Watershed Planning > Watershed Planning Updates by WRIA > Nisqually

Nisqually Watershed Planning - WRIA 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grants awarded through June 2008

$800,500

Projected grants July 2008 - June 2009 

$100,000

Background

Pierce, Thurston, and Lewis counties adopted the Nisqually Watershed Plan in April 2004. The Nisqually Tribe was the lead agency and this was the first watershed plan adopted in the state. The Planning group began Phase 4 Implementation in November 2005. Key recommendations of the plan include sub-basin processing of water right applications, ongoing instream flow work in the Mashel basin and additional efforts in water conservation, reuse, and reclamation. A final Detailed Implementation Plan was completed in April 2007.

Instream flow status

Instream flows were set in 1981 (Chapter 173-511 WAC).

The planning group recommended maintaining existing closures, unless new technical information suggests otherwise. They also recommended retaining instream flow levels in the Nisqually River, but doing more work on the Mashel River to improve stream flows and to address water supply needs for the town of Eatonville.

In 2005, Ecology completed instream flow incremental methodology (IFIM) studies for Mashel River, which included:

• Hydrographs/exceedance curves.
• Estimates of allocated water and actual water use.
• Summary of habitat conditions.
• Assessment of hydraulic continuity.

Planning Document

• Final Implementation Plan for the Nisqually Watershed(4820 kilobytes)

Outside links, publications, studies, data

• WRIA 11

Please send additions or corrections to Chris Anderson, (360) 407-6634.