CHAPTER 7 - A Citizen's Manual for Developing Integrated Aquatic Vegetation Management Plans

IDENTIFY BENEFICIAL USE AREAS (STEP E)

In terms of human enjoyment, freshwater systems are popular outdoor recreational places for swimming, boating, and fishing. They also offer a variety of economic benefits such as tourism, food supply, and transportation. Their capacity to provide aesthetic enjoyment can be immeasurable. Freshwater bodies perform vital functions such as flood protection, providing drinking water, and generating electricity. More importantly, freshwater systems provide habitat and food for all kinds of aquatic life, including fish, waterfowl and other animals.

Beneficial uses are protected: Beneficial uses of water bodies are protected by Washington State statute. Under the State Surface Water Quality Standards (Chapter 173-201 WAC), protected beneficial uses include fish and shellfish rearing; spawning and harvesting; swimming; boating; navigation; irrigation; wildlife habitat; and domestic, industrial, and agricultural water supply.

Balancing multiple uses: Desired uses of a water body must be compatible with it's capacity to sustain those uses, both human and natural. Unfortunately, a single water body often supports many different desirable uses, which sometimes conflict with each other. The management challenge involves identifying and agreeing on uses that complement each other, and realistically managing for these uses. 

How To Determine Beneficial Use Areas Of Your Water Body

This step focuses on identifying zones for each beneficial use on a map of the lake. Often, the process of defining these areas reveals the potential for conflict. Step E consists of two tasks:

1. Identify present water body use areas.
2. Produce a water body usage map.

1. Identify present water body use areas: The first task is to identify the areas of your water body presently employed for beneficial uses. You can begin this identification with the list of uses compiled by the steering committee in Chapter 3. For each use from that list, identify the areas where it is most common in the water body. Additional information about use areas might be available in the zoning, wetland, or resource inventory maps you created in Chapter 5. Common use areas include:

• Conservancy areas, including habitats that are integral to the lake ecosystem, such as nesting sites, fish rearing or spawning areas, or locations of rare plant communities.
• Boating and boat access areas (launches, ramps)
• Water skiing zones
• Beaches and swimming areas (public, private)
• Fishing areas
• Areas for special aquatic events (e.g., sailing, rowing, mini hydroplane races)
• Parks, picnic areas, nature trails, scenic overlooks
• Irrigation/water supply intakes
• Other shoreline uses (e.g., residential, commercial).

2. Develop a water body usage map: The next task is to draw the current water body use areas on a map of the lake. This water body usage map shows primary human uses, as well as habitat areas for fish, waterfowl, and other wildlife utilizing the water body. As you develop this map, look for potential conflicts in use, such as a water-skiing zone coinciding with a swimming area. 

Example Of Water Body Usage Map: The following is a water body usage map drawn for Lake Tranquil.

Next Chapter  |  Plants Home  |  Table of Contents