ESSB 5180 - H AMD 309 FAILED 4-25-99

By Representative Lambert

On page 81, after line 34, insert A(23) Within the general fund--state appropriations provided in this section, the department shall conduct a pilot project with at least two representative and willing drainage districts in cooperation with the conservation commission, local farmers, and other interested parties. The purpose of the pilot project is to develop interim guidelines to serve as a model for application state-wide. The department shall update and distribute the irrigation and fish pamphlet describing the methods of watercourse maintenance activities. The department shall adopt rules applicable to watercourse maintenance activities. The department shall adopt these rules in cooperation with the affected communities and other interested parties. The department shall develop rules for watercourse maintenance activities that will use, divert, obstruct, or change the natural flow or bed of any of the salt or fresh waters of the state. Rules shall include criteria for differentiation of wholly artificial watercourses from natural watercourses that have been altered by man. Following the adoption of the rules, the department shall update and distribute the irrigation and fish pamphlet describing the methods of watercourse maintenance activities that are approved under the rules. The pamphlet serves as the hydraulic project approval for any project that is conducted solely for watercourse maintenance and that is conducted as described in the pamphlet. No further hydraulic project approval is required for such a project. Nothing in this section prohibits the department from requiring a hydraulic project approval for those parts of hydraulic projects that are not specifically described in the pamphlet. The pilot will focus on natural watercourses that have been substantially altered by humans in previous times and are commonly referred to as drainage ditches. Management practices will be developed that provide for occasional maintenance to remove build up of silt and noxious weeds, such as reed canary grass, in a manner that does not decrease, and where possible increases, fish habitat and water quality in these watercourses. The growing of shade trees on one side of drainage ditches as a means of discouraging growth of reed canary grass while providing improved fish and wildlife benefits shall be considered. The project shall also include an investigation, in cooperation with the department of ecology, of the adequacy of storm water programs for upland urbanized land that may drain into the project area. Any local jurisdictions with inadequate storm water programs will be notified accordingly. The department of fish and wildlife shall submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the legislature by December 1, 2000, concerning the pilot projects.@