Wash. Admin. Code § 173-559-030 - Establishment of base flows

RCW 90.54.020 requires that perennial rivers and streams shall be retained with base flows necessary to provide for preservation of wildlife, fish, scenic, aesthetic, and other environmental values and navigational values. Under this provision, base flows for stream management units of a basin are established which describe discharge rates at stream measurement stations in each unit. The following subsections, WAC 173-559-030(1) through (4), establish these requirements for WRIA 59:

(1) In the Colville River basin, monitoring of base flows will take place at the following control points:

Table 1 Stream Management Units

Stream Management Unit and Control Station Number	Control Station Location by River-Mile, and Sec- tion Township and Range		Stream Management Reach
Upper Colville River		32.1	Colville River
No. 12.4080.00		Sec. 31, T. 33 N.,	from confluence
		R. 40 E.W.M.	with Stensgar
			Creek to
			confluence of
			Sheep Creek
			and Deer Creek.
Lower Colville River		5.0	Colville River
No. 12.4090.00		Sec. 29, T. 36 N.,	from confluence
		R. 38 E.W.M.	with Lake
			Roosevelt to
			confluence with
			Stensgar Creek.

(2) In the Colville River basin, base flows for the stream management units in WAC 173-559-030(1) are set in Table 2 as follows:

Table 2 Base Flows in the Colville River basin

(in Cubic Feet Per Second)

Month	Day	Upper Colville (12.4080.00)	Lower Colville (12.4090.00)
Jan.	1	30	80
	15	30	80
Feb.	1	30	80
	15	38	100
Mar.	1	47	124
	15	59	157
Apr.	1	76	200
	15	76	200
May	1	49	200
	15	32	135
Jun.	1	20	90
	15	17	70
Jul.	1	15	55
	15	13	43
Aug.	1	11	33
	15	11	33
Sep.	1	14	40
	15	18	49
Oct.	1	22	60
	15	27	70
Nov.	1	35	84
	15	43	100
Dec.	1	43	100
	15	36	90

(3) Figure 1, base flow hydrographs for selected stations, shall be used to define base flows on those days not identified in WAC 173-559-030(2).

(4) All surface water rights, established by appropriation in the Upper Colville and Lower Colville stream management units after adoption of this regulation, shall be subject to the base flows set in WAC 173-559-030(1) through (3). However, these base flows will not apply to in-house domestic use and stock watering use, if an alternate source is not available to satisfy these uses. If the cumulative impact of numerous single in-house domestic use diversions is determined to substantially affect a stream's base flow or existing rights, then new permits for this use may be denied.

Figure 1 BASE FLOW HYDROGRAPH FOR SELECTED STATIONS

Click to view image

Notes

Wash. Admin. Code § 173-559-030

Order DE 77-6, § 173-559-030, filed 7/22/77.