Palouse River WatershedDetailed Implementation Plan (DIP)

Bryony Stasney, L.HG.October 7, 2008

Project Team

Palouse Conservation DistrictWRIA 34 Planning UnitGolder:

Bryony – PM, Assistant Facilitator, DIP LeadAlyssa – Staff PlannerPhil - Project Director

Dally Environmental:Lisa – Lead Facilitator and Instream Flow

Planning Unit

Landowners (Cheryl Morgan, John Pearson, Nancy Belsby, Rex Harder, Rhod McKintosh)Cities of Colfax, Pullman, Moscow, PalouseConservation DistrictsWhitman and Spokane CountyWSU ExtensionWSUCattlemans’ Assoc.PBAC

Watershed Planning (RCW 90.82)

Phase 1 - OrganizationPhase 2 – Technical StudiesPhase 3 – Watershed Plan

Approved by Planning Unit members from WA and ID (Oct 2007)Adopted by Adams, Lincoln, Spokane and Whitman Counties (Nov 2007)

Phase 4 - Implementation

Tracking toolFocus on:

PrioritiesResponsible entitiesPermits / agreements / ordinancesScheduleFunding

Estimates inchoate water rightsNorth Fork Palouse River instream flow

Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP)

Projects – on the ground actions and program development and implementationStudies – actions that obtain more information to improve understanding of the watershedRecommendations – policy statements and statements of support

Categorizing Watershed Plan Actions

Measureable cost vs benefitBenefit our grandchildrenProtection of existing rightsSupport sustainable water supplyBenefit to most peopleSupport multiple uses / benefitsHas public acceptance / supportLow potential for alternative fundingWill improve water quality

Ranking

Tier 1 – 22 actionsTier 2 – 24 actionsTier 3 – 26 actionsTier 4 – 14 actionsRecommendations were not ranked

Prioritization Results

Cunningham Farm monitoring well installation (PBAC)Hydrology and hydrogeo for recharge and flow enhancement (PBAC)Conservation tillage (CDs, WSU)ASR feasibility (Pullman)Reclaimed water (Moscow, Pullman, WSU)Identify aquifer recharge areas (PBAC)Water conservation & efficiency (CDs, irrigators)Implement recharge and flow enhancement strategies (Palouse, Potlatch, Garfield, Ecology, IDEQ, IDWR, PBAC, landowners).

Tier 1 Capital Projects

Framework for water resource management in the Palouse Basin Aquifer (PBAC)Stream flow and water quality monitoring (Adams CD, Ecology, IDEQ)Hydrogeo for the Lower Palouse and Rock Creek (PBAC)Studies to better understand SW and GW connectivity in the North Fork PalouseOffice for storage of geologic / hydrologic information on the Palouse Basin (PBAC)Studies / data collection to better understand recharge in the Palouse Basin (PBAC)

Tier 1 Operational Projects

Continue hydrogeo studies for South Fork Palouse (PBAC)Hydrogeo to assess if new Colfax well will impact streamflows / springsEstablish and maintain monitoring wells in the North Fork Palouse watershed to support instream flow management (Ecology)Community education on water resources (Counties, Palouse CD, Whitman CD, Latah SWCD)Hydrogeo / hydrology in Cheney / Medical Lake area to establish groundwater and surface water divides (Spokane County, Ecology)

Tier 1 Operational Projects (cont)

Inchoate Water Rights

North Fork instream flow working group continuing Phase 3 work

Instream flow levelsMax allocation (Dec 1 – June 15/30)Reservation for domestic use

Work ongoing

North Fork Instream Flow

The Next Four YearsTransition from “planning” to “doing”Meet:

As needed to bring closure to instream flow workQuarterly thereafter for implementing entities to report out

Greater role for the lead agency (Palouse Conservation District):

Tracking implementationProject / consultant managementGrant writing and administrationMeeting facilitation