"NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   (1) The legislature finds that accumulation of sediment and gravel in certain rivers of the state may be a contributing factor to threats faced by farmland and by successful recovery or enhancement efforts for certain fish populations.
     (2) The legislature further finds that improperly managed river systems may contribute to erosion and an associated reduction in acreage of productive farmland and the functions of riparian zones. This loss could be a factor in warming of river waters, flooding in residential areas, loss of recreational access to rivers, and loss of public infrastructure.
     (3) The legislature further finds that commissioning a collaborative process to further the process of addressing river management in the state will be useful in providing a model of collaboration moving forward throughout the state.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1)(a) The state conservation commission must take the administrative lead in a process to evaluate the effectiveness, legal barriers, and costs of various river management strategies and techniques. Each identified strategy and technique must be compared in regards to their value in accomplishing the following goals:
     (i) The protection of agricultural lands;
     (ii) The restoration or enhancement of fish runs; and
     (iii) The protection of public infrastructure and recreational access.
     (b) The various river management strategies and techniques reviewed by the process established in this act must ultimately be decided by the expertise panel required by this act. In developing a list of strategies and techniques to review, the following factors must be considered:
     (i) The types of techniques that are most likely to result in decreased localized flooding events;
     (ii) The types of data or analysis that are required to ensure those techniques are appropriately sited and implemented;
     (iii) Potential impacts and benefits to fish and wildlife and their habitats that may result from the recommended techniques and how negative impacts can be eliminated or minimized;
     (iv) Potential impacts to downstream structures, properties, public access and other uses, and safety; and
     (v) The frequency and duration of post-project monitoring.
     (c) The process required by this act must also result in recommendations regarding funding mechanisms and incentives designed to encourage participation in flood reduction programs. Funding recommendations may include federal grants, federal loans, state grants and loans, private donations, or, if other funding sources do not appear to be available, legislative appropriations from the biennial omnibus capital appropriations act or omnibus operating appropriations act.
     (2) The state conservation commission, as administrative lead, is responsible for creating timelines, arranging and chairing the meetings of the expertise panel required in this act, and reporting the conclusions of the expertise panel.
     (3) The end product of the implementation of this act must be developed by an expertise panel appointed by the executive director of the state conservation commission. This expertise panel must include, at a minimum, representatives of the following:
     (a) The department of agriculture;
     (b) The department of natural resources;
     (c) The department of fish and wildlife;
     (d) The department of ecology;
     (e) Local and statewide agricultural organizations;
     (f) Land conservation organizations;
     (g) Local governments with interest or experience in the use of river management techniques to provide for flood control; and
     (h) Any other perspective deemed insightful by the executive director.
     (4) The state conservation commission must offer all interested Indian tribes the opportunity to send representatives to participate on the expertise panel required under this act or to serve as a co-administrative lead with the state conservation commission in the implementation of this act.
     (5) The work product resulting from the implementation of this act must include an opinion regarding the appropriateness and feasibility of conducting river management demonstration projects. If demonstration projects are found to be appropriate and feasible, a proposed detailed outline for one or more demonstration projects that could be conducted to test various river management strategies and techniques must be developed. Any proposed outline must be of sufficient detail as to allow for a decision by future legislatures as to whether to authorize and fund the project or projects. At a minimum, the proposal must include recommendations as to:
     (a) The river system or systems where the demonstration projects should occur;
     (b) The time of year when projects should occur and other steps to ensure compliance with chapter 77.55 RCW;
     (c) Steps that should be taken to avoid or reduce turbidity in the rivers during the projects;
     (d) The disposition of any gravel removed from rivers during a demonstration project, if a project calls for gravel removal;
     (e) The most efficient way for all necessary federal, state, and local permits and approvals, if any, to be obtained;
     (f) The appropriate timelines and benchmarks;
     (g) The expected results; and
     (h) The proposed funding amount needed to conduct the projects.
     (6)(a) In implementing this act, the expertise panel must examine river management techniques being studied or implemented in other jurisdictions or currently underway in Washington.
     (b) The requirements of (a) of this subsection must include a review of river management techniques conducted in the Fraser river, British Columbia, Canada, for any practices that are potentially applicable in Washington.
     (7) This act must be implemented in a way that coordinates with other flood control and river management efforts in Washington.
     (8) The findings, conclusions, and recommendations resulting from the implementation of this act must be reported to the legislature, consistent with RCW 43.01.036, by October 31, 2015.
     (9) This section expires June 30, 2016."