Washington Administrative Code › Title 222 - Forest Practices Board › Chapter 222-16 - Definitions › Section 222-16-030 - Water typing system

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
Until the fish habitat water type maps described below are
				adopted by the board, the Interim Water Typing System established in WAC
				222-16-031 will continue to be
				used. The department in cooperation with the departments of fish and wildlife,
				and ecology, and in consultation with affected Indian tribes will classify
				streams, lakes and ponds. The department will prepare water type maps showing
				the location of Type S, F, and N (Np and Ns) Waters within the forested areas
				of the state. The maps will be based on a multiparameter, field-verified
				geographic information system (GIS) logistic regression model. The
				multiparameter model will be designed to identify fish habitat by using
				geomorphic parameters such as basin size, gradient, elevation and other
				indicators. The modeling process shall be designed to achieve a level of
				statistical accuracy of 95% in separating fish habitat streams and nonfish
				habitat streams. Furthermore, the demarcation of fish and nonfish habitat
				waters shall be equally likely to over and under estimate the presence of fish
				habitat. These maps shall be referred to as "fish habitat water typing maps"
				and shall, when completed, be available for public inspection at region offices
				of the department.
Fish habitat water type maps will be updated every five years
				where necessary to better reflect observed, in-field conditions. Except for
				these periodic revisions of the maps, on-the-ground observations of fish or
				habitat characteristics will generally not be used to adjust mapped water
				types. However, if an on-site interdisciplinary team using nonlethal methods
				identifies fish, or finds that habitat is not accessible due to naturally
				occurring conditions and no fish reside above the blockage, then the water type
				will be immediately changed to reflect the findings of the interdisciplinary
				team. The finding will be documented on a water type update form provided by
				the department and the fish habitat water type map will be updated as soon as
				practicable. If a dispute arises concerning a water type the department shall
				make available informal conferences, as established in WAC
				222-46-020 which shall include
				the departments of fish and wildlife, and ecology, and affected Indian tribes
				and those contesting the adopted water types.
The waters will be classified using the following
				criteria:
(1)
"Type S
			 Water"
means all waters, within their bankfull width, as inventoried as
			 "shorelines of the state" under
			 chapter
			 90.58 RCW and the rules
			 promulgated pursuant to
			 chapter
			 90.58 RCW including
			 periodically inundated areas of their associated wetlands.
(2)
"Type F Water"
means
			 segments of natural waters other than Type S Waters, which are within the
			 bankfull widths of defined channels and periodically inundated areas of their
			 associated wetlands, or within lakes, ponds, or impoundments having a surface
			 area of 0.5 acre or greater at seasonal low water and which in any case contain
			 fish habitat or are described by one of the following four categories:
(a) Waters, which 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 F 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) Waters, which are diverted for use by
			 federal, state, tribal or private fish hatcheries. Such waters shall be
			 considered Type F 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 F Water designation provided the department determines after a
			 landowner-requested on-site assessment 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) Waters, which are within a federal,
			 state, local, or private campground having more than 10 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, trail or other park improvement;
(d) Riverine ponds, wall-based channels, and
			 other channel features that 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
			 habitat stream and accessible during some period of the year; and
(ii) The off-channel water must be accessible
			 to fish.