Washington Administrative Code › Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508) › Chapter 173-517 - Water resources management program for the Quilcene-Snow water resource inventory area (WRIA 17) › Part A - TERM FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS; RELATIONSHIP OF ECOLOGY AND THE WUTC; AND RELATIONSHIP OF ECOLOGY AND THE GOVERNING BOARDS OF CONSUMER-OWNED UTILITIES UNDER CHAPTER 80.8 › Section 173-517-030 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions
				  apply. If these definitions differ from those in related rules, the definitions
				  presented here shall apply for this chapter:
(1) "Allocation" means the designating of
				specific amounts of water.
(2)
				"Appropriation" means the process of legally acquiring the right to specific
				amounts of water for beneficial uses, as consistent with ground and surface
				water codes and other applicable statutes. This term refers to both surface and
				groundwater right permits and to groundwater withdrawals exempted from permit
				requirements under
				RCW
				   90.44.050.
(3) "Commercial agriculture" means the
				production of crops for sale, crops intended for widespread distribution (e.g.,
				markets), and nonfood crops such as hay and lavender. Commercial agriculture
				includes livestock production and livestock grazing. Commercial agriculture
				does not include crops grown for household consumption (e.g., household
				vegetable gardens or fruit trees).
(4) "Consumptive use" means a beneficial use
				of water that diminishes the amount or quality of water in the water
				source.
(5) "Domestic use" means
				use of water associated with human health and welfare requirements, including
				water used for drinking, bathing, sanitary requirements, cooking, laundering
				and other incidental household uses, including potable domestic water
				requirements associated with commercial and industrial purposes.
(6) "Ecology" means the Washington state
				department of ecology.
(7) "Group
				domestic system" means domestic use of the groundwater exemption for two or
				more residences.
(8) "Hydraulically
				connected" means saturated conditions exist that allow water to move between
				two or more sources of water, either between surface water and groundwater or
				between groundwater sources.
(9)
				"Individual user" means all uses on an individual parcel or adjoining parcels
				under common ownership that do not qualify as a group domestic
				system.
(10) "Instream flow" means
				a stream flow level set in rule to protect and preserve wildlife, fish, scenic,
				aesthetic, recreation, water quality and other environmental values, and
				navigational values. The term "instream flow" means a base flow under
				chapter
				90.54 RCW, a minimum flow
				under chapter 90.03
				or 90.22 RCW, or a minimum instream flow under chapter 90.82 RCW.
(11) "Interruptible use" means a use,
				authorized under a water right, which must cease diversion or withdrawal when
				stream flows fall below the instream flow levels established in this
				rule.
(12) "Mitigation plan" means
				a plan, submitted to and approved by ecology, to offset the impacts of a
				proposed consumptive use. A mitigation plan may address impacts to a stream,
				basin, reach, or other area, for an individual withdrawal or for multiple
				withdrawals in a subbasin.
(a) A mitigation
				plan must show that the proposed withdrawal with mitigation in place, will not:
Impair existing water rights, including instream flow
				  rights;
Be detrimental to the public interest; or
Consume water from a closed source.
(b) The plan must include financial
				assurance, ensure mitigation measures for the duration of the water use and
				prohibit water provided for the purpose of mitigation from appropriation for
				any other purpose.
(c) The plan
				must include a monitoring and reporting plan, including a quality
				assurance/quality control plan.