Wash. Admin. Code § 222-16-031 - Interim water typing system

Current through Register Vol. 22-07, April 1, 2022

Until the fish habitat water type maps mentioned above are available, waters will be classified according to the interim water typing system described below. If a dispute arises concerning a water type, the department shall make available informal conferences, which shall include the departments of fish and wildlife, ecology, and affected Indian tribes and those contesting the adopted water types. These conferences shall be established under procedures established in WAC 222-46-020.

For the purposes of this interim water typing system see the following table:

Water Type Conversion Table

Permanent Water Typing	Interim Water Typing
Type "S"	Type 1 Water
Type "F"	Type 2 and 3 Water
Type "Np"	Type 4 Water
Type "Ns"	Type 5 Water

(1) "Type 1 Water" means all waters, within their ordinary high-water mark, as inventoried as "shorelines of the state" under chapter 90.58 RCW and the rules promulgated pursuant to chapter 90.58 RCW, but not including those waters' associated wetlands as defined in chapter 90.58 RCW.

(2) "Type 2 Water" means segments of natural waters which are not classified as Type 1 Water and have a high fish, wildlife, or human use. These are segments of natural waters and periodically inundated areas of their associated wetlands, which:

(a) Are diverted for domestic use by more than 100 residential or camping units or by a public accommodation facility licensed to serve more than 10 persons, where such diversion is determined by the department to be a valid appropriation of water and only considered Type 2 Water upstream from the point of such diversion for 1,500 feet or until the drainage area is reduced by 50 percent, whichever is less;

(b) Are diverted for use by federal, state, tribal or private fish hatcheries. Such waters shall be considered Type 2 Water upstream from the point of diversion for 1,500 feet, including tributaries if highly significant for protection of downstream water quality. The department may allow additional harvest beyond the requirements of Type 2 Water designation provided by the department of fish and wildlife, department of ecology, the affected tribes and interested parties that:

(i) The management practices proposed by the landowner will adequately protect water quality for the fish hatchery; and

(ii) Such additional harvest meets the requirements of the water type designation that would apply in the absence of the hatchery;

(c) Are within a federal, state, local or private campground having more than 30 camping units: Provided, That the water shall not be considered to enter a campground until it reaches the boundary of the park lands available for public use and comes within 100 feet of a camping unit.

(d) Are used by fish for spawning, rearing or migration. Waters having the following characteristics are presumed to have highly significant fish populations:

(i) Stream segments having a defined channel 20 feet or greater within the bankfull width and having a gradient of less than 4 percent.

(ii) Lakes, ponds, or impoundments having a surface area of 1 acre or greater at seasonal low water; or

(e) Are used by fish for off-channel habitat. These areas are critical to the maintenance of optimum survival of fish. This habitat shall be identified based on the following criteria:

(i) The site must be connected to a fish bearing stream and be accessible during some period of the year; and

(ii) The off-channel water must be accessible to fish through a drainage with less than a 5% gradient.

(3) "Type 3 Water" means segments of natural waters which are not classified as Type 1 or 2 Waters and have a moderate to slight fish, wildlife, or human use. These are segments of natural waters and periodically inundated areas of their associated wetlands which:

(a) Are diverted for domestic use by more than 10 residential or camping units or by a public accommodation facility licensed to serve more than 10 persons, where such diversion is determined by the department to be a valid appropriation of water and the only practical water source for such users. Such waters shall be considered to be Type 3 Water upstream from the point of such diversion for 1,500 feet or until the drainage area is reduced by 50 percent, whichever is less;

(b) Are used by fish for spawning, rearing or migration. The requirements for determining fish use are described in the board manual section 13. If fish use has not been determined:

(i) Waters having any of the following characteristics are presumed to have fish use:

(A) Stream segments having a defined channel of 2 feet or greater within the bankfull width in Western Washington; or 3 feet or greater in width in Eastern Washington; and having a gradient of 16 percent or less;

(B) Stream segments having a defined channel of 2 feet or greater within the bankfull width in Western Washington; or 3 feet or greater within the bankfull width in Eastern Washington, and having a gradient greater than 16 percent and less than or equal to 20 percent, and having greater than 50 acres in contributing basin size in Western Washington or greater than 175 acres contributing basin size in Eastern Washington, based on hydrographic boundaries;

(C) Ponds or impoundments having a surface area of less than 1 acre at seasonal low water and having an outlet to a fish stream;

(D) Ponds of impoundments having a surface area greater than 0.5 acre at seasonal low water.

(ii) The department shall waive or modify the characteristics in (i) of this subsection where:

(A) Waters have confirmed, long term, naturally occurring water quality parameters incapable of supporting fish;

(B) Snowmelt streams have short flow cycles that do not support successful life history phases of fish. These streams typically have no flow in the winter months and discontinue flow by June 1; or

(C) Sufficient information about a geomorphic region is available to support a departure from the characteristics in (i) of this subsection, as determined in consultation with the department of fish and wildlife, department of ecology, affected tribes and interested parties.

(4) "Type 4 Water" means all segments of natural waters within the bankfull width of defined channels that are perennial nonfish habitat streams. Perennial streams are flowing waters that do not go dry any time of a year of normal rainfall and include the intermittent dry portions of the perennial channel below the uppermost point of perennial flow.

(5) "Type 5 Waters" means all segments of natural waters within the bankfull width of the defined channels that are not Type 1, 2, 3, or 4 Waters. These are seasonal, nonfish habitat streams in which surface flow is not present for at least some portion of the year and are not located downstream from any stream reach that is a Type 4 Water. Type 5 Waters must be physically connected by an above-ground channel system to Type 1, 2, 3, or 4 Waters.

(6) For purposes of this section:

(a) "Residential unit" means a home, apartment, residential condominium unit or mobile home, serving as the principal place of residence.

(b) "Camping unit" means an area intended and used for:

(i) Overnight camping or picnicking by the public containing at least a fireplace, picnic table and access to water and sanitary facilities; or

(ii) A permanent home or condominium unit or mobile home not qualifying as a "residential unit" because of part time occupancy.

(c) "Public accommodation facility" means a business establishment open to and licensed to serve the public, such as a restaurant, tavern, motel or hotel.

(d) "Natural waters" only excludes water conveyance systems which are artificially constructed and actively maintained for irrigation.

(e) "Seasonal low flow" and "seasonal low water" mean the conditions of the 7-day, 2-year low water situation, as measured or estimated by accepted hydrologic techniques recognized by the department.

(f) "Channel width and gradient" means a measurement over a representative section of at least 500 linear feet with at least 10 evenly spaced measurement points along the normal stream channel but excluding unusually wide areas of negligible gradient such as marshy or swampy areas, beaver ponds and impoundments. Channel gradient may be determined utilizing stream profiles plotted from United States geological survey topographic maps. (See board manual section 23.)

Notes

Wash. Admin. Code § 222-16-031

Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040 and 76.09.370. 06-23-096, § 222-16-031, filed 11/15/06, effective 12/16/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040. 05-12-119, § 222-16-031, filed 5/31/05, effective 7/1/05. Statutory Authority: Chapter 34.05 RCW, RCW 76.09.040, [76.09.]050, [76.09.]370,76.13.120 (9). 01-12-042, § 222-16-031, filed 5/30/01, effective 7/1/01.