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Ecology home | Water supply | Streamflow restoration | WRIA 13 Deschutes Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Committee

Last revised: March 24, 2020

The Streamflow Restoration Act (RCW 90.94) is a new law affecting water resource management in Washington State. The law, passed in 2018, helps protect water resources while providing water for families in rural Washington. 

• Read more about the Streamflow Restoration law

The law directs local planning groups in 15 watersheds to develop or update plans that offset potential impacts to instream flows associated with new permit-exempt domestic water use.

We are leading the WRIA 13 Deschutes Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Committee. Get more information:

• If you would like to receive notices about WRIA 13 Deschutes Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Committee meetings, subscribe to the email list.

How the law affects this watershed

As of Jan. 19. 2018, new permit-exempt wells for domestic use in this watershed are:

• allowed 950 gallons per day as the maximum annual average (350 gallons per day during drought).
• subject to a $500 fee.

Please contact your county for more information on these standards as they may change in the final watershed plan or any potential rulemaking.

This watershed:

• has an instream flow rule that does not regulate permit-exempt wells.
• is directed by Section 203 of the new law to adopt a watershed restoration and enhancement plan by June 30, 2021.

 Meetings

This committee has until June 30, 2021 to complete plans that estimate the 20 year consumptive use from permit-exempt wells and identifies projects to offset that consumptive use. The plans will need to meet net ecological benefit.

The standing meeting date will be the 4^th Wednesday of every month, from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm (unless otherwise noted). Meeting materials for past and upcoming meetings will be posted below. 

In light of the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and social distancing recommendations, we will host committee meetings online via WebEx only. The WebEx link and information will be available in the meeting agendas uploaded below. We respect the public’s right to learn about environmental decisions affecting their communities and will do everything possible to keep people safe and accommodate public participation. We appreciate your flexibility and look forward to talking with you.

2020

March 25, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., WebEx Only

Because of the current guidance to not hold in-person meetings, this meeting will be WebEx only. WebEx link is available in the agenda. We appreciate your flexibility and look forward to talking with you.

• Agenda
• Meeting Materials
  • Policy/Regulatory Action and Adaptive Management Assignment

February 26, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Draft Meeting Summary

January 22, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Draft Meeting Summary

2019

December 18, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Meeting Materials
  • Safety Factor Discussion Guide
  • Policy and Regulatory Action Discussion Guide
  • Local Plan Approval Form

November 21, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Tumwater City Hall – Council Chambers, 555 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501
*note this is a different meeting room than the Tumwater Fire Department and is in the adjacent City Hall building.

• Agenda
• Draft meeting summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • Watershed Restoration Enhancement Plan Outline Template
  • Watershed Restoration Enhancement Plan Local Approval Process Form
  • Adaptive Management Discussion Guide

October 23, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Tumwater City Hall – Council Chambers, 555 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501
*note this is a different meeting room than the Tumwater Fire Department and is in the adjacent City Hall building.

• Agenda
• Draft meeting summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • Climate Change Considerations Discussion Guide

September 25, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the LOTT Clean Water Alliance Board Room – 500 Adams St NE, Olympia WA 98501 (note new meeting location)

• Agenda
• Draft meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • September 13, 2019 draft workgroup meeting draft summary
  • Parking Information: Metered parking only, please see map for details

August 28, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Lacey City Hall, Community Room, 420 College Ave SE, Lacey WA 98503

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • August 6, 2019 draft workgroup meeting summary

August 6, 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. WORKGROUP MEETING (contact Angela Johnson for more information)

June 26,  9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • Water Right Acquisitions Handouts

May 22, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
• Growth Projection Discussion Guide
• Subbasin Discussion Guide
• Technical Workgroup draft meeting summary
• Landowner's Guide to Washington Water Rights
• Permit-Exempt Domestic Well use in WA State
• History of Water Law in WA

May 21, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., WORKGROUP MEETING (contact Angela Johnson for more information)

April 24, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • Technical Workgroup draft meeting summary
  • Thurston PUD presentation

April 22, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., WORKGROUP MEETING (contact Angela Johnson for more information)

March 27, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • WRIA 13 Local Planning Presentation Outline
  • Thurston County Planning Presentation
  • Lewis County Planning Presentation
  • Proposed meeting schedule
• Approved Operating Principles

March 22, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., WORKGROUP MEETING (contact Angela Johnson for more information)

February 27, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Tumwater Fire Department Training Room, 311 Israel Rd. SW, Tumwater, WA 98501

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • Revised operating principles—mark-up
  • Revised operating principles—clean
  • Instream flow video
  • Instream flow presentation - link removed, contact Committee chair for copy

January 23, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Lacey City Hall, 420 College St. SE, Lacey, WA 98503

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • Plan components and timeline presentation
  • Draft timeline and key decisions
  • Hydrogeology presentation
  • Draft operating principles –revised

2018

December 12, 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Thurston County PUD, 1230 Ruddell Rd. SE, Lacey, WA 98503

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • Draft operating principals

October 25

• Agenda
• Meeting summary
• Meeting materials:
  • ESSB 6091 - Map
  • Focus on: New streamflow restoration law
  • WRIA 13 Deshutes - Basin map
  • Presentation - Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Committee Kickoff Meeting

Streamflow restoration implementation grants

We have launched a grant program for Streamflow Restoration implementation projects. The first round of grants will focus on projects that improve streamflows and instream resources.

• Read more

Resource materials:

• Department of Ecology Streamflow Restoration Webpage
• Hirst v. Whatcom County
• Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6091
• RCW 90.94
• Streamflow Restoration Grants Fiscal Year 2019 Interim Funding Guidance
• Case law
• Final Net Ecological Benefit Guidance
• Streamflow Restoration Policy and Interpretative Statement

Contact:

Angela Johnson
Streamflow Restoration
angela.johnson@ecy.wa.gov
360 407-6668