Ecology extends comment period for two proposed water rules in southwest Washington

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - June 18, 2010

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OLYMPIA – The public can continue sending comments until Aug. 31, 2010, on two proposed water management rules for the Grays-Elochoman (WRIA 25) and Cowlitz (WRIA 26) watersheds, the Washington Department of Ecology announced today.

The comment period was to end June 4, 2010. Ecology added the extra time to field more questions and comments about the draft rules.

Ecology held hearings in Morton and Longview to gather public input in late May 2010. At those meetings and in comments submitted to the agency so far, Ecology heard:

Concerns that wells will be metered and people charged for water use. (Ecology response: metering is not required in either rule draft.)
Feedback that the water reservation size for future permit-exempt wells is too small.
General comments about how reservations for future water use will be divided among users.
Other questions and comments about the purpose of the instream flow rules and how the watershed plan was developed.

Ecology will respond to all comments in a publication titled “Concise Explanatory Statement” before a final decision is made on either rule.

Ecology developed rule proposals for WRIAs 25 and 26 primarily to:

Provide certainty that water is available to meet future needs.
Protect those who already have water rights and stream flow critical to salmon and other in-stream uses.

The draft rules are based on recommendations developed by the locally led watershed planning unit. The local cities and counties provided the planning unit with the information and data that was used to develop the recommendations. Cowlitz, Lewis, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties approved the joint plan covering both watersheds in July 2006.

The local watershed planning unit is meeting July 15 and Aug. 12 to consider updating some of its original recommendations. Once Ecology receives new recommendations, the agency can make decisions about potential changes to the proposed rules. The public is welcome at both meetings, which begin at 2 p.m. at the Cowlitz Administration Building.

If the proposed rules are significantly revised, Ecology will announce a new comment period. All comments received – whether during this current comment period or a future comment period – will be evaluated and answered before rules are adopted.

As promised, Ecology will return to Morton and Longview for community meetings to further discuss the rules. These dates will be set later this summer as new information is available.

Ecology issues news releases to the daily and weekly newspapers in all four counties and posts updates on its WRIA 25 and WRIA 26 website to keep the public informed. To receive e-mail updates about this rule process directly from Ecology, join the Water Resources listserv. Click on “Join or Leave WATER-RESOURCES” to sign up.

Comments on the draft rules should be mailed to Ecology’s Travis Burns: Water Resources/Dept. of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA, 98504-7600. E-mail comments are also welcome: tbur461@ecy.wa.gov.

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Media Contact: Kim Schmanke, 360-407-6239 (desk)

WRIA 25/26 rule page: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/instream-flows/ge_cowlitz.html