A recurring theme of the Chehalis River Basin Action Plan, and many other watershed plans, is that the lack of funding for implementation programs may prevent or reduce the effectiveness of implementation efforts. This is a universal problem in the world of environmental protection. During the writing of the plan strong alliances were forged between resource management and conservation groups in the Chehalis River Basin. This document will become a substantive, long-term action plan if these groups continue to foster cooperative alliances, and strive for coordinated basin-wide solutions to water pollution problems. The biggest hindrance to the achievement of clean water goals is the lack of coordination among agencies, local government, interest groups, and citizens.
The Chehalis River Council has been participating in several cooperative efforts to improve water quality and fish and wildlife habitat in the basin. The Washington Department of Ecology (WDOE) is sponsoring the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) project in the Chehalis River Basin to determine the maximum amounts of certain pollutants (for example, phosphorus) that the river can naturally assimilate, and to determine how much of the pollutants can be contributed by each major source. WDOE will also be exploring the potential of pollution trading between point sources and nonpoint sources to more cost-effectively control water pollution in "hot spots" such as the Centralia reach of the Chehalis River mainstem (RM 66-76).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is conducting the Chehalis Basin Restoration Act to revive the anadromous fishery of the basin. An important part of the restoration effort is the improvement of habitat. In addition, the FWS is participating with the Washington Department of Wildlife in the Washington State Ecosystems Conservation Project to protect and restore valuable upland, riparian and wetland habitats within the state.
The U.S. Forest Service is conducting the Watershed Initiative to improve water quality in forested watersheds in the state. Primary subbasins affected in the Chehalis River Basin include the Wynoochee, Satsop, and Humptulips drainages.
Other groups involved in water quality projects in the Chehalis River Basin include: the Black River Watch (Thurston County), the Chehalis Basin Fisheries Task Force, the Centralia College Ecology Club, the Lower Chehalis Water Quality Advisory Board (Grays Harbor Regional Planning), and many others. All these groups and others were represented in meetings of the Chehalis Basin Cooperative, a group working for the efficient use of public funds to achieve two main goals - clean water and restoration of fish and wildlife habitat in the Chehalis River Basin.
Although the main goal of the Chehalis River Basin Action Plan is the control of nonpoint source pollution, to effectively improve water quality it is necessary to find solutions for other concerns and problems affecting water quality in the basin. The following recommendations deal with institutional problems.
Issue: - The 2,660 square mile Chehalis River Basin is too large to allow the preparation of a detailed, comprehensive basin action plan.
Issue: - While it is not feasible to address in regulations all situations that might arise, regulatory flexibility is important to protect both the resource and the economic viability of natural resource industries.