Washington Administrative Code
Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508)
Chapter 173-509 - Instream resources protection program - Green-Duwamish River basin, water resource inventory area (WRIA) 9
Section 173-509-030 - Establishment of instream flows
Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1) Instream flows are established for stream management units with monitoring to take place at certain control stations as follows:
STREAM MANAGEMENT UNIT INFORMATION
Control Station No. Stream Management Unit Name |
Control Station by River Mile and Section, Township and Range |
Affected Stream Reach Including Tributaries |
||
12.1130.00 Green River near Auburn, WA |
32.0 17-21-5 |
From influence of mean annual high tide at low instream flow levels (approximately River Mile 11.0) to USGS Gage #12.1067.000 |
||
12.1067.00 Green River near Palmer, WA |
60.4 13-21-7 |
From USGS Gage #12.1067.000 to headwaters. |
The Palmer gage will be used to condition future water rights upstream from that gage. The Auburn gage will be used to condition future water right appropriations downstream from the Palmer gage. If it becomes necessary to change a control station location to improve measurement accuracy or management capability, the department shall do so under provisions in WAC 173-500-060(6).
(2) Instream flows established for the stream management units in WAC 173-509-030(1) are as follows:
INSTREAM FLOWS FOR FUTURE WATER RIGHTS IN THE
GREEN-DUWAMISH RIVER BASIN
(in Cubic Feet per Second)
Month |
Day |
12,1130.00 Normal Year Green River Near Auburn |
12,1067.00 Normal Year Green River Near Palmer |
12.1067.00 Critical Year Green River Near Palmer |
Jan. |
1 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
15 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
|
Feb. |
1 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
15 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
|
Mar. |
1 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
15 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
|
Apr. |
1 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
15 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
|
May |
1 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
15 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
|
June |
1 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
15 |
650 |
300 |
210 |
|
July |
1 |
550 |
300 |
150 |
15 |
300 |
150 |
150 |
|
Aug. |
1 |
300 |
150 |
150 |
15 |
300 |
150 |
150 |
|
Sept. |
1 |
300 |
150 |
150 |
15 |
300 |
150 |
150 |
|
Oct. |
1 |
300 |
190 |
150 |
15 |
350 |
240 |
150 |
|
Nov. |
1 |
550 |
300 |
190 |
15 |
550 |
300 |
240 |
|
Dec. |
1 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
15 |
650 |
300 |
300 |
The department recognizes that from time to time the Corps of Engineers may establish a minimum reservoir level which is necessary to provide conservation flows with a high measure of assurance. When the reservoir falls below this level it may be necessary for the Corps of Engineers to replenish conservation storage. When this occurs, water rights subject to the provisions of this chapter may be temporarily regulated or diminished and the actual stream discharge diminished.
(3) Instream flows, as represented in Figure 1, shall be used for definition of instream flows on those days not specifically identified in WAC 173-509-030(2).
FIGURE 1 - PROPOSED INSTREAM FLOWS FOR FUTURE WATER RIGHTS IN THE
GREEN-DUWAMISH RIVER BASIN
(4) All consumptive water rights hereafter established shall be expressly subject to the instream flows established in WAC 173-509-030(1) through (3). However, nothing in this section shall prohibit the release or diversion of stored water or the use of any water course as a means for its conveyance in accordance with RCW 90.03.030.
Statutory Authority: Chapters 43.21B, 43.27A, 90.22 and 90.54 RCW. 88-13-037 (Order 88-11), § 173-509-030, filed 6/9/88. Statutory Authority: RCW 90.22.020, 90.54.020 and 90.54.040. 80-07-005 (Order DE 79-32), § 173-509-030, filed 6/6/80.