Jefferson County to study county water plans
Panel seeks more data for longterm controls
by Jeff Chew
Peninsula Daily News
PORT TOWNSEND — Citing strong public concerns about state Ecology's proposed in-stream flow rule, Jefferson County commissioners set out Monday to clarify and specify the county's watershed planning policy.
"I think we need to articulate just what the county's policy really is," said Commissioner David Sullivan, the board's liaison to the county's Water Resourcess Inventory Area 17 watershed planning unit.
Sullivan said county watershed planning needs to be clear with the public and county staffers.
Calling himself the "lead editor" on the WRIA 17 policy statement, Sullivan urged his fellow commissioners and about 20 attending the meeting to air their suggestions and issues.
"We should try to err on the side of openness," said Sullivan, D-Cape George.
More information needed
Sullivan and Commissioner Phil Johnson, D-Port Townsend, agreed with Commissioner Pat Rodgers, R-Brinnon, that more information was needed before the state Department of Ecology sets any in-stream flow rule, which is separate from the WRIA 17 plans.
"We lack good data and information to make good decisions," Rodgers said.
Rodgers asked for another week to more closely study the draft policy and he congratulated Sullivan for the work he had invested in it.
Sullivan said he was fine with adding at least another week to refine the draft policy.
The watershed plan is a compilation and integration of comments from county staff from several departments and staff with Washington State University's Extension Service in Port Hadlock.
The watershed plan the commissioners adopting in January include 43 recommendations to improve water resource management and protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat in WRIA 17, which includes all of Jefferson County and the most easterly part of Clallam County.
The WRIA planning unit agreed two years ago on the recommendations to Ecology, leaving the draft plan on the shelf, awaiting further study on in-stream flows and how to protect them.
The separate in-stream flow rule for the WashingtonAdinistrativee Code would establish a water right in the line of seniority under state water law. The rule would be established to protect a minimally accepted level of water for fish habitat.
'Big-picture issue'
"Watershed management is a big-picture issue," the county draft policy states.
"It did not reach crisis level in a day and it will not go away in a day."
"Meeting this challenge requires a multi-pronged effort, including potential amendments to state statutes, modernization of technologies, and coordination between public and private-sector activities."
After the commissioners opened the floor to more than 30 people attending the meeting Monday, Ripley Creek Road resident Greg Fay said he was concerned if proposed Ecology rules would hurt future generations in their water use on larger pieces of land.
"I'm just urging you to take a leading role," said Fay, asking for a public meeting on the proposed policy.
Robert Greenway, who owns Corona Farms in Port Townsend, said there is concern among small farmers like him countywide, who fear they will lose their water rights.
"We all want salmon and clean water, and we want our local agriculture to thrive." said Greenway.
Jim Tracy, attorney for Fred Hill Materials, complimented the commissioner for taking a leadership role.
Tracy urged the commissioners to consider looking into "conflict of law" and "whether DOE is exceeding its authority."
Sullivan said the policy was merely the commissioners taking a "negotiating posture, where we come from, not what DOE does."
Port Townsend resident James Fritz said if the county is to save salmon, "We better work together."
Chimacum resident Donna English raised concerns about forced metering of water wells that she thought Ecology officials were considering.
Sullivan, however, said, "We can't make you put a meter on your well."
Richard Hill, raising concern that Ecology's intention was to force metering as a prerequisite for keeping water rights, urged the commissioners to seriously examine the issue.
No minutes at meetings
Others raised concerns that WRIA 17 planning unit meetings were taking place with no minutes taken for lack of funding.
Dana Roberts, Jefferson County Public Utility commissioner from Port Townsend, said he welcomed the expression of "broader public interests" on the watershed plan.
Roberts said he was sorry that not enough comments on the plan were heard from the agricultural community.
Public Utility District Commissioner Kelly Has from Marrowstone Island urged commissioners to give the public a 30-day comment period on the county's draft watershed plan policy statement.
Following two public meetings in September over the much maligned proposal to manage water use in east Jefferson County, an Ecology official said the state agency "did a lousy job" of communicating with the public.
Phil Wiatrak, an environmental planner with Ecology, in September addressed an audience of about 40 packed into the Jefferson County Library conference room attending a WRIA 17 planning unit meeting.
That lack of communication about the proposed WRIA 17 water management rule could delay the rule another six months, said Wiatrak, who works with the planning unit of East Jefferson County representatives.
Ecology officials took harsh pummelings from county well drillers, fruit farmers and many others attending the information forums that each drew crowds of more than 100.
As a result of public comments, questions and criticisms, Wiatrak urged the WRIA 17 planning unit to make changes in the panel's makeup, including representatives of small agriculture and real estate businesses.
Ecology policymakers, who wanted more study on how best to protect stream flows, came up with the proposed rule allowing access to 3.87 million gallons of water a day areawide.
That sets an average single household usage benchmark of 350 gallons daily, based on an assumption that the average person uses 70 gallons daily, officials said.
Today, residents can use up to 5,000 gallons a day per home.
The rule in question also calls for the closure of the Big Quilcene River from March 1 to Nov. 15 and Chimacum Creek from March 1 to Nov. 30 to new water appropriations. It closes other water bodies in the area year-round to future water rights.
Existing water rights would not be affected under the proposal, but new applications would.
Islands such as Marrowstone would be closed to new water appropriations to new groundwater withdrawals under the new rules unless otherwise approved.
by Jeff Chew
Peninsula Daily News
PORT TOWNSEND — Citing strong public concerns about state Ecology's proposed in-stream flow rule, Jefferson County commissioners set out Monday to clarify and specify the county's watershed planning policy.
"I think we need to articulate just what the county's policy really is," said Commissioner David Sullivan, the board's liaison to the county's Water Resourcess Inventory Area 17 watershed planning unit.
Sullivan said county watershed planning needs to be clear with the public and county staffers.
Calling himself the "lead editor" on the WRIA 17 policy statement, Sullivan urged his fellow commissioners and about 20 attending the meeting to air their suggestions and issues.
"We should try to err on the side of openness," said Sullivan, D-Cape George.
More information needed
Sullivan and Commissioner Phil Johnson, D-Port Townsend, agreed with Commissioner Pat Rodgers, R-Brinnon, that more information was needed before the state Department of Ecology sets any in-stream flow rule, which is separate from the WRIA 17 plans.
"We lack good data and information to make good decisions," Rodgers said.
Rodgers asked for another week to more closely study the draft policy and he congratulated Sullivan for the work he had invested in it.
Sullivan said he was fine with adding at least another week to refine the draft policy.
The watershed plan is a compilation and integration of comments from county staff from several departments and staff with Washington State University's Extension Service in Port Hadlock.
The watershed plan the commissioners adopting in January include 43 recommendations to improve water resource management and protect and restore fish and wildlife habitat in WRIA 17, which includes all of Jefferson County and the most easterly part of Clallam County.
The WRIA planning unit agreed two years ago on the recommendations to Ecology, leaving the draft plan on the shelf, awaiting further study on in-stream flows and how to protect them.
The separate in-stream flow rule for the WashingtonAdinistrativee Code would establish a water right in the line of seniority under state water law. The rule would be established to protect a minimally accepted level of water for fish habitat.
'Big-picture issue'
"Watershed management is a big-picture issue," the county draft policy states.
"It did not reach crisis level in a day and it will not go away in a day."
"Meeting this challenge requires a multi-pronged effort, including potential amendments to state statutes, modernization of technologies, and coordination between public and private-sector activities."
After the commissioners opened the floor to more than 30 people attending the meeting Monday, Ripley Creek Road resident Greg Fay said he was concerned if proposed Ecology rules would hurt future generations in their water use on larger pieces of land.
"I'm just urging you to take a leading role," said Fay, asking for a public meeting on the proposed policy.
Robert Greenway, who owns Corona Farms in Port Townsend, said there is concern among small farmers like him countywide, who fear they will lose their water rights.
"We all want salmon and clean water, and we want our local agriculture to thrive." said Greenway.
Jim Tracy, attorney for Fred Hill Materials, complimented the commissioner for taking a leadership role.
Tracy urged the commissioners to consider looking into "conflict of law" and "whether DOE is exceeding its authority."
Sullivan said the policy was merely the commissioners taking a "negotiating posture, where we come from, not what DOE does."
Port Townsend resident James Fritz said if the county is to save salmon, "We better work together."
Chimacum resident Donna English raised concerns about forced metering of water wells that she thought Ecology officials were considering.
Sullivan, however, said, "We can't make you put a meter on your well."
Richard Hill, raising concern that Ecology's intention was to force metering as a prerequisite for keeping water rights, urged the commissioners to seriously examine the issue.
No minutes at meetings
Others raised concerns that WRIA 17 planning unit meetings were taking place with no minutes taken for lack of funding.
Dana Roberts, Jefferson County Public Utility commissioner from Port Townsend, said he welcomed the expression of "broader public interests" on the watershed plan.
Roberts said he was sorry that not enough comments on the plan were heard from the agricultural community.
Public Utility District Commissioner Kelly Has from Marrowstone Island urged commissioners to give the public a 30-day comment period on the county's draft watershed plan policy statement.
Following two public meetings in September over the much maligned proposal to manage water use in east Jefferson County, an Ecology official said the state agency "did a lousy job" of communicating with the public.
Phil Wiatrak, an environmental planner with Ecology, in September addressed an audience of about 40 packed into the Jefferson County Library conference room attending a WRIA 17 planning unit meeting.
That lack of communication about the proposed WRIA 17 water management rule could delay the rule another six months, said Wiatrak, who works with the planning unit of East Jefferson County representatives.
Ecology officials took harsh pummelings from county well drillers, fruit farmers and many others attending the information forums that each drew crowds of more than 100.
As a result of public comments, questions and criticisms, Wiatrak urged the WRIA 17 planning unit to make changes in the panel's makeup, including representatives of small agriculture and real estate businesses.
Ecology policymakers, who wanted more study on how best to protect stream flows, came up with the proposed rule allowing access to 3.87 million gallons of water a day areawide.
That sets an average single household usage benchmark of 350 gallons daily, based on an assumption that the average person uses 70 gallons daily, officials said.
Today, residents can use up to 5,000 gallons a day per home.
The rule in question also calls for the closure of the Big Quilcene River from March 1 to Nov. 15 and Chimacum Creek from March 1 to Nov. 30 to new water appropriations. It closes other water bodies in the area year-round to future water rights.
Existing water rights would not be affected under the proposal, but new applications would.
Islands such as Marrowstone would be closed to new water appropriations to new groundwater withdrawals under the new rules unless otherwise approved.
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