FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Feb. 13, 2002

Ecology Department seeks comment on new flow-setting guidance

OLYMPIA - The state Department of Ecology (Ecology) is seeking advice and comment on a new guidance document designed to help watershed-planning groups make stream-flow recommendations so the creeks and rivers in their area always have enough water for fish.

Ecology currently is evaluating funding requests from 31 different planning units to help them make stream-flow recommendations for their watersheds.

Under state law, Ecology may award up to $100,000 to each planning unit, but the agency also is required to provide guidance on how to set stream-flow levels.

Entitled "A Guide to Instream Flow Setting in Washington State," the draft document provides basic education on stream flows and descriptions of different approaches planning units might use to recommend flow thresholds.

It also outlines potential environmental effects of each approach and discusses various flow assessment tools.

People have until March 29 to submit their remarks to Ecology.

"The flow-setting task is part of a larger effort to make sure we have enough water for all of our state's residential, industrial and agricultural needs, while also reserving enough water to keep our environment healthy," said Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons. "By determining how much water is needed in each stream to support fish, we can protect that important resource and also know how much water is available for other important uses."

The guidance document will provide a framework for how flows might be set.

"These will be guidelines, not mandates," he said.

In 2001, the state legislature adopted a new law that encourages local watershed planning groups to recommend stream flows for state creeks and rivers. Planners have the option of making recommendations for their local basins, using the guidance from Ecology, or turning the task over to the state agency. Any stream-flow recommendation, whether it comes from Ecology or from a local watershed-planning unit, ultimately must be set by Ecology through the state rule-making process.

The department already has set regulatory stream flows in 18 of the state's 62 watershed basins. All but one were adopted before 1986.
(Select the following to go to:) For more information: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/instream-flows/isflowhome.html

Ecology's Web site: www.ecy.wa.gov

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