Officials with the Department of Ecology continue to move forward with water management projects within the Dungeness River watershed.
Using the $2 million of dedicated funds from the capital budget that the department received in July 2013 to support Dungeness water management efforts, the Department of Ecology has contracts with the Washington Water Trust, a contract with the Clallam Conservation District they hope to finalize this month and a contract proposal with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“Basically about $1.6 million of the funds are already earmarked with projects,” Mike Gallagher, water resources section head for the Department of Ecology Southwest Regional, told those attending the Dungeness River Management Team meeting Oct. 8.
Projects under way
Washington Water Trust personnel are tasked with continuing to explore water acquisition alternatives, off-stream storage and water source substitutions, such as switching surface water users to reclaimed water. Those with the Clallam Conservation District will be implementing at least two aquifer recharge sites, including one on Jake Way off Carlsborg Road.
“We hope to have the Jake Way site in by spring 2015,” Amanda Cronin, Washington Water Trust project manager, said.
Lastly, the proposed contract with the WDFW officials would be used to closely study the streams within the Sequim area, additional mitigation options and fish habitat sensitivity to low flows. The WDFW study would provide the potential outcome of less restrictive development within the designated “yellow area” under the Dungeness water management rule, Gallagher said.
Since the water rule went into effect Jan. 2, 2013, the Dungeness River watershed was separated into two categories: green and yellow.
The yellow area only allows water to be used for domestic use and encompasses the more southern portion within the Dungeness River watershed and includes the upper reaches of Palo Alto Road, Taylor Cutoff Road and Blue Mountain Road, Texas Valley and parts of Happy Valley.
The proposed contract with the WDFW grew from increased interests from parties in Sequim requesting more evaluation of the yellow area and development restrictions it embodies, Gallagher said.
“The rule is designed to provide mechanisms for sustainable water management,” Gallagher said. “We’re trying to make it work for everyone as best we can, but still be effective.”
Water right applications
Statewide officials with the Department of Ecology have a backlog of roughly 6,000 water right applications (some waiting more than 20 years) and those within the Dungeness River watershed are looked at with careful consideration given the water rule.
“Because we have the water management rule in place we need to make it work for everyone and not just each individual,” Gallagher said. “We have to take into consideration the applicants that have been patiently waiting.”
Department of Ecology officials sent 12 letters to applicants pursuing multiple domestic water rights. Among them is the Clallam County Public Utility District. The PUD’s application was submitted to the Department of Ecology in 2006 to secure a water right to serve Carlsborg and the Urban Growth Area, which PUD included during their Water System Plan update in 2010.
The letters sent mid-September allowed the recipient to respond within 60 days given the mitigation options, if any. No mitigations options currently are available with the Dungeness Water Exchange (water bank) for those hoping to receive a water right for irrigation purposes, Gallagher said.
Since receiving their letter from the Department of Ecology, PUD officials now have to make the decision to either keep their priority date and process the application with mitigation, process without mitigation, though it likely would be denied, assign the application to another entity or pull the application.
“Since we submitted our application there is additional information and the interlocal agreement with the county to also consider,” Tom Martin, water and wastewater system assistant at PUD, said.
In 2013, PUD and county officials entered into a interlocal agreement for the Carlsborg wastewater system to ensure the water necessary for the Urban Growth Area at an estimated future buildout.
