Watershed
Planning Scope
Foster
Creek
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,
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| water rights
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| 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,
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| 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. |
|
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