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Under the state's Growth Management Act, local governments are required to use the best available science when reviewing and revising their policies and regulations on wetlands. However, there was no comprehensive synthesis or interpretation of the science for wetlands, and most local governments lack the resources to tackle such an undertaking.
The state departments of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife, with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, initiated a project to develop a comprehensive synthesis of the science for wetlands. They hired Sheldon and Associates, Inc. and called on staff from the two agencies to produce a two-volume document on the science currently available on wetlands, their functions and management.
Volume 1 is the synthesis of the science regarding freshwater wetlands. Volume 2 translates the science synthesized in Volume 1 into guidance for local governments protecting and managing wetlands. Although the primary audience is local governments, both volumes are also valuable to any who have an interest in the protection and management of wetlands.
The draft of Freshwater Wetlands in Washington State Volume 1: A Synthesis of the Science was reviewed by peer experts and the public through October 22, 2003. Comments were compiled, authors responded to those comments, additional references were obtained, and revisions made.
Wetlands in Washington - Volume 1: A Synthesis of the Science (March 2005, Publication #05-06-006) and Responses to Comments (Publication #05-06-007) on the draft of Volume 1 can be downloaded here. You can also view a 10-page summary (64 kb., PDF) of significant comments reviewers submitted after reading all or portions of the draft of Freshwater Wetlands in Washington State - Volume 1: A Synthesis of the Science.
Wetlands in Washington - Volume 2: Guidance for Protecting and Managing Wetlands (April 2005, Publication #05-06-008) and Responses to Comments (Publication #05-06-009) for Volume 2 can be downloaded here.
Volume 2 translates the science into guidance for protecting and managing wetlands at the local level. To develop the guidance, the departments of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife worked with the Core Team that oversaw the project and whose members developed Volume 1. In addition, an advisory team of wetlands and planning staff from an assortment of local governments provided feedback on the guidance. Ecology also met with members of various organizations from the business and environmental communities. As with the synthesis of the science, Volume 2 underwent peer and public review so all those interested in the protection and management of wetlands had the opportunity to give feedback on the draft. Comments were accepted through September 20th, 2004.
Paper copies of Volume 1, Volume 2, and the responses to comments for both documents are currently available from the Shorelands & Environmental Assistance Program. CDs are also available (Publication #05-06-006-CD). The CDs contain all the documents related to Volumes 1 and 2, which includes the responses to comments. The CDs also includes PDF files of the revised Washington State wetland rating systems for Eastern and Western Washington.
Basic Steps and Tasks Completed for the Best Available Science Project
Update archive: June 2002, February 2003, June 2004, May 2005
Focus sheet: August 2004
Wetland Rating Systems for eastern and western Washington - The rating systems, methods for categorizing wetlands using specific criteria, were recently updated to reflect changes in our understanding of how wetlands function and how they are valued. The four rating system categories are intended to be used in developing standards for protecting and managing wetlands. Examples of protection standards include the width of buffers necessary to protect the wetland and the ratios needed to compensate for impacts to the wetland. We developed guidance for these protection standards as a part of Volume 2 of the Best Available Science project.
Guidance on Mitigation - Ecology has updated its guidance on mitigation to better reflect changes in our understanding of wetland science and management.
Ecology wetlands staff are available to work with local jurisdictions to develop effective wetland protection programs that include the best available science. To find contact information for Ecology wetlands staff covering your area, click here.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
