The Douglas County Watershed Planning Association will develop a comprehensive watershed management plan for surface and groundwater, including management strategies for water resources, instream flow, water quality and habitat. To accomplish this, the DCWPA has developed the objective of voluntarily bringing people together in a collaborative setting to improve communication, reduce conflicts, address problems, reach consensus and implement actions to improve the water resource management in the Moses Coulee Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA 44) and Foster Creek Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA 50). The DCWPA strategy is to complete a science based watershed management plan using watershed specific information ultimately leading towards compliance with the Federal Endangered Species and Clean Water Acts. Our end products will reflect a balance between existing natural resources and human uses and will capitalize on opportunities to improve these values.

The DCWPA’s specific goals to move forward towards this vision under the Watershed Planning Act are as follows:

1. Optimize quantity and quality of water to achieve a balance between natural resources and human use both current and projected.

2. Provide for coexistence of people, fish and wildlife while sustaining lifestyles through planned community growth, and maintaining and/or improving habitats.

3. Develop and implement an adaptive action plan to address priority issues, emphasizing local customs, culture and economic stability in balance with natural resources. All actions will comply with existing laws and regulations. However, changes to existing laws and regulations will be recommended as needed to attain our common vision and avoid one-size-fits-all solutions.

• Water Quantity - To emphasize efficient use of water for domestic, agricultural, and wildlife use by addressing elements of,
  • water availability,
  • water rights
  • current versus future water needs
  • surface and ground water recharge
  • strategies to increase water supplies by conserving,reusing, reclaiming; transferring, aquifer recharging, storing, allocating
• Instream Flows - To come to consensus on,
  • who will set the minimum instream flow,
  • what criteria will be used for measuring instream flows on small feeder creeks and tributaries,
  • what strategies will be used for assessing existing water use
• Habitat - To create a wildlife habitat component to include,
  • Fish enhancement and protection practices,
  • Habitat-oriented programs already in existence such as growth management plans, healthy forest practices, shoreline management schemes, and salmon recovery programs,
  • Habitat-restoration activities developed in compliance with HB 2496, salmon enhancement legislation.
• Water Quality - To focus on the purity of our waters by,
  • Monitoring and analyzing water quality in the management area,
  • Identifying pollution sources and other water quality threats,
  • Assessing how water bodies in the are used,
  • Determining whether a clean-up plan exists for the area,
  • Monitoring, by appropriate governing agencies, whether actions taken to improve water quality are sufficient.