Washington Administrative Code › Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508) › Chapter 173-100 - Groundwater management areas and programs › Section 173-100-040 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
For the purposes of this chapter the following definitions
				shall apply:
(1) "Aquifer" means a
			 geologic formation, group of formations or part of a formation capable of
			 yielding a significant amount of groundwater to wells or springs.
(2) "Department" means the Washington state
			 department of ecology.
(3)
			 "Groundwater" means all waters that exist beneath the land surface or beneath
			 the bed of any stream, lake or reservoir, or other body of surface water,
			 whatever may be the geological formation or structure in which such water
			 stands or flows, percolates or otherwise moves.
(4) "Groundwater advisory committee" means a
			 committee appointed by the department to assist in the development of a
			 groundwater management program.
(5)
			 "Groundwater area or subarea" means a geographic area designated pursuant to
			 RCW
			 90.44.130.
(6) "Groundwater management area" means a
			 specific geographic area or subarea designated pursuant to this chapter for
			 which a groundwater management program is required.
(7) "Groundwater management program" means a
			 comprehensive program designed to protect groundwater quality, to assure
			 groundwater quantity and to provide for efficient management of water resources
			 while recognizing existing groundwater rights and meeting future needs
			 consistent with local and state objectives, policies and authorities within a
			 designated groundwater management area or subarea and developed pursuant to
			 this chapter.
(8) "Groundwater
			 management zone" means any depth or stratigraphic zone separately designated by
			 the department in cooperation with local government for groundwater management
			 purposes within a groundwater management area. Groundwater management zones may
			 consist of a specific geologic formation or formations or other reasonable
			 bounds determined by the department consistent with the purposes of this
			 chapter.
(9) "Groundwater right"
			 means an authorization to use groundwater established pursuant to
			 chapter
			 90.44 RCW, state common or
			 statutory law existing prior to the enactment of
			 chapter
			 90.44 RCW, or federal
			 law.
(10) "Groundwater user group"
			 means an established association of holders of groundwater rights located
			 within a proposed or designated groundwater management area.
(11) "Lead agency" means the agency appointed
			 by the department to coordinate and undertake the activities necessary for the
			 development of a groundwater management program. Either the department or an
			 agency of local government may be the lead agency.
(12) "Local government" means any county,
			 city, town, or any other entity having its own incorporated government for
			 local affairs including, but not limited to, a metropolitan municipal
			 corporation, public utility district, water district, irrigation district,
			 and/or sewer district.
(13) "Local
			 government legislative authority" means the city or town council, board of
			 county commissioners, special district commission, or that body assigned such
			 duties by a city, county or district charter as enacting ordinances, passing
			 resolutions, and appropriating funds for expenditure.
(14) "Probable groundwater management area"
			 means a specific geographic area identified by the department, in cooperation
			 with other state agencies, local government and groundwater user groups, as a
			 candidate area for designation as a groundwater management area pursuant to
			 this chapter.
Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				  90.44.400. 86-02-004 (Order DE 85-24), §
				  173-100-040, filed 12/20/85.