Kitsap Watershed Planning (WRIA 15)

Lead agency contact:

Keith Folkerts
Kitsap County
(360) 337-7098
kfolkerts@co.kitsap.wa.us

Ecology contact:

Jeff Bash
Department of Ecology
(425) 649-7035
jbas461@ecy.wa.gov

Implementation phase:

Planning phase: Phase 3

Optional elements: Quality, Habitat, Flows

Plan completed: Plan Completed and Vetoed June 2005

Grants awarded: About $794,000 through June 2005

Initiating governments: Kitsap County, King County, Pierce County, Mason County, City of Bremerton, Silverdale Water District, Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe, Suquamish Tribe

Progress

The Kitsap Peninsula and Islands Watershed Planning Unit developed a final watershed plan in June 2005 that was voted on by the watershed planning unit. The final plan was vetoed by an Initiating Government, despite months of effort by the watershed planning unit to develop a consensus plan. The watershed planning statute requires that all initiating governments approve the final watershed plan by consensus in order to be considered an approved watershed plan. After the watershed plan was vetoed, the planning unit chose to dissemble the watershed planning unit.

Although the final watershed plan was vetoed, the planning process produced several good reports and studies that greatly increased the scientific knowledge of water resources in WRIA 15. Additionally, many of the plan recommendations are also being implemented by various parties independent of the watershed planning process. For instance, actions related to water reuse, stormwater management, and water supply planning are being implemented by various governments in WRIA 15.

A separate watershed management plan was developed for Vashon Island by King County and the Vashon-Maury Island Groundwater Protection Committee, since the island is a hydrologically, geographically and politically separate area from the rest of WRIA 15. The Vashon-Maury Island Watershed plan is currently being implemented by the Vashon-Maury Island Groundwater Protection Committee and King County.

Studies or data relevant to planning for this area

Washington State Department of Ecology home page

Please send additions or corrections to Chris Anderson, (360) 407-6634.