Publication Summary

The Dungeness watershed has many demands on its water, including a growing population and habitat needs for threatened salmon and other fish. Streams in the watershed have chronic low flows in late summer and early fall. Much of the water is already legally "spoken for."

After several years of working closely with the community, tribes, and local and state governments, the Department of Ecology has drafted the Dungeness water management rule. The proposed rule also includes many recommendations from the 2005 Elwha-Dungeness Watershed Plan. Ecology′s intent is to set up a framework to manage water to address the current and future needs of people, farms, and fish.