Residents of Whatcom County are faced with an increasing number of challenges related to water resources, despite what at times appears to be a seemingly abundant resource. These challenges include limited water supplies to meet current and future needs, water quality degradation, and the listing of Chinook salmon and bull trout as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Left unresolved, these issues will have a broad and far-reaching affect on the economic and environmental health of the community.

In 1998 the State legislature passed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2514, codified as RCW 90.82, known as the Watershed Management Act. This Act included a grant-funding element requiring completion of a Watershed Management Plan within four years of receipt of grant funding. The Act provides a framework to better understand the nature and extent of water resource management issues and to locally plan and implement solutions to identified problems.

Participation in the process is voluntary. In May 1998, Whatcom County, the City of Bellingham, and the Public Utility District No. 1 of Whatcom County decided to engage in the process with the County acting as lead agency. Pursuant to RCW 90.82, these three local governments invited the Lummi Nation and the Nooksack Tribe to join the process. The Nooksack Tribe described their involvement in the project through a July 1998 letter. After a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed by the three local governments and the Lummi Nation in October 1998, both of the tribal governments had joined the process. The MOA further defines the project objectives, participants, and the decision-making process. Since May 1998, funding (grant and other) has been obtained, resources have been allocated, and actions are underway based on requirements of the law, subsequently signed contracts and agreements, and input from the local community. Together, the five Governments initiated public involvement, water quantity, and instream flow work tasks, in parallel with the Planning Unit formation work task. In May 1999 Planning Unit Caucuses were formed. In June 1999 the first Planning Unit meeting was held.

The issues that will be addressed by the WRIA 1 Watershed Management Project include water quantity, water quality, instream flows, and habitat. Project assessments and decision-making will utilize best available science (3).

The purpose of this scope of work is to outline the general process, strategy, and actions necessary to effectively manage water resources in WRIA 1. This scope of work includes actions taken to date. It provides the framework from which more detailed work plans will be developed and approved by appropriate entities. These work plans will include goals/objectives, specific tasks, budgets, who will implement, work products, and schedules. Where appropriate, work plans will include design parameters such as time step, probable error, and expected contribution to satisfying informational needs. The standard established in the MOA is "best available science," defined as objective and repeatable analysis based on adequate empirical data collected with appropriate quality assurance/ quality control procedures in place.

In many cases, specific work plans will be developed and implemented under the guidance of Technical Teams. Technical Teams will generally be composed of representatives from the Initiating Governments and the Planning Unit or their designees, and other technical experts. The Technical Teams will report to and receive direction from the Initiating Governments and Planning Unit. Community members, private consultants, and/or local, state, tribal, federal government agencies may be recommended by the Technical Teams to assist in developing and implementing work plans.

The approach taken with this scope of work reflects the requirements of the Watershed Management Act, adopted agreements and contracts, recommendations from program participant (Initiating Governments and Planning Unit), and the Guide to Watershed Planning and Management. This scope of work is designed to guide the development of a Watershed Management Plan for WRIA 1. The Plan may include elements deemed desirable by local planning participants that exceed the minimum requirements of the Act. This scope of work is a working document that may need to be refined as work progresses and more information is collected.