Prioritizing Technical Information/Study Needs for the Chehalis Watershed

1. Individuals in Planning Unit have ideas about what technical information/studies are needed. Need to focus these ideas, so that studies can be organized and prioritized.
2. Two broad categories of technical information needs:
   • General Data (monitoring, water rights research, policy evaluation, etc.)
   • Analyses Targeted to Specific Areas/Issues
3. Suggestion - Prioritize through filter of Water Resources Management
   • *This should not minimize WQ/Habitat elements if philosophy of group is that all three elements are intertwined (as discussed at last steering/technical committee meeting)
   • Acid Test - These are the questions Ecology has to answer when evaluating water appropriation requests:
     • Is water available?
     • Is the proposed use a beneficial use?
     • Is it in the public interest?
     • Will senior rights be affected?
   • *Water availability question is the meat of the evaluation.
4. The following figure depicts categories of technical information needed to assess water availability. This analysis will most likely be targeted to a specific area (subecoregion?) within the watershed.
5. Criteria:
   • Cost
   • Cost Effectiveness
   • Technical Feasibility
   • Political Feasibility
   • Practicality
   • Acceptability
   • Timeliness
   • Ease of Implementation
   • Multiobjective Focus
   • **Opportunities - overlain on other criteria. Sometimes opportunities arise, maybe because of funding sources or other basin activities, to do technical analyses that wouldn't necessarily be prioritized high for this planning effort. (Example might be IFIM studies)
6. Approaches to ranking:
   • "Objective" rating system (rate based on specific criteria weighted by importance of that criteria)
   • Group ranking - by consensus
   • Suggested Process:
     1. Triangle-Tt/KCM compile previously- recommended technical studies/data needs from Level 1 Assessment, Ecology memos, etc. Planning Unit members (or just steering/technical committee) may submit suggestions for "master wish list" of technical information needs/studies at this time also.
     2. Triangle-Tt/KCM categorizes "master wish list" - general vs. targeted, what data needs are addressed, etc.
     3. Brainstorming session with steering committee -
        • Review project list, categories
        • Identify additional technical information needs
        • Conceptual scoping of studies (ballpark cost estimates, possible approaches to studies, etc.)
        • Decide whether to do individual rating or group ranking by consensus, or both.
     4. Second work session with steering/technical committee - Develop rating system or conduct group ranking
     5. Third work session with steering/technical committee (if necessary)
        • Review individual ratings (if done)
        • Develop work plan (individual regions, basin-wide)

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