‘Open house’ on water rights is Sept. 20
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
The Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) has rented the USO Building at Fort Worden State Park to host what could be a large group of people interested in new rules that could affect future water rights in Jefferson County.
Although not a formal public hearing, the open house scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, is an opportunity to learn about in-stream flow rules scheduled to be filed in draft form Oct. 5.
“We may actually do some changes based on what we hear next Tuesday,” said Curt Hart, a DOE public information manager. In fact, he said DOE anticipates that the release of the draft rule might be delayed to allow revisions subsequent to next week’s meeting.
A public hearing will be scheduled within 30 days of Oct. 5 and there will be a public comment period of at least 60 days, said Hart.
Rule impacts
Watershed Resource Inventory Area 17 (WRIA 17) is the 22nd of 62 WRIAs in the state where DOE has released draft rules, said Hart. WRIA 17 includes most of East Jefferson County and a small part of Clallam County.
The purpose of the rule is to protect fish species by limiting withdrawal of water from critical streams and rivers. As drafted, the rule does not affect existing water rights or Jefferson County Public Utility District 1’s plans to pipe water from the Chimacum basin to Marrowstone Island.
According to DOE staff, the aggregate volume of water rights already issued in many of the basins in Jefferson County exceeds the amount of groundwater available (many of those who hold water rights to not fully use them). Under the draft rule, it is possible to transfer surplus water from some basins to others where a deficit exists, but only with DOE approval.
Among the areas that would be closed to new water rights under the rule is Marrowstone Island, where seawater intrusion has affected some wells.
“People on Marrowstone Island have done a pretty good job of managing,” said Hart of those practicing water conservation there. As to the PUD’s plans for the island, Hart said, “That’s actually a good thing. It’s a smart move – we encourage that.”
Hart noted that no new surface water rights have been granted in the Chimacum basin since 1946, and no new ground water rights have been issued there since the 1990s. The PUD has an existing water right that it intends to use for Marrowstone Island.
“We’re not talking about closing things down,” said Hart. “We’re talking about wise management.” Where the draft rules allow new water rights, they are to be used for domestic purposes. Outdoor watering with future rights is to be limited to 1/12th of an acre for a single residence. For group domestic water wells with seven to 14 connections, the combined total watering area may not exceed a half acre.
Many residents who attended a DOE presentation at the Jefferson County Planning Commission on Aug. 31 said they feared the rules would be the death knell for agriculture here. Others, however, said that with creeks drying up and fish species endangered, there needs to be a better system of balancing competing water demands.
State legislators
WRIA plans are being adopted and implemented as a result of legislation passed in 1998.
Rep. Lynn Kessler (D-Hoquiam) said this week that she has been following the issue. “It will have a great impact on development” and agriculture, she said. “We really need to hear from the people – not hysterics, but specifics.”
Asked if the Legislature might consider amending the legislation, Kessler said, “They might; they have in the past.” She also noted that Gov. Christine Gregoire “has been keen on getting agriculture and others the water they need.”
Rep. Jim Buck (R-Port Angeles) and Sen. Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam) could not be reached for comment.
For more information on the proposed rule, contact Brian Walsh of DOE at 360-407-6647 or bwal461@ecy.wa.gov.
Although not a formal public hearing, the open house scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, is an opportunity to learn about in-stream flow rules scheduled to be filed in draft form Oct. 5.
“We may actually do some changes based on what we hear next Tuesday,” said Curt Hart, a DOE public information manager. In fact, he said DOE anticipates that the release of the draft rule might be delayed to allow revisions subsequent to next week’s meeting.
A public hearing will be scheduled within 30 days of Oct. 5 and there will be a public comment period of at least 60 days, said Hart.
Rule impacts
Watershed Resource Inventory Area 17 (WRIA 17) is the 22nd of 62 WRIAs in the state where DOE has released draft rules, said Hart. WRIA 17 includes most of East Jefferson County and a small part of Clallam County.
The purpose of the rule is to protect fish species by limiting withdrawal of water from critical streams and rivers. As drafted, the rule does not affect existing water rights or Jefferson County Public Utility District 1’s plans to pipe water from the Chimacum basin to Marrowstone Island.
According to DOE staff, the aggregate volume of water rights already issued in many of the basins in Jefferson County exceeds the amount of groundwater available (many of those who hold water rights to not fully use them). Under the draft rule, it is possible to transfer surplus water from some basins to others where a deficit exists, but only with DOE approval.
Among the areas that would be closed to new water rights under the rule is Marrowstone Island, where seawater intrusion has affected some wells.
“People on Marrowstone Island have done a pretty good job of managing,” said Hart of those practicing water conservation there. As to the PUD’s plans for the island, Hart said, “That’s actually a good thing. It’s a smart move – we encourage that.”
Hart noted that no new surface water rights have been granted in the Chimacum basin since 1946, and no new ground water rights have been issued there since the 1990s. The PUD has an existing water right that it intends to use for Marrowstone Island.
“We’re not talking about closing things down,” said Hart. “We’re talking about wise management.” Where the draft rules allow new water rights, they are to be used for domestic purposes. Outdoor watering with future rights is to be limited to 1/12th of an acre for a single residence. For group domestic water wells with seven to 14 connections, the combined total watering area may not exceed a half acre.
Many residents who attended a DOE presentation at the Jefferson County Planning Commission on Aug. 31 said they feared the rules would be the death knell for agriculture here. Others, however, said that with creeks drying up and fish species endangered, there needs to be a better system of balancing competing water demands.
State legislators
WRIA plans are being adopted and implemented as a result of legislation passed in 1998.
Rep. Lynn Kessler (D-Hoquiam) said this week that she has been following the issue. “It will have a great impact on development” and agriculture, she said. “We really need to hear from the people – not hysterics, but specifics.”
Asked if the Legislature might consider amending the legislation, Kessler said, “They might; they have in the past.” She also noted that Gov. Christine Gregoire “has been keen on getting agriculture and others the water they need.”
Rep. Jim Buck (R-Port Angeles) and Sen. Jim Hargrove (D-Hoquiam) could not be reached for comment.
A draft of the “in-stream flow rule” for the Quilcene-Snow Watershed Planning Unit (WRIA 17) that is scheduled for release on Oct. 5 may be viewed online at
http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/instream-flows/quilsnowbasin.html
For more information on the proposed rule, contact Brian Walsh of DOE at 360-407-6647 or bwal461@ecy.wa.gov.
(Contact Barney Burke at bburke@ptleader.com.)
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