WRIA 43 Phase 3 Plan Development

WRIA 43Phase 3 Plan Development Building a Watershed Plan with the Interests and Values of the WRIA 43 Planning Unit June 20th, 2006 Meeting

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 Rosman Dave Lundgren (LCCD) Keith Holiday (Ecol.)

OLD BUSINESS • Spokane County • Spokane County has opted out • Spokane County Commissioners have approved resolution and submitted letter to PU • Therefore cannot obligate Spokane County in Plan • Other Counties (Lincoln, Adams, Grant) • Met with the Commissioners & Planning Directors. Do not want any financial obligations. • Meeting with Planning Directors on 6/29/06 to review and discuss draft Plan

OLD BUSINESS • Steering Committee • Has draft Plan for preliminary review • Has provided input on Plan options • Sections of the Plan • Phase 3 Obligations & Recommendations • Phase 4 Implementation structure • SEPA recommendation • Early Action Items • Instream Flow Status • BOR Water Right • Voting Status (see handout)

OLD BUSINESS • WEB SITE!!!!!!! • http://mapdata.info/wria43/index.htm • All documents and information are on the web site. • Task Memorandums • Agendas & Minutes • Steering Committee Minutes • All Phase 2 and Phase 3 Documents • The draft Plan will be posted on July 18th, 2006

Old Business • Approval of Task 3 Memo • Memo that outlined the Issues and Goals for the WRIA 43 Watershed Plan • Grant requirement to outline the Issues and Goals evaluated by the PU • Submitted to PU at May 16th, 2006 meeting • Made edits as suggested at May 16th meeting • Need vote of approval

OLD BUSINESS • SEPA Determination • Discussed options at May 16th, 2006 Meeting • Motion was tabled for acceptance of Option 1 • 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

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

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

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

SEPA Options • Lincoln County lead SEPA agency • Need approval from PU as to what recommendation to give to Lincoln County for Plan adoption • Steering Committee recommends Option #1

TASK 4 MEMO • Memo to address all the obligations and recommendations put in the Plan • Memo was reviewed by Steering Committee • Memo presented to the County Legislative Authorities • BOCCs reviewing tables in memo • Do not want any financial obligations placed in Plan that may commit resources from the counties

TASK 4 MEMO (cont.) • Approval of Task 4 Memo • Memo that outlined the Issues and Goals for the WRIA 43 Watershed Plan • Obligations and Recommendations were reviewed by Steering Committee and were reduced from 260 to 235 • Mostly Recommendations for further studies • Many guiding principle statements • County Planning Directors reviewed • Obligations & Recommendations can still be removed prior to Draft Plan • Need vote of approval

TASK 5 MEMO • Memo to address the Phase 4 Implementation Framework • Memo is being reviewed by Steering Committee • Memo presents • Potential management structure for Phase 4 Implementation of the WRIA 43 Plan

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Steering Committee recommended several framework structures be placed in Plan • Lincoln County in coordination with PU will select final framework structure • Final Phase 4 Framework decided after PU approval of Plan and before Phase 4 Implementation

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Recommended Phase 4 Framework • Lincoln County as sole lead agency • Structured similar to Phase 3 structure • Lincoln County as Lead Agency • Works in cooperation with a volunteer Watershed Implementation Team (WIT) similar to the Planning Unit structure • Lincoln County grant financial manager that can contract required needs to contractors

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Watershed Management Partnership • Coalition of local governments • Counties, local towns, LCCD • Interlocal agreements as set forth in RCW 39.34.200 • Board of Nine Members • 8 appointed by the County Legislative Authority • 3 County representatives • LCCD • Local towns • Residents, Landowners, other interests can partcipate as a WIT • Ecology Rep to hold 9th position

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) 2. Watershed Management Partnership (cont.) • Elect a Chairperson • Assume delegated authority as defined in the Implementation Plan and in accordance with applicable regulations (90.82, 90.54, 90.03) • Accountable to the County Legislative Authorities (Lincoln, Grant and Adams) • Work cooperatively with state and local agencies on mutual water resource concerns and implement the recommendations in the WRIA 43 Plan • Work with a volunteer WIT, similar to the Phase 3 Watershed Planning Unit

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) 3. 501(c)(3) • Coalition of local residents, landowners, and agency representatives (e.g. LCCD) • Non-profit Organization • Can apply for and receive grant funding • Can act independently of the County Legislative Authorities, or • Enter into MOA with County Legislative Authority to Administer Plans • Takes 4 to 6 months to setup • Benefits • Qualify and receive private and public grants that may not be available to the government agencies • Free radio and PSA announcements for public outreach • Ability to receive charitable and tax deductible donations

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Entities who can complete Phase 4 Recommendations • Plan recommendations to implement proactive strategies that are socially acceptable and economically feasible to the residents and landowners in WRIA 43 • These recommendations are developed under the strategy to solve the primary issues and goals identified by the Planning Unit.

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Entities who can complete Phase 4 Recommendations (cont.) • The recommended actions are non-binding to various state and local entities, inclusive of the future watershed body assigned to oversee and implement the WRIA 43 Watershed Plan. • Most recommendations are developed for the local entities to complete the assessments, projects and/or policy development, such as the departments within the County structure or the LCCD, if resources and funding are available.

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Entities who can complete Phase 4 Recommendations (cont.) • Although local entities are preferred to complete the recommendations presented in the Plan, the Plan is developed to allow other entities, outside of Lincoln County, to complete recommendations should they have available funding and resources. • However, due to the unique conditions within WRIA 43, if outside entities undertake Plan recommendations, the Plan states that input from the local watershed group must be given for assessments, projects, and policy development that are conducted within, or affect the watershed.

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Early Action Items • Phase 3 Ecology grant set aside up to $100,000 to complete early action items • Funds are available to complete some implementation items (preferably on the ground) after adoption of the WRIA 43 Plan by the County Legislative Authorities • Early action items developed by the Steering Committee are mostly “general” in nature • Of the 10 early action items developed. PU will approve of which projects, etc. to conduct

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Recommended Early Action Items • Fund watershed coordinator/grant administrator to coordinate planning effort into Phase 4 • Develop a program for cooperative management with BOR, starting with the initiation of meetings with the BOR representatives to discuss water storage alternatives in Crab Creek, and cooperative meetings with Ecology and BOR to determine integration of ESSHB 2860 options for the WRIA 43 Implementation program. • Initiate public outreach/education/demonstration sites for riparian habitat and the goals and the objectives of the Watershed Plan.

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Recommended Early Action Items (cont.) • Conduct focused Hydrogeology/ hydrostratigraphy projects within the watershed. • Initiate stream gauging in the watershed. • Conduct stream gauging on Crab Creek and evaluate the quantity of groundwater at the outfall of WRIA 43 to determine the quantity of natural recharge from the watershed downstream to Potholes Reservoir.

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Recommended Early Action Items (cont.) • Conduct water quality monitoring and mitigation projects in Crab Creek and its tributaries. • Assess and construct small scale (<10 acre-feet) water storage projects. • Conduct well abandonment activities to mitigate water quantity and quality issues in the watershed. • Conduct habitat/riparian restoration projects.

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Still have 2007-2009 Biennium Requests • Conduct an initial hydrostratigraphy study (not included in final request to Olympia). • 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, and develop Plan).

TASK 5 MEMO (cont.) • Revision to Plan • WIT and County Legislative Authorities update Plan 24-months after Plan adoption by BOCCs to address deficiencies and results of early action items. • Lincoln County Legislative Authority will be allowed unscheduled revisions due to events that may affect the availability of water resources or the effects of new State legislation. • Completed in cooperation with the WIT • Revised a minimum of every 5 years thereafter.

That summarizes what was placed into the Task 5 Memo • Memo is a summary of Chapter 5 in the WRIA 43 Watershed Plan • Ecology grant requirement to develop Memo • Need PU vote of approval on Task 5 Memo

Schedule for Draft Plan Review and Approval • Steering Committee and County Planning Directors are reviewing Plan • June 29th meeting with Planning Directors of Lincoln, Grant and Adams Counties. • Comments from Steering Committee and Planning Directors due July 7th. • Draft Plan released to residents and landowners on July 13th and 18th at public meetings.

Public Meetings for presentation of Plan and comments 60 DAY PUBLIC REVIEW and COMMENT PERIOD July 18th through September 19th, 2006.

Public Meetings for presentation of Plan • Watershed Plan Available • July 13th, 2006 meeting in Wilbur • July 18th, 2006 meeting in Davenport • Regularly scheduled PU meeting • July 18th, 2006 – Posted on WRIA 43 Phase 3 Watershed Plan web site. http://mapdata.info/wria43/index.htm • All voting members will be contacted and given a copy of the Draft Plan

Public Meetings for presentation of Plan and comments • Watershed Plan Comment Response • August 15th, 2006 - Meeting in Davenport • Regularly scheduled PU meeting • August 17th, 2006 – Meeting in Odessa • August 2006 – Watershed Plan presentations given to the three BOCCs (Lincoln, Grant and Adams Counties) • September 19th, 2006 - Meeting in Davenport • Regularly scheduled PU meeting END OF PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD September 19th, 2006

FINALIZE WRIA 43 WATERSHED PLAN • Response to Comments presented at October 17th, 2006 PU Meeting in Davenport • Regularly scheduled PU meeting • PU approves response to comments or modifies at October 17th, 2006 meeting • Response to comments incorporated into Watershed Plan • Final Plan presented to PU at November 21st, 2006 PU meeting • VOTE TAKEN TO APPROVE PLAN • Sent to County Legislative Authorities for Adoption

Steering Committee is available to answer your questions on the Plan Scott Barr Carol Paul Dennis Bly Dean White Eddie Johnson Don Rolfe JoAnne Krupke Dan Rossman Dave Lundgren (LCCD) Keith Holiday (Ecol.)

OPEN DISCUSSION • Questions? • Concerns? • Do we need more meetings? • Need comments now to enter into draft Plan

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@comcast.net www.wnrgroup.com

NEXT MEETINGTHE DRAFT PLAN WILL BE AVAILABLE!!!! July 13th WILBUR COMMUNITY CENTER July 18th DAVENPORT PUBLIC WORKS BUILDING

OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD QUESTIONS????

WRIA 43 Phase 3 Plan Development