Ecology meeting set next week in Sequim June 7th, 2005 - 8:46am (Sequim) -- The Department of Ecology is sponsoring an open house in Sequim next week to provide information about a water-management rule that soon will be proposed for the Quilcene-Snow watershed. The watershed includes part of the Sequim Bay watershed, Miller Peninsula in eastern Clallam County and parts of eastern Jefferson County. The regulation would guide how much water is available in the future for households and businesses, while also protecting fish runs. The open house will be on June 15th from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the public meeting room at John Wayne Marina. You'll be able to review a preliminary draft of the regulation. Ecology hopes to enter formal rule-making on a final draft in August. The department has been working with local planning groups in east Jefferson and east Clallam counties to reach agreement on what should be included in the regulation. The rule would establish minimum flow requirements for most creeks in the basin, including Chimacum, Salmon, Snow, Tarboo, Johnson, Jimmycomelately and Thorndyke creeks, and the Big Quilcene and Little Quilcene rivers. It also would establish maximum water-allocation limits above the proposed stream-flow levels for the Big Quilcene River and Chimacum Creek. High flows aid fish migration, flush sediments and help maintain stream channels and stream-side habitat. Existing or "senior" water rights would not be affected, including wells that are exempt from permits or people who receive supplies from municipal or community water systems. Limited amounts of underground (ground) water also would be set aside for future use by new households and small businesses.
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