Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Sept. 27, 1999

99-191 through 194

(Note: This news releases was distributed separately to four regions within Washington. Please direct any questions you may have to the contact person mentioned below.)

Contact: Melissa Gildersleeve, Watershed Coordinator Headquarters, (360) 407-6548
Ron Langley, Public Information (425) 649-7009 - Northwest Regional Office
Sandy Howard, Public Information, (360) 407-6239 - Southwest Regional Office
Joye Redfield-Wilder, Public Information, (509) 575-2610 - Central Regional Office
Jani Gilbert, Public Information, (509) 456-4464 - Eastern Regional Office

Communities use state grants to protect local water supplies

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Ecology is offering $4.5 million in grants to 26 communities that are working to protect water in their local environments.

Seventeen of the grants will be offered to communities that have forged planning groups organized around natural systems of creeks and rivers called watersheds. The Ecology Department (Ecology) provided $3.9 million to watershed planning groups last year.

Nearly all are now ready for additional state money to help them determine how much water they have in local streams and, in some cases, research pollution problems. When the watershed assessments are finished, each will be eligible for a third grant to develop an action plan that ensures ample, clean water for their communities and the environment.

Nine new groups will join the effort this year, with each offered a grant of up to $75,000, depending on the number of watersheds they will study.

"We know that cooperation is the first step toward providing clean water for both people and fish," said Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons. "The communities participating in watershed planning have a true commitment to providing water to nourish the environment and sustain their long-term economic needs."

In addition to the $4.5 million in grants offered now, Ecology will provide another $4.5 million next year, starting in July. The grants are funded by the state legislature under a 1998 law that establishes a framework for state, local and tribal governments to collaboratively plan for water needs, reduce water pollution and protect fish habitat in local watersheds.

Each of Washington's 62 "water-resource inventory areas" is eligible for watershed planning grants. There are three phases of grants: Up to $75,000 for organizing a watershed planning group; up to $200,000 per watershed for conducting watershed assessments; and $250,000 per watershed for developing a watershed management plan.

"Good management of our water starts with the people who live in each of Washington's watersheds," said Fitzsimmons. "Watershed planning is a smart approach for solving water problems because it gives communities a way to build cooperation and provides state money to make it work."

Fiscal Year 2000 Watershed Grants

Water-Resource Inventory Area	Lead Agency	Status	Funding FY 2000
San Juan	San Juan Co	Phase 2	$200,000
Upper/Lower Skagit	Skagit Council of Governments	Phase 2*	$21,044
Island	Island Co	Expect to move to Phase 2 this fiscal year	$200,000
Snohomish	City of Everett/Tulalip Tribe	Phase 1	$50,000
Chambers/Clover	Tacoma-Pierce Co. Health Department	Expect to move to Phase 2 this fiscal year *	$202,294
Deschutes	Thurston Co	Phase 2*	$202,294
Kennedy/ Goldsborough	Mason Co	Phase 1	$50,000
Kitsap	Kitsap Co	Phase 1	$50,000
Skokomish/ Dosewallips	Mason Co	Phase 1*	$2,294
Quilcene/Snow	Jefferson Co	Expect to move to Phase 3 this fiscal year*	$7,397
Elwha/Dungeness	Clallam Co	Expect to move to Phase 3 this fiscal year*	$257,397
Lyre/Hoko/Soleduc/ Hoh	Clallam Co	Phase 1	$75,000
Lower/Upper Chehalis	Lewis Co	Expect to move to Phase 3 this fiscal year*	$521,044
Grays/Elokoman/ Cowlitz	Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board	Expect to move to Phase 2 this fiscal year	$400,000
Lewis/Salmon/ Washougal	Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board	Expect to move to Phase 2 this fiscal year	$400,000
Wind/White	Skamania Co	Phase 1	$50,000
Klickitat	Klickitat Co	Phase 1 & expect to move to Phase 2 this fiscal year	$250,000
Yakima/Naches	Yakima Tri-County	Expect to move to Phase 3 this fiscal year	$311,794
Moses Coulee/Foster Creek	Foster Creek Conservation Dist.	Expect to move to Phase 2 this fiscal year	$400,000
Wenatchee	Chelan Co	Phase 1 & expect to move to Phase 2 this fiscal year	$250,000
Entiat	Chelan Co Conservation Dist.	Phase 2*	$59,691
Methow	Okanogan Co	Phase 2/Phase 3	$180,000
Little/Middle Spokane	Spokane Co	Phase 2*	$14,796
Hangman	Spokane Co Conservation Dist.	Phase 1	$50,000
Colville	Stevens Co Conservation Dist.	Phase 1	$50,000
Pend Oreille	Pend Oreille Conservation Dist.	Phase 2	$200,000

* Received partial funding in FY 1998 for this phase and earlier phases