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Walla Walla Watershed Planning (WRIA 32)
Announcement:
New Rule Amendments Adopted for the Walla Walla River Basin
On August 2, 2007, amendments to Chapter 173-532 WAC (the Water Resources Program for the Walla Walla River Basin, WRIA 32) were adopted. The revised rule is effective on September 5, 2007.
The rule applies only to the Washington side of the basin, and does not affect people who already have water rights.
See link below for more informtion.
Lead agency contact:
Cathy Schaeffer
Walla Walla County
(509) 524-2648
cschaeffer@co.walla-walla.wa.us
Ecology contact:
Mimi Wainwright
Department of Ecology
(509) 329-3419
mwai@ecy.wa.gov
Implementation phase:
Planning phase: Phase 4
Plan adopted: June 2005 by Walla Walla and Columbia Counties
Optional elements: Quality, Habitat, Storage, Flows
Plan due: Adopted
Grants awarded: About $800,000 through June 2005
Initiating governments: Walla Walla County, Columbia County, City of Walla Walla, Gardena Farms Irrigation District No. 13.
Plan website: Walla Walla Watershed Planning
Progress
After nearly 5 years of planning, the WRIA 32 Planning Unit approved the Walla Walla Watershed Plan for WRIA 32 at the May 9, 2005 Planning Unit meeting. During a joint public hearing held on June 21, 2005, Walla Walla County and Columbia County Commissioners met and approved the plan Initiating governments, Walla Walla and Columbia Counties, the City of Walla Walla and the Gardena Farms Irrigation District #13, requested funds for watershed planning from the Department of Ecology in July 2000. The first $50,000 grant award was presented to Walla Walla County as the lead agency in October, 2000. In August 2001, the requirements of Phase I planning were complete: planning unit members were identified, operating procedures were adopted, and the planning unit recommended and initiating governments concurred that the Walla Walla watershed plan would address the four elements of watershed planning: water quantity, water quality, instream flow and habitat.The planning unit has representation from a wide range of local stakeholders and environmental groups. The Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, the Departments of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are invited participants without voting status. The planning unit is organized into 5 sub-committees: Instream flow and Quantity, Water Quality, Habitat, Public Outreach and a steering committee made up of the sub-committee chairs.
Phase II funding was requested from the Department of Ecology upon completion of Phase I, and a Phase II contract between Ecology and Walla Walla County was signed in November 2001. Economic and Engineering Services, Inc. was hired as the consultant for Phase II. The Phase I technical assessment is scheduled to be complete in late fall 2003. The sub-committees of the planning unit have directed the consultant and provided local perspectives on issues of importance and areas of concern. In order to more fully study water quality concerns, instream flows, and options for multi-purpose storage, applications for supplemental funding were submitted to and approved by Ecology.
During plan development, the planning unit identified 6 sub-basins within the Washington portion of the Walla Walla Watershed. These six sub-basins are the Touchet, Upper Touchet, Middle Touchet, Mill Creek, Walla Walla, and Lower Walla Walla. Recommendations for these implementation areas were prepared and meetings to discuss these with the public were held in summer and fall of 2003. Management and implementation recommendations for these sub basins including instream flows, have been incorporated into the watershed plan, which is available for review on the watershed planning web-site listed above.
In addition to Washington State sponsored Watershed Planning under 2514, the Walla Walla basin is engaged in the Governor's regional salmon recovery planning process. The Oregon portion of the Walla Walla basin is engaged in Northwest Power and Conservation Council subbasin planning and a bi-state Habitat Conservation Plan in cooperation with US Fish and Wildlife Service. Each of these processes relied on the Watershed Planning unit for input and approval of plan recommendations.
Studies or data relevant to planning for this area
Other resources
Washington State Department of Ecology home page
Please send additions or corrections to Chris Anderson, (360) 407-6634.