PDFWAC 173-532-030

Establishment of instream flows.

(1) The instream flows established in this chapter are based on the recommendations of the planning unit; consultation with the departments of fish and wildlife, agriculture, and community, trade, and economic development; the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation; and public input received during the rule-making process.
(2) Instream flows established here are water rights, which protect stream flows from future consumptive appropriations. The instream flow recommendations submitted by the planning unit received the unanimous vote of the planning unit. In accordance with RCW 90.82.080 (2)(a), and unanimous vote of the planning unit, the priority date of the instream flows is the effective date of this chapter.
(3) Instream flow rights shall be protected from impairment by junior water rights and by all future changes and transfers of senior and junior water rights.
(4) Instream flows, expressed in cubic feet per second (cfs), are measured at the management points identified in WAC 173-532-025. For reaches that do not have management points, the flows established for the nearest management point or points (where a tributary with a management point contributes to such flow) apply to those reaches.
(5) Instream flows are established for the stream management units in WAC 173-532-025, as indicated in Table II.
Table II
Instream Flows in the Walla Walla River Basin
(cubic feet per second)
 
Stream Management Unit
Month
Mill Creek
MP 1 (Mill Creek at Kooskooskie),USGS Gage No. 14013000
Walla Walla River
MP 5a (Walla Walla River at Detour Road), Department Gage No. 32A100
North Fork Touchet River,
MP 6a (North Fork Touchet above Dayton), Department Gage No. 32E050
Touchet River
MP 11 (Touchet River at Bolles), Department Gage No. 32B100
 
January
 
110
 
250
 
95
 
150
 
February
 
125
 
250
 
95
 
150
 
March
 
150
 
350
 
125
 
200
 
April
 
150
 
350
 
125
 
200
 
May
 
125
 
250
 
125 Closure
 
200 Closure
 
June
 
100 Closure
 
Closure
 
95 Closure
 
125 Closure
 
July
 
53 Closure
 
Closure
 
65 Closure
 
74 Closure
 
August
 
41 Closure
 
Closure
 
53 Closure
 
48 Closure
 
September
 
41 Closure
 
Closure
 
51 Closure
 
56 Closure
 
October
 
48 Closure
 
Closure
 
63 Closure
 
82 Closure
 
November
 
100 Closure
 
Closure
 
95 Closure
 
150 Closure
 
December
 
110
 
250
 
95
 
150
[Statutory Authority: Chapters 90.82, 90.54, 90.22, 90.03, and 90.44 RCW. WSR 07-17-007 (Order 04-08), § 173-532-030, filed 8/2/07, effective 9/5/07; Order DE 77-30, § 173-532-030, filed 12/14/77.]