WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 -118- 023-1289-003.3040
WRIA 62 WMP 032305
TABLE 7-4
SEPA Analysis for Water Rights Actions
WR-1: There is currently limited opportunity for the local community to provide
recommendations to the Department of Ecology in the processing of water rights transfers,
changes, applications and relinquishments.
Management Action SEPA Analysis
1. The Watershed Planning Implementing Body will:
a. Coordinate with WRIA 55 (the Little Spokane River
watershed); and,
b. Evaluate the future need for a regional Spokane / Pend
Oreille County Water Conservancy Board and/or Water Trust
/ Bank.
2. The Watershed Planning Unit recommends that the Legislature
allocate funds to provide financial incentives to those who wish to
relinquish unused allocated water.
3. The Watershed Planning Implementing Body will evaluate the need
to recommend to the Legislature a change in the “use-it or lose-it”
time frame (Chapter 90.14 RCW) for water rights from 5 years to 20
years. This would involve a statute change to Chapter 90.14 RCW.
The Watershed Planning Unit recommends that the Legislature allow
the unused portions of irrigation water rights to be banked. This
would be a conservation incentive. This would involve a statute
change in Chapter 90.14 RCW.
Coordination,
Study,
(WP 7, WP 8)
State SEPA.
Study
State SEPA.
WR-2: When future minimum instream flows are established, any new water rights that are
junior to the minimum instream flows may be restricted when minimum instream flows are not
met. There is a need to quantify water available for future allocation and/or reservation.
Management Action SEPA Analysis
1. The Watershed Planning Implementing Body to explore the
concept of a water reservation for future growth (including
domestic exempt well use, irrigation, industrial, commercial and
municipal water use) in the WRIA 62 sub-basins that are
expected to experience the highest population growth (Calispell,
Davis, Skookum, Kent and McCloud) and where other water
resources may not be available (i.e. outside water purveyor
service areas).
2. The Watershed Planning Unit recommends that the Legislature
provide for in-house domestic and normal stock water withdrawal
from domestic exempt wells (withdrawal less than 5,000 gallons
per day as defined in RCW 90.44.050) when water use is
restricted as a result of instream flow regulation.
Study, (Other
SEPA)
State SEPA