By Marianne Lincoln

This was from a Google search, but it tells where the watershed planning is coming from and why. You can certainly do more research yourself. The next article I am working on is a press release asking people in government units, in Tribes, people living on freshwater shorelines in the watershed, and folks that are interested in the restoration and science of watersheds to come together.

Watershed planning in Washington is established and guided by state legislation—primarily the Watershed Planning Act of 1997 (Chapter 90.82 RCW) and later the Streamflow Restoration Law of 2018 (ESSB 6091).

The Watershed Planning Act (Voluntary Framework)

• Nature of the Program: Created as a voluntary, collaborative approach rather than a top-down mandate, allowing local stakeholders to organize planning units for water resource management.

• Role of the Department of Ecology: Ecology does not command these groups, instead offering funding, technical assistance, and data for participating local entities.

• Participants & Requirements: Utilizing state grants requires involvement from key local governments (counties, primary cities, and main water purveyors) alongside invited Indian tribes on equal standing. Funded groups must evaluate four core components: available water, current usage, allocated water rights, and future water needs.

The Streamflow Restoration Law (Targeted Direction)

• Targeted Planning: Enacted following the Hirst decision, the 2018 law mandated 15 specific watershed planning units (WRIAs) to update plans addressing permit-exempt wells and ensuring a “net ecological benefit” for salmon.

• Ecology’s Role: Ecology provides oversight and manages plan adoptions to ensure alignment with environmental standards.

Further resources and historical documents are available through the Washington State Department of Ecology Watershed Plan Archive and Ecology Watershed Planning Page.