WRIA 43 Phase 3 Plan Development Building a Watershed Plan with the Functions and Values of the WRIA 43 Planning Unit March 21 st, 2006 Meeting

TIME SCHEDULE  WRIA 43: Looking to get draft Watershed Plan submitted to Planning Unit by June 1, 2006 (grant requires by July 17, 2006) so have time to review during summer.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN! Steering Committee is developing and reviewing the contents of the Plan You will have time to review and comment on information....We need your input for success

Development of Plan 1) Issue = comprehensive problem statement of what the Planning Unit would like to address in the plan 2) Goal = what specific result the Planning Unit would like to accomplish in the issue statement 3) Objective = how to approach goal and what you want to accomplish (cause of problem and trends) 4) Alternative Solution = action proposed (recommendations for studies, actions and policies w/ obligated party identified)

No.Issue StatementRank ISF-1 WRIA 43 is a hydraulically unique and complex system of streams 1 Wqual-1 Poor water quality is a threat to human health and the environment 2 Hab-1 The physical and biological relationship in Crab Creek is one of the most poorly understood ecosystems in the northwestern United States 3 Wstore-1There is insufficient available water resources in WRIA 434 Wquan-1Management of water in WRIA 43 is required5 WRIA 43 Issue Development

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 functions and values of the residents and landowners within the watershed”.

WATER QUANITY  Currently have 8 Goals developed –w/ over 30 objectives  w/ over 75 alternative solutions (action items)  Primary direction: –Recommendations for numerous studies to understand the hydrogeology of the WRIA –Recommendations to evaluate the impacts of uncased wells –Recommendations for developing a water market in the WRIA

WATER QUANITY (cont) –Further evaluate conservation and reuse strategies for agriculture and municipal users –Recommendations to transfer surface water diversions to groundwater withdrawals –Setting policy for future water right transfers –Setting policy for “shared governance” for future water assessments, projects, programs, and policy making within WRIA 43 –Steering Committee does not want an adjudication

WATER QUANTITY & Odessa Subarea  The WRIA process has not addressed many issues in the Odessa subarea to date.  The WRIA 43 Watershed Plan will provide some recommendations on how the WRIA 43 Planning Unit (or WIT) can assist and/or support some mitigation issues in the future –Primarily through the ESHB 2860 legislation

HABITAT  Currently have 3 Goals developed –w/ 9 objectives  w/ over 20 alternative solutions (action items)  Primary direction: –Recommendations to address data gaps as identified in Phase 2 Technical Assessment –Obligations to Ecology, WDFW, etc. to acknowledge that the habitat is unique in Crab Creek and that a better understanding of the physical environment is required before implementing restoration projects

HABITAT (cont.) –Recommendations to try to protect the exisitng fisheries habitat –Education program to help landowners and residents of WRIA 43 understand the unique habitat characteristics of the creek system –Plan will primarily promote voluntary, non- evasive restoration practices and projects in the watershed (riparian restoration, water conservation, and wetland restoration) –Develop a Habitat Management Plan

WATER QUALITY  Currently have 6 Goals developed –w/ over 30 objectives  w/ over 70 alternative solutions (action items)  Primary direction: –Recommendations for participation in the future TMDL process –Recommendations to conduct studies to fill data gaps presented in the Phase 2 Technical Assessment

WATER QUALITY (cont.) –Recommendations for implementing BMPs to improve impaired water bodies in the WRIA –Most recommendations are to continue with monitoring of surface water and groundwater through programs that the LCCD will administer –Possible recommendations for subarea planning by County –Evaluate if UAAs should be conducted –Public education programs

WATER STORAGE  Currently have 4 Goals developed –w/ over 14 objectives  w/ over 40 alternative solutions (action items)  Primary direction: –Recommendations to further assess potential for increasing water supplies in the watershed –Promote small scale (category 1 & 2) projects on individual farms and/or within the streamchannel/riparian corridor –ESHB 2860 coordination  BOR water right issue????

INSTREAM FLOW  Steering Committee is split on whether to set instream flows or not  ISF study gave recommendations only for the flows which would maximize habitat area for the different life stages of trout  No reserve account for future water right allocation was evaluated  May be issues with setting an ISF due to a 1943 BOR water right certificate that allocates “all the unappropriated public waters of Moses Lake, Crab Creek, Rocky Ford Creek, and Lind Coulee” from November 1 to April 15 annually

Recommended Flows for Protection of Fish Habitat (trout) Month Rocky Ford Irby Range in Rpt Recom. Recom. October cfs 18 cfs 28 cfs November cfs 28 cfs >5 cfs 5 cfs December cfs 34 cfs > 5 cfs 5 cfs January cfs 40 cfs > 5 cfs 5 cfs February cfs 45 cfs > 5 cfs 5 cfs March 50 cfs (3/1) 50 cfs cfs 28 cfs April↓ 37 cfs cfs 28 cfs May 24 cfs (5/31) 32 cfs cfs 28 cfs June cfs 24 cfs 28 cfs July cfs 22 cfs 28 cfs August cfs 20 cfs 28 cfs September cfs 18 cfs 28 cfs

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 initation of studies on projects  Need input on what the priority items are so it can be spelled out in the Plan

We Need Your Input  March 20 th Working Draft of Alternative Table is available for your review –Look through the 5 Issues and the Goals and Objectives being developed –If you want to add things that are a concern to you.....contact us!!! –The tables are the foundation of the Watershed Plan

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

OPEN DISCUSSION ISSUE  Solution – MOA w/ Ecology for shared governance as outlined in the POLICY we set in the Plan  To have support of the law in shared governance, and as outlined in HB 1336, we need to have strong policy statements in the Watershed Plan

NEXT MEETING April 18 th WILBUR COMMUNITY CENTER

OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD QUESTIONS????

Instream Flow & It’s Relationship to Senior/Junior Water Right Holders Water Right Flow Alloc. (cfs) 15 cfs 9.5 cfs 8.0 cfs 7.0 cfs 5.0 cfs 3.0 cfs S-1(1920)2.0OnOnOnOnOnOn S-2(1930)1.0OnOnOnOnOnOn S-3(1958)2.0OnOnOnOnOnOff** S-4(1977)0.5OnOnOnOnOff**Off** S-5(1990)1.0OnOnOnOnOff**Off** ISF(2005)2.5OnOnOffOffOffOff J-4(2006)0.5OnOnOffOffOffOff J-3(2007)0.5OnOffOffOffOffOff J-2(2010)0.25OnOffOffOffOffOff J-1(2020)0.25OnOffOffOffOffOff Off=can’t use due to ISF. Off**=can’t use due to rule of prior appropriation (water law)

Flows-Rocky Ford

Flows at Irby