Washington Administrative Code
Title 332 - Natural Resources, Board and Department of (See also Title 222)
Chapter 332-30 - Aquatic land management
Section 332-30-163 - River management

(1) Use and/or modification of any river system shall recognize basic hydraulic principles, as well as harmonize as much as possible with the existing aquatic ecosystems, and human needs.

(2) Priority consideration will be given to the preservation of the streamway environment with special attention given to preservation of those areas considered esthetically or environmentally unique.

(3) Bank and island stabilization programs which rely mainly on natural vegetative systems as holding elements will be encouraged.

(4) Research will be encouraged to develop alternative methods of channel control, utilizing natural systems of stabilization.

(5) Natural plant and animal communities and other features which provide an ecological balance to a streamway, will be recognized in evaluating competing human use and protected from significant human impact.

(6) Normal stream depositions of logs, uprooted tree snags and stumps which abut on shorelands and do not intrude on the navigational channel or reduce flow, or adversely redirect a river course, and are not harmful to life and property, will generally be left as they lie, in order to protect the resultant dependent aquatic systems.

(7) Development projects will not, in most cases, be permitted to fill indentations such as mudholes, eddies, pools and aeration drops.

(8) Braided and meandering channels will be protected from development.

(9) River channel relocations will be permitted only when an overriding public benefit can be shown. Filling, grading, lagooning or dredging which would result in substantial detriment to navigable waters by reason of erosion, sedimentation or impairment of fish and aquatic life will not be authorized.

(10) Sand and gravel removals will not be permitted below the wetted perimeter of navigable rivers except as authorized under a departments of fisheries and game hydraulics permit (RCW 75.55.100). Such removals may be authorized for maintenance and improvement of navigational channels.

(11) Sand and gravel removals above the wetted perimeter of a navigable river (which are not harmful to public health and safety) will be considered when any or all of the following situations exist:

(12) Sand and gravel removals above the wetted perimeter of a navigable river will not be considered when:

(13) Bank dumping and junk revetment will not be permitted on aquatic lands.

(14) Sand and gravel removal leases shall be conditioned to allow removal of only that amount which is naturally replenished on an annual basis.