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Department of Ecology News Release - November 23, 2004 (corrected Nov. 29, 2004)
04-213
BELLEVUE - The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is sponsoring an open house on Thursday, Dec. 9, in Burlington so people can learn about a regulation that will be proposed early next year to allocate future water supplies and protect fish in the Samish River watershed.
The meeting will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Burlington Senior and Community Center, 1011 Greenleaf Avenue in Burlington. A presentation will begin at 7 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer period.
The public is invited to ask questions and provide comments about the concepts and issues that Ecology will address in a water management regulation (rule):
* Protecting fish, wildlife, water quality, recreation and aesthetics in the watershed while also providing water for future domestic uses.
* Setting minimum stream flows for the rivers and creeks in the Samish watershed.
* Protecting water levels for lakes and ponds in the watershed.
* Reserving underground water for future domestic use - which does not need a water right - by households and small businesses.
* Setting aside sufficient water for grazing livestock without needing a water right.
"The upcoming decisions on water allocation will greatly shape the future of the Samish basin," said Dan Swenson, a regional water-resources manager for Ecology. "As we prepare this proposal, we want to hear from everyone who wants to be heard."
Suggestions and other comments for the proposed Samish water management rule should be e-mailed to gtal461@ecy.wa.gov or mailed to Geoff Tallent, Department of Ecology, Northwest Regional Office, 3190 160th Ave. S.E., Bellevue, Wash., 98008-5452.
A locally led Samish watershed planning group made significant progress toward developing a water management plan, but chose not to recommend protective stream-flow levels for the basin. By law, if a planning group does not issue stream-flow recommendations to Ecology, then the department must take the lead in developing them instead.
Ecology has been using the planning group's work as well as consulting with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, local governments, the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe and the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community.
Ecology will present a formal proposed rule for the Samish watershed early next year, and will conduct public hearings before a rule is adopted.
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Contact: Larry Altose, public information, 425-649-7009, or pager, 206-663-1785
For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/instream-flows/isfhm.html
(Note: The November 23, 2004 version of this news release included an incorrect address for the Burlington Senior and Community Center.)
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
