_____

The following article on the November 10 meeting held by the 24th District's

legislative team appeared in the

<http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/sited/story/html/222436>
Peninsula Daily

News. The link is to the truncated online version of the article.

>From the perspective of the Olympic Water Users Association, this was a
very

successful event, bringing the Department of Ecology and the community at

large to the same place to open a new dialogue on instream
flows and related

water issues.

_____

300 attend talks on water rules in Port Townsend

State lawmakers get earful at public forum

by Jeff Chew

PENINSULA DAILY NEWS

PORT TOWNSEND - They came from as far away as Seattle and Carnation to

passionately state their cases against and for a state-proposed in-stream

flow rule.

But a crowd of at least 300 Jefferson County residents Thursday night made

it as clear as the water they consume: the Department of Ecology's rule

aimed at ensuring water for humans and salmon is bad for Jefferson County.

Bad for agriculture, bad for business, bad for water and property rights,

bad science, bad public relations, and a bad bureaucratic process.

More than 30 speakers testified, mainly to that effect, in a packed Fort

Worden Commons as state Rep. Lynn Kessler, D-Hoquiam, listened.

The House Majority Leader, who organized the forum, was joined by North

Olympic Peninsula Rep. Jim Buck, R-Joyce, and Hoquiam Democratic Sen. Jim

Hargrove.

Their district includes Jefferson and Clallam counties, as well as most of

Grays Harbor County.

"We are here to listen," said Kessler, who facilitated the forum.

The meeting was far more civil than the name-calling, accusatory initial

in-stream flow forums held in September.

Joe Stohr, special assistant to Ecology Director Jay
Manning, appeared to

calm the crowd at the outset by reading a conciliatory, apologetic statement

from Ecology.

"We will work to correct any mistakes or inappropriate statements that

disrupted the watershed management effort in WRIA 17. We apologize for any

problems that we may have caused," Stohr read
from the

<http://www.olywater.org/Quilcene_Commitments.pdf>
Department of Ecology's

Committment to th
eQuilcene-Snow Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA
17).

Stohr called for a new process that builds on the
good work done by the WRIA

17 planning unit and involves all residents in the water basin.

Taking him up on the offer was Norm MacLeod, representing 72 members in the

newly formed Olympic Water Users Association, which is now seeking nonprofit

status.

MacLeod proposed forming a water resources management board in the county to

work with Ecology and water and wildlife interests.

He said Ecology grant dollars would be needed to do so because he saw such

an effort as an experiment.

"At this point we have a chance for the first time to work with DOE - make
a

better rule," said MacLeod

"We have an opportunity to work toward a future that includes water for

people, water for fish."

Cooperation urged

He urged those in the audience to work with Stohr,
bringing all knowledge

and thoughts to the table with Ecology.

"This night does not represent a 'we won'. This night represents we can
work

together," MacLeod said.

"We saw something was wrong, we complained about it ... we have to work to

make it right."

Today, residents and farmers can use up to 5,000 gallons per day per home.

Under the proposed rule, that would be cut back considerably.

The last proposed cutback was to 350 gallons per day per home, but could

change, officials said Thursday night.

The rule also calls for closure of the Big Quilcene
River from March 1 to

Nov. 15 and Chimacum Creek from March 1 to Nov. 30 to
new water

appropriations.

It closes other water bodies in the area year-round to future water rights.

Existing water rights would not be affected under the proposal, but new

applications would, Ecology officials stress.

Islands such as Marrowstone would be closed to new
groundwater withdrawals

under the new rule unless otherwise approved.

Small farmers concerned

Dennis Schultz, a small-scale farmer and county Planning Commission member,

said he spends $20,000 a year for goods and services, selling his produce to

Port Townsend Farmers Market.

He estimated as many as 100 small agriculture operations in the county that

count on water rights to stay in business.

"When are we going to say enough is enough," Schultz said, urging the
state

to spend as much time on the "human aspects" as with stream flows for
salmon

habitat.

William Neal, representing the Washington State Groundwater Association,

argued that so long as agriculture and other uses return water to the

ground, a problem should not exist.

"Where does that water go? Does it go to Mars? It goes right back into the

basin," Neal said, adding that stream flows are actually improved when
water

is returned to the ground during summer months.

He urged municipalities to develop sewage treatment systems that reclaim and

reuse water.

Jim Tracy, who now represents Fred Hill Materials Inc. in Jefferson County,

told the lawmakers that Stohr was not the problem.

"The Department of Ecology is the problem," he said, drawing loud
applause.

Ecology statement

The Ecology statement issued Thursday to the audience states: "We support

local small-scale farming and are committed to developing workable solutions

for farmers and salmon, including recognition of the Kim case as settled law

that allows the use of 5,000 gallons a day in support of agricultural

purposes."

The Ecology statement also called for solutions by providing access to

technical expertise and available funding sources for improved water

resource management, including modern irrigation techniques to make the most

of efficient water use.

Businesses needed

Port Townsend real estate agent Nancy Stellow urged
that more businesses get

involved in the process. She has applied for a WRIA 17 planning unit

position.

Paula Macro, North Olympic Salmon Coalition director, also urged the public

to get involved in a process she has worked at for 12 years.

She said summer chum salmon returns were showing marked improvement as a

result of restoration projects in the county.

Stohr said interested persons should contact him at
360-407-7015 or e-mail

at [email-masked].

The WRIA 17 planning unity meets again at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Point Hudson

Marina Room, 103 Hudson Street.

_____

--

Posted by WRIA 17 to WRIA

<http://wria17.blogspot.com/2005/11/300-attend-talks-on-water-rules-in.html>

17 at 11/11/2005 10:37:00 AM

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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