Hangman (Latah) Creek Watershed Planning Project

Water Resources Planning in Washington State

The Washington State Legislature passed the Watershed Management Act (ESHB 2514) in 1998 to provide a framework for local citizens, interest groups, and governmental organizations to collaboratively identify and solve water-related issues in each of the 62 Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA) of the state. Hangman Creek is WRIA 56.

The planning process under the Watershed Management Act has two primary goals:

• Assess the status of water resources in the WRIA(s)
• Determine how to balance the competing demands for water within the WRIA(s), including making sure there is enough water in streams for a variety of interests, such as agriculture, fish, and recreation.

Local watershed plans must address water quantity and may address water quality, habitat, storage, and setting or revising instream flows.

Certain designated local governments and special districts (such as the Conservation District) are enabled under the Act to initiate planning. The initiating entity is responsible for developing a local "planning unit" made up of appropriate stakeholders in the area. The State then offers grants to individual WRIAs to fund watershed planning.

Under the law, citizens, local governments, tribes, and other members of the planning unit have considerable flexibility to determine the planning process, focus on areas of particular importance, assess water resources and needs, and recommend management strategies.

A brief summary and highlights of the watershed planning process is given below.

Planning Phases and Funding: There are four phases of the watershed planning process. Grant funds may be made available by the State for each of these phases.

• Phase I - Initial organization of planning process
• Phase II - Watershed assessment
• Phase III - Developing watershed management plan and recommendations for actions
• Phase IV - Implementation

Makeup of the Watershed Planning Unit: In addition to the initiating governments, the planning unit must include:

• A wide range of water resource interests.
• Representatives of state, county and tribal governments (including tribes with federally acknowledged fish rights in the WRIA), since each of these governments will likely be asked to change policies, redeploy resources or accept new fiscal obligations under the watershed plan.

Water Quantity Component: The planning unit must complete an assessment of water supply and use in the management area and develop strategies for future use.

Optional Components: Guidance on water quality, habitat, and in-stream flow may also be developed.

Restrictions on Local Watershed Plans:

• Local management plans cannot conflict with existing state or federal laws, or tribal treaties; impair or diminish existing water rights; interfere with water-rights adjudications; modify waste-discharge permits; create new obligations or restrictions on forest practices; require modifications to a federal reclamation project whose water-right priority date precedes ESHB 2514; or require any party to take action unless that party agrees.
• The plans also cannot modify habitat-restoration activities or work schedules developed under ESHB 2496 (salmon-restoration legislation); modify fish-enhancement activities by federal or state agencies, irrigation districts, or boards of joint control; nor change existing local ordinances or state rules or permits (although they may recommend such changes).
• The plan cannot create a fiscal, resource, or policy obligation for any government or agency unless that government or agency has a representative on the planning unit and the representative agrees to form the obligation.

Approving a Local Watershed Plan:

• The planning unit may approve its proposal (or portions of the proposal) by unanimous vote of all members of the unit, or by unanimous vote of the local, state, and tribal government members and majority vote of non-government members (must be accomplished within four years after receiving a Phase II grant from the state or the entire planning process can be terminated).
• If approved by the planning unit, the proposal shall be submitted to the county governments in the management area for ratification by a majority of each county's elected governing body.
• If the proposal is not approved by county officials, it will be returned to the planning unit for revision. If agreement cannot be reached, the planning process will terminate.

Watershed final Plan: The final Hangman (Latah) Water Resources Management Plan is available.

Additional Information:

• Department of Ecology web site on Watershed Planning
• Department of Ecology’s Draft Guide to Watershed Planning

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