4.0 Develop/Revise Watershed Management Plan
4.1 Develop and Evaluate Solutions/Alternatives
As with the assessment phase of the project, the identification and evaluation of solutions will be an incremental/iterative process building upon recommendations from previous planning efforts and considering existing laws, programs, and other efforts. Information obtained under Section 2.4 - Linkage and Coordination, will be used to help identify existing/previous efforts. Solutions shall not be added that obligate a particular government unless that government has at least one representative on the Planning Unit and the respective members appointed to represent the obligated government agree to adding the element that creates the obligation (1).
At a minimum the following alternatives/solutions will be considered:
Water Quantity: Increasing water availability through strategies that include but are not limited to: conservation, water reclamation and reuse, voluntary water transfers, additional water allocations, and additional water storage and water storage enhancements including aquifer recharge and recovery (1).
Water Quality: Developing a recommended approach for implementing the TMDL established for achieving compliance with water quality standards unless a TMDL process has begun in the WRIA as of the date the watershed planning process is initiated under RCW 90.82.060 (1). In addition, explore options to manage groundwater quality.
Instream Flow: Aside from establishing or modifying existing instream flows, no specific strategies are specified in the Act for meeting the goal of ensuring that water is available in sufficient quantities to satisfy the minimum instream flows for fish. This is an area where there is tremendous opportunity for creative solutions.
Fish Habitat: Coordinate and integrate analysis and assessment with other salmon recovery and management efforts.
Information collected in Section 2.4 - Linkage/Coordination will be used to assist in identifying alternatives. Criteria developed in Section 2.2 - Criteria for Evaluating Proposed Solutions will be used to help identify recommended solutions.
Implementation Strategy/Status
Because solutions are dependent on obtaining a better understanding of the problems through the assessment phase it is recommended that immediate actions related to solutions be limited to compiling suggestions and recommendations from recent planning and management efforts. On a regular basis the Initiating Governments should review overall progress and determine when to initiate further action for solution identification This does not preclude the need to move forward with early action activities.
4.2 Select Best Solutions
For each component within each sub-basin, using the criteria developed in Section 2.2, the various solutions developed in 4.1 shall be sorted and those solutions with the most promise shall be selected for incorporation into the Watershed Management Plan.
4.3 Assemble Plan
The Watershed Planning Act requires that a watershed management plan be written, however, it does not prescribe the exact contents or form of the plan (4). The outline below will be followed for general format, although it may be modified as the project progresses. The outline follows the one recommended in the Guidance Manual with some modifications.
Cover letter-recommending plan to various legislative authorities and others as needed
Executive Summary
Introduction and Background
- Goals/objectives of the WRIA1 Watershed Management Project
- Scope
- Key issues addressed
- Relationship to other programs and planning
- Conformance with SEPA/NEPA
Planning Process
- Initiating Governments
- Planning Unit participants
- Public involvement process and documentation of SEPA/NEPA integration
- Problem and issue definition
- Method of decision-making
Technical Assessment and Findings
- Historical context
- Existing data
- New studies performed
- Summary of key findings
- Overview of technical validation process
- Reference to complete studies or reports in appendices or elsewhere
Alternatives Analysis
- Water Quantity
- Description of alternatives
- Criteria applied
- Recommended alternatives (ordinances, rules, technical assistance, education, funding, formal agreements, etc.)
- Environmental Impact Analysis (SEPA/NEPA linkage)
- Water Quality
- Description of alternatives
- Criteria applied
- Recommended alternatives (ordinances, rules, technical assistance, education, funding, formal agreements, etc.)
- Environmental Impact Analysis (SEPA/NEPA linkage)
- Instream Flows
- Description of alternatives
- Criteria applied
- Recommended alternatives (ordinances, rules, technical assistance, education, funding, formal agreements, etc.)
- Environmental Impact Analysis (SEPA/NEPA linkage)
- Fish Habitat
- Description of alternatives
- Criteria applied
- Recommended alternatives (ordinances, rules, technical assistance, education, funding, formal agreements, etc.)
- Environmental Impact Analysis (SEPA/NEPA linkage)
Recommended Implementation Strategy
- For each recommendation include who will implement action and why, integration with related programs/processes, funding and other resources needs including sources of funds, methods to implement and ensure compliance, and schedule;
- Long-term data collection;
- Long-term organized institutional structure to ensure implementation, review progress, take corrective action, involve public, report to entities, and respond to new needs or information;
- Contingencies and process for cases where an organization designated for implementing a plan recommendation is unable or unwilling to do so; and
- Monitoring and other measures to evaluate success
Conclusion
- Recommendation of plan to legislative bodies and others as appropriate.
Appendices
- MOAs or other agreements
- Criteria used to evaluate alternative action plans
- Dissenting opinions if applicable
- Coordination Plan
- Technical documentation
- Long-term data collection and management program
- Implementation structure and responsibilities
- Glossary of key terms (5)
- Public processes required for SEPA/NEPA and other items as needed
- Public written comments (including application to SEPA/NEPA)
Implementation Strategy/Status
To be determined.