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

Last revised: April 26, 2022

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.

• If you would like to receive notices about Watershed Restoration and Enhancement planning, 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.

The Department of Ecology offers free language services. We can provide information written in your preferred language and interpreters over the phone. For more information, please contact Angela Johnson at 360 407-6668. 

WRE Planning Update

Despite hard work and commitment, the WRIA 13 Watershed Restoration and Enhancement Committee did not locally approve their watershed plan and submit to Ecology for review before the June 30, 2021 adoption deadline. See the April 2021 meeting summary for more information. The streamflow restoration law required the Committee’s watershed plan to be locally approved and adopted by Ecology by June 30, 2021 or an alternative pathway for plan adoption is initiated.

Starting in July 2021, the Department of Ecology began to prepare a plan as directed by RCW 90.94.030(3)(h) for future adoption. As of March 1, 2022 the Salmon Recovery Funding Board is undertaking its review of the final draft plan prepared by Ecology. There is not a role for the WRIA 13 Committee in this process so the Committee does not have additional meetings scheduled. For more details on plan finalization, please see our streamflow restoration planning update or subscribe to the email list.

Committee Draft WRE Plan for Local Review

The chair distributed the draft watershed restoration and enhancement plan for review by entities on the Committee in January 2021. The Committee’s final vote took place in April 2021 however the Committee did not locally approve their plan. As Ecology develops the final draft plans, it will follow, as the committees did, the law, POL 2094 and the NEB guidance. Ecology will also consider all available information, including draft materials developed by the committees.

The Committee draft plan, appendices, and supporting resources are linked here:

• Final Draft WRE Plan (full version Chapters 1-7 and Appendices)
• Final Draft WRE Plan (Chapters 1-7 only):
• Appendix A: References
• Appendix B: Glossary
• Appendix C: Committee Roster
• Appendix D: Approved Operating Principles
• Appendix E: Regional Aquifer Units Within WRIA 13
• Appendix F: Surface Water Quality Assessment Category 4 and 5 Listings in WRIA 13
• Appendix G: Subbasin Delineation Memo
• Appendix H: PE Growth and Consumptive Use Summary Technical Memo
• Appendix I: Detailed Project Descriptions
• Appendix J: Project Inventory
• Appendix K: Policy Recommendation Proposals
• Draft Plan Compendium
• Plan Cover Memo
• Plan Review Timeline
• Plan Overview Slides (ppt format)
• WRIA 13 Committee Brochure
• Streamflow Restoration Program Overview
• Final NEB Guidance
• Streamflow Restoration Policy Interpretive Statement

Meetings

This committee had until June 2021 to complete plans that estimate the 20 year consumptive use from new permit-exempt wells and identify projects to offset that consumptive use. The committee does not have additional meetings scheduled.

2021

April 20, 12:30 pm - 3:30 pm   

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Plan Adoption Pathways

January 27, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Special Additional January Meeting

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary

January 20, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary

2020

December 16, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • December 2020 Project Updates

November 19, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary

October 28, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  Because of the current guidance to not hold in-person meetings, this meeting will be WebEx only. WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • Reclaimed Water Policy Proposal
  • Chapter 6-Assurance of Plan Implementation Proposal
  • October 2020 Project Updates

September 23, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  Because of the current guidance to not hold in-person meetings, this meeting will be WebEx only. WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary

August 26, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  Because of the current guidance to not hold in-person meetings, this meeting will be WebEx only. WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • Operating Principles Revisions
  • Project List Organization

July 22, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  Because of the current guidance to not hold in-person meetings, this meeting will be WebEx only. WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • Adaptive Management Discussion Guide for July 2020

June 24, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  Because of the current guidance to not hold in-person meetings, this meeting will be WebEx only. WebEx link is available in the agenda.

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• Meeting Materials:
  • Plan Proposals for Discussion at 6/24/20 Meeting

May 27, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.,  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 Summary
• WebEx Getting Started Instructions
• Meeting Materials:
  • Adaptive Management Follow-Up Discussion Guide
  • Climate Resilience Follow-Up Discussion Guide

April 29, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., This meeting was rescheduled from its original date of 4/22/20. 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
• WebEx Getting Started Instructions
• Meeting Summary
• Meeting Materials:
• Draft Policy Recommendations
• Adaptive Management Follow-Up Discussion Guide
• Climate Resilience Follow-Up Discussion Guide

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

• Agenda
• Meeting Summary
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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. These 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
• Case law
• Final Net Ecological Benefit Guidance
• Streamflow Restoration Policy and Interpretative Statement
• NEB Outline Draft

Contact:

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