WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 Executive Summary - 3 023-1289-003.3040
• Surface water quality in WRIA 62 is generally good. The primary water quality concerns
are temperature (the most common water quality impairment) dissolved oxygen, pH,
fecal coliform bacteria, total dissolved gas, exotic aquatic species, sediment and several
pesticides (in the Pend Oreille River). In accordance with the Clean Water Act, Ecology
is required to develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). Currently, Ecology is
developing total dissolved gas (related to dam operations) and temperature TMDLs for
the mainstem of the Pend Oreille River and is in the process of assessing a number of
pesticide listings, also for the mainstem of the Pend Oreille River. Temperature and fecal
coliform concerns on Colville National Forest Land are also being addressed through
TMDLs.
• There are numerous habitat restoration activities taking place in the watershed. Many of
these efforts share a similar geographic area of interest, focal species, participatory
agencies /individuals and planning timelines.
PLAN ISSUES AND ACTIONS
Following on from the technical work, the Planning Unit identified water resource issues that
they felt needed to be addressed within this Plan. The Planning Unit worked by consensus of
the members to develop the issues, framed as problem statements. The Planning Unit then
identified and developed management actions to address these challenges. The issues are
ordered in this plan in categories with corresponding codes: water quantity (QUANT); water
quality (WQUAL); habitat (H); water rights (WR); growth and land use (GR&LU);
economic impacts and community involvement (EC); and, implementation (IMP). The
issues, actions and the entities responsible for implementation of the actions are the heart of
this plan and are listed in the following tables:
WRIA 62 WMP 032305
• Table 3-1: Water Quantity
• Table 3-2: Water Quality
• Table 3-3: Habitat
• Table 3-4: Water Rights
• Table 3-5: Growth and Land Use
• Table 3-6: Economic Impacts and Community Involvement
• Table 3-7: Implementation
PLAN OBLIGATIONS
In accordance with the Watershed Planning Act (Chapter 90.82 RCW), Washington State and
Pend Oreille County are obligated to implement plan actions. Other planning participants,
including tribes, cities, towns and water providers, are not legally obligated under the Act but
by approval of the Plan assume responsibility for implementing prescribed actions. Early in
this planning process, the Planning Unit acknowledged that there would be finite funding