Washington Administrative Code
Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508)
Chapter 173-518 - Water resources management program for the dungeness portion of the Elwha-Dungeness water resource inventory area (WRIA) 18
Section 173-518-070 - Future groundwater appropriations
Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
All new groundwater appropriations must comply with the provisions of this chapter.
(1) Based on the hydrogeology of the basin, ecology determines that surface water and groundwater sources within the Dungeness watershed are hydraulically connected.
(2) If connection to a public water supply is not available in a timely and reasonable manner, then a new withdrawal from another well is allowed. Written evidence that connection is not available must be provided to ecology or the county before another well may be used for a new withdrawal.
A new permit-exempt withdrawal may receive water from an existing group domestic water system operating under the groundwater permit exemption. The new withdrawal will be considered an additional and separate exemption.
(3) New groundwater rights, including permit-exempt withdrawals under RCW 90.44.050, may be obtained that are not subject to the instream flows established in WAC 173-518-040 or to the closures established in WAC 173-518-050 if all statutory requirements are met and any of the following situations apply:
(4) All new wells drilled must comply with state well drilling requirements in chapter 173-160 WAC, in particular the provisions to prevent contamination between aquifers in WAC 173-160-241.
(5) New permits for groundwater withdrawals may include a provision requiring that the permittee allow ecology employees access to the well and any associated measuring device upon request at reasonable times.
Statutory Authority: Chapters 90.54, 90.22, 90.82, 90.03, 90.42, and 90.44 RCW. 12-23-054 (Order 07-17), § 173-518-070, filed 11/16/12, effective 1/2/13.