Watershed Planning Act

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The Watershed Planning Act was established by the Legislature in 1997 to set a framework for developing local solutions to watershed issues in Washington. Between 1998 and 2012, 44 watershed-based planning groups developed plans and 33 groups adopted their plans. As planning was completed, the effort switched focus to watershed management. A few of these watershed groups continue to implement priority actions from their plans. - WDOE 2021

https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=90.82

Notes

• This is one of the original drivers of Watershed Planning
• Did this act establish the WRIA system or was that already in place?
• What are current funding levels or prospects?
• It is unclear how these plans affect ecosystem state in the absence of funding sources that actively reference these plans.
• Originally passed in 1997 to create a framework for "local solutions to watershed problems"
• watershed plan archive - https://ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-supply/Streamflow-restoration/Watershed-plan-archive
• The Streamflow Restoration Law of 2018 prompted by the Hirst Decision in 2016 has driven updated consideration of watershed functions.