS

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SEPA Options

• 4. Adoption and Determination of Non-Significance
  (DNS) could be issued if it is determined that
  there are no probable significant adverse impacts
  associated with the recommended alternatives in
  the Plan.
• Copies of adoption notice and DNS must be
  circulated to Ecology and agencies w/ jurisdiction

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TASK 3 MemorandumISSUE

• ISF-1 WRIA 43 is a hydraulically unique and
  complex system of streams
• Wqual-1 Poor water quality is a threat to human
  health and the environment
• Hab-1 The physical and biological relationship
  in Crab Creek is one of the most poorly
  understood ecosystems in the northwestern United
  States
• Wstore-1 There is insufficient available water
  resources in WRIA 43
• Wquan-1 Management of water in WRIA 43 is
  required

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TASK 3 MemorandumGOALS

• ISF-1
• Started with 4 Goals
• Added 1 more during Plan writing
• Wqual-1
• Started with 6 Goals
• Hab-1
• - Started with 3 Goals
• Wstore-1
• Started with 3 Goals
• Added 1 more during Plan writing
• Wquan-1
• - Started with 5 Goals
• Added 3 more during Plan writing

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EARLY ACTION ITEMS

• The Planning Unit has a set aside of money from
  the Phase 3 Grant
• This money can be used to conduct early action
  items specifically identified in Plan
• Action items can consist of Development of
  Planning items, and/or initiation of studies on
  projects
• Need input on what the priority items are so it
  can be spelled out in the Plan

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OPEN DISCUSSION ISSUE

• Looking to the future Implementing the Plan
  Who-How-When
• Forming a Watershed Implementation Team (WIT) to
  oversee and implement Plan
• Forward looking to setup a partnership to assist
  in the water resource decision making in the
  watershed
• State law deems Ecology as the sole managers for
  water resources

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• Gene St.Godard, P.G., L.HG.
• Principal Hydrogeologist/Owner
• Water Natural Resource Group
• P.O. Box 28755, Spokane, WA 99228
• 509-468-4876, stgod1_at_comcast.net
• www.wnrgroup.com

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NEXT MEETING

• June 20th
• DAVENPORT
• PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING

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OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

• QUESTIONS????

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Flows-Rocky Ford
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Flows at Irby
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