Meeting Summary Planning Unit WRIA 56 Hangman (Latah) Creek Local Watershed Plan June 8, 2004 Chair: Walt Edelen, Spokane County Conservation District (SCCD) Present: Gary Ostheller, Fairfield Triangle Grange Steve Bortfeld, Hangman Valley Water District Rick Noll, SCCD Jilla Harmon, SCCD Minutes The minutes for the May 27, 2004 meeting were distributed for review. Walt asked for any corrections or comments. Discussion regarding the Ad-Hoc Committee Suggestions section on page 3. This should read: Suggestions to the Ad-Hoc Committee for discussion are: · Treatment of domestic exempt wells · Partitions of watershed · Amount of reserve · Limiting gallons per day · Limiting irrigation use Minutes were approved with corrections to Ad-Hoc Committee section on page 3. Announcements/Open Discussion/Public Comment business Continue Issue and Recommendation Discussion Reanette reported that she brought up the domestic exempt wells issue at the last WIRA 55/57 meeting for discussion. Reannette has compiled a list of what she sees are the problems with domestic exempt wells for a meeting she is having with some planners from Spokane County. The meeting with them would allow the planners to think about the strategies to implement this regulating. It would also get them on board at the very beginning. This will help to have consistency with all WIRA’s in the county and to deal with this issue the same way county wide. Some of these suggestions came from the WIRA 55/57 meeting discussion. · Increase the amount that a new homeowner needs to prove they have an adequate water supply. At this time, this is set at 1 gallon per minute. It was suggested that this might be increased to 3 gallons per minute · Reserved water rights · Further limiting the amount of land that domestic exempt wells can irrigate. They would have a limited water right rather than the 5,000 gallons per day · Shut down outdoor irrigation for domestic exempt wells, but noted that this also could be a fire danger. There was some discussion regarding a complete shutdown versus partial shutdown Issues and Recommendations List as of 5/26/04 Water Quantity Recommendations B. Priorities of Future Water Allocation Further discussion is required after report on Spokane’s Comprehensive Plan, water system plans (Whitman and Benewah County too). 1. What does the PU foresee as a priority for future allocations? (industrial, agricultural, commercial, residential, other). Strategies for increasing water supplies in the management area, which may include, but are not limited to, increasing water supplies through water conservation, water reuse, the use of reclaimed water, voluntary water transfers, aquifer recharge and recovery, additional water allocations, or additional water storage and water storage enhancements. The objective of these strategies is to supply water in sufficient quantities to satisfy the minimum instream flows for fish and to provide water for future out-of-stream uses for water identified in subsection (1)(e) and (g) of this section and to ensure that adequate water supplies are available for agriculture, energy production, and population and economic growth under the requirements of the state's growth management act, chapter 36.70A RCW. These strategies, in and of themselves, shall not be construed to confer new water rights. The watershed plan must address the strategies required under this subsection. Recommendation(s): CHANGE—Move domestic to #2, stock water to #3 and light industrial to #4. The remaining uses list in order of priority but no reserve. (a) Future allocations of water rights will be apportioned by the following allocations with a reserve established for the first three: 1) Municipal – 224 acre feet per year 2) Domestic (group, domestic exempt) – 500 acre feet per year 3) Stock water (less 5,000 gallons per day for ranging cattle) 4) Light Industrial 5) Commercial (retail, commercial livestock) 6) Stock water greater than 5,000 gallons per day 7) Agriculture (irrigated) 8) Heavy Industrial (b) Initiate a watershed based negotiation to (Generally supported) CHANGE—Initiate a watershed based negotiation to achieve a cooperative agreement to address cross state line availability of water (both surface and groundwater). C. Water Conservation, Reclamation, and Re-use CHANGE—The Planning Unit recognizes that the watershed may be fully allocated. Significant water savings may occur from implementing water conservation measures. Communities may want to consider instituting a plan to prevent shortages in the future. Recommendation(s): CHANGE—Work with water purveyors to implement conservation provisions of HB1338. (i) Identify funding sources for small town infrastructure upgrades (i.e., leak detection, repair, storage, metering) (Supported) . CHANGE—add i.e., to (leak,….) (b) Develop a watershed drought management plan (Supported) As Is DELETE CHANGE-add for and and municipal uses and no capitals……MOVE to (h) CHANGE—Recommend new legislation to prevent water saved by improved irrigation efficiency or conservation from being subject to relinquishment. Request the legislature make funds available to purchase or lease this saved water. (f) A water trust should be developed for the watershed. (Generally supported, modifications) (i) Establish an Ecology administrated trust and/or (ii) Establish a non-profit foundation to hold water rights in trust for the Hangman Watershed. (Generally supported, modifications) CHANGE—combine (i) and (ii) with “and/or” under f. CHANGE—A coordinated regional water conservation program should be implemented. (i) Provide and education/information (ii) Encourage the use of water conserving programs, actions, and technology (eg. Xeriscaping, low flow toilets and shower heads) for domestic (group, domestic exempt), light industrial, heavy industrial, commercial, agriculture, irrigation, and municipal uses. Dr. John Buchanan has stated that groundwater withdrawals from the deep basalt aquifer system in the upper basin will not have an immediate, direct impact on stream flows in the upper basin. However, groundwater withdrawal in the upper basin may indeed have an impact on surface water flows in the lower basin, but it may be delayed by many years or decades. Furthermore, the impact may be so small that it would not be measurable in the lower basin. Recommendation(s): CHANGE—Recommend that a study be done on the long term ground water resource and issues and the impact on surface water. (i) Define connections of subbasins (ii) Determine potential of long-term aquifer mining issues (iii) Evaluate whether groundwater from adjoining watersheds is being utilized by municipalities on the edge of watershed (Tekoa, Cheney, Spangle). CHANGE—combine with (a) (c) A study should be undertaken to evaluate whether groundwater from adjoining watersheds is being utilized by municipalities on the edge of watershed (Tekoa, Cheney, Spangle). (Supported) CHANGE—make this iii and remove last sentence (d) For the benefit of determining water interchange rates and public information, establish a new permanent gauging station between the upper elevation (above Rock Creek) and lower elevation (below Rock Creek) of the watershed. Supported as is CHANGE—Encourage the establishment of a new permanent gauging station near the stateline. Instream Flow Public Meetings Local Fair Presentations Flag Day Celebration in Fairfield – June 12 Slippery Gulch Days in Tekoa – June 19 & 20 Southeast Spokane County Fair in Rockford – September 19- 21 Jilla is still working on contacting the cities of Cheney and Spangle for their annual event calendars. Homework The Planning Unit was asked to continue working up proposed implementations for the recommendations in Section 3 - Habitat & Land Use. Next Meeting The next regular WRIA meeting will be July 8, 2004 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the SCCD offices. The meeting was adjourned at 12:10 p.m.
Reanette Boese, Spokane County
Bill Rickard, City of Spokane
Peter Grunte, Hangman Valley Resident
Doug Allen, Ecology(a) A reserve should be established for the following uses:1) Municipal2) Light Industrial3) Domestic (group, domestic exempt)4) Stock water5) Commercial6) Agriculture (irrigated)7) Heavy Industrial(Generally supported)achieve an Interstate Agreement to address cross Stateline availability of water (both surface and groundwater) The use of a water conservation plan for the entire watershed would probably not be an effective means of reducing water use. Most of the significant water savings may occur from repairs to water purveyors systems. Some of the smaller communities may want to consider instituting a plan to prevent shortages in the future. (a) Evaluate water purveyor infrastructure and need for upgrades.(Generally supported)(c) Review and coordinate “new” systems schedule with Department of Health(Supported)(d) Encourage the use of water conserving programs, actions, and technology (eg. Xeriscaping, low flow toilets and shower heads) for Domestic (group, domestic exempt), Light Industrial, Heavy Industrial, Commercial, Agriculture, Irrigation, and Municipal uses.(Supported)(e) Existing water rights that commit to saving water through conservation measures should become inchoate to them. This water could then be sold or leased to instream flow purposes, but not for other water rights.(Generally supported, modifications)(g) All new water rights should include water conservation measures if not otherwise addressed by Ecology or Health Department regulations.(Generally supported, modifications) DELETE(h) A coordinated regional education/information program should be implemented(Generally supported) D. Groundwater/Surface Water Interactions
(a) Dr. Buchanan recommends the drilling of some groundwater monitoring wells in the upper, middle and lower basins, and monitor the groundwater levels (and stream flows) through time. Additionally, the same wells could serve as locations to perform some aquifer tests to determine the hydraulic conductivity of the basalts.(Supported)(b) Identify and monitor long-term trends in aquifer levels.(Supported)The addition of a dedicated monitoring station (well) should be established. (e) Establish a new permanent gauging station at the stateline.