WRIA 62 WMP 032305 - Washington State Department of Ecology

March, 2005 -44- 023-1289-003.3040
Ecology’s intent at this time to propose 7,700 cfs at the Newport gage as a regulatory minimum
instream flow. The following bullets provide an overview of the actions taken by Ecology when the
flow in the Pend Oreille River main stem falls below 7,700 cfs:
• Interruptible water rights holders will be ordered to cease water use until the flows rise
above 7,700 cfs as identified in the report of exam for the water right.
• Any new applications for surface water rights from the main stem of the Pend Oreille River
and groundwater rights in hydraulic continuity with the main stem of the Pend Oreille
River will be conditioned to 7,700 cfs at the Newport gage.
• A plan to mitigate if flows fall below 7,700 cfs at the Newport gage will be required by
Ecology for a water to be withdrawn when flows fall below 7,700 cfs at the Newport gage.
During review of this plan, Ecology clarified that they will not be obligated to provide technic al
assistance that involves actual field work, analysis or reporting. Ecology does agree to be obligated
to provide technical assistance with the review of documents (scopes of work, analyses, reports etc.)
as well as to collaborate with the Implementing Body during the negotiation of flow
recommendations. Ecology also clarified that it cannot take on the obligation to involve the WRIA
62 planning entity in instream flow studies that may occur after Phase IV Implementation. It will be
the responsibility of the Watershed Planning Implementing Body to make recommendations to
Ecology at the end of the Phase IV if this situation is anticipated.
During review of this plan, WDFW clarified that they agree to be obligated to provide technical
assistance to the Watershed Planning Implementing Body for Steps A, B and C as priorities, funding
and staff resources allow.
4.1.4 QUANT-3 Background and Rationale
Problem Statement: Flood Control.
The Watershed Planning Unit is concerned that the issue of flooding in Pend Oreille County is not
being sufficiently considered in local and regional forums related to flood control. Based on
information within the Phase II reports (Entrix, 2002; Golder, 2005), only about 1,300 cfs total runoff
to the Pend Oreille River on an average annual basis is derived from WRIA 62. The remainder of the
flow within the Pend Oreille River in WRIA 62 (about 26,690 cfs at the downstream boundary of
WRIA 62) is derived from the watershed upstream of WRIA 62. In terms of flood control in WRIA
62, this indicates that the Pend Oreille mainstem flows are controlled primarily by climatic conditions
and dam operations upstream of WRIA 62.
To support this issue, the Watershed Planning Unit requested that the following information be
included within this management Plan:
WRIA 62 WMP 032305
• Information on the projects that have the most impact on flows and water levels in the
Pend Oreille River;
• Information on local and regional forums related to flood control; and,
• Information on the economic impacts of flooding in Pend Oreille County.
The following sections provide this information. It is intended that this information will be used by
the Watershed Planning Implementing Body to confirm priority implementation actions to increase