FY 2003 Columbia Cascade proposal 29055
Contents
Section 1. General administrative information
Section 2. Past accomplishments
Section 3. Relationships to other projects
Section 4. Budgets for planning/design phase
Section 5. Budgets for construction/implementation phase
Section 6. Budgets for operations/maintenance phase
Section 7. Budgets for monitoring/evaluation phase
Section 8. Budget summary
Reviews and Recommendations
Additional documents
Title | Type |
---|---|
29055 Narrative | Narrative |
29055 Sponsor Response to the ISRP | Response |
29055 Powerpoint Presentation | Powerpoint Presentation |
Section 1. Administrative
Proposal title | Columbia Cascade Water Rights Acquisition |
Proposal ID | 29055 |
Organization | Washington Department of Ecology (WA Ecology) |
Proposal contact person or principal investigator | |
Name | Hedia Adelsman |
Mailing address | PO Box 47600 Olympia WA 98504 |
Phone / email | 3604076222 / hade461@ecy.wa.gov |
Manager authorizing this project | Joe Stohr |
Review cycle | Columbia Cascade |
Province / Subbasin | Columbia Cascade / Columbia Upper Middle |
Short description | Acquire senior water rights for instream flows in targeted small streams and tributaries to restore critically needed water for spawning, rearing and migration of listed and depressed species within the Wenatchee, Methow, Okanogan and Entiat subbasins. |
Target species | Spring and summer chinook, sockeye, summer steelhead, and bull trout. |
Project location
Latitude | Longitude | Description |
---|---|---|
48.64 | -119.54 | Okanogan subbasin |
47.7 | -120.77 | Wenatchee subbasin |
48.49 | -120.22 | Methow subbasin |
47.85 | -120.44 | Entiat subbasin |
Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs)
Sponsor-reported:
RPA |
---|
151 |
Relevant RPAs based on NMFS/BPA review:
Reviewing agency | Action # | BiOp Agency | Description |
---|---|---|---|
NMFS | Action 151 | NMFS | BPA shall, in coordination with NMFS, experiment with innovative ways to increase tributary flows by, for example, establishing a water brokerage. BPA will begin these experiments as soon as possible and submit a report evaluating their efficacy at the end of 5 years. |
BPA | Action 151 | NMFS | BPA shall, in coordination with NMFS, experiment with innovative ways to increase tributary flows by, for example, establishing a water brokerage. BPA will begin these experiments as soon as possible and submit a report evaluating their efficacy at the end of 5 years. |
Section 2. Past accomplishments
Year | Accomplishment |
---|
Section 3. Relationships to other projects
Project ID | Title | Description |
---|
Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase
Task-based budget
Objective | Task | Duration in FYs | Estimated 2003 cost | Subcontractor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Objective 1. Increase and protect instream water to benefit at risk salmonid populations and allow stream habitat to recover in the four subbasins Strategy 1. Generate interest, and knowledge of the program. Strategy 2. Conduct public outreach--marketing | Task1. Identify potential critical water rights acquisition areas | ongoing | $32,750 | |
Objective 1 | 2. Evaluate water rights proposals (e.g., validity of the right, benefit to fish, evaluation of rights downstream) | ongoing | $38,250 | Yes |
Objective 1 | 3. Negotiate Purchases/leases, determine fair market value, prepare final transactions, and tranfer the rights to the trust water program. | ongoing | $32,750 | |
Objective 1 | $0 |
Outyear objectives-based budget
Objective | Starting FY | Ending FY | Estimated cost |
---|---|---|---|
Objective 1. Continue to expand task 1, 2, and 3 | 2004 | 2005 | $207,500 |
Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase
FY 2004 | FY 2005 |
---|---|
$103,750 | $103,750 |
Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase
Task-based budget
Objective | Task | Duration in FYs | Estimated 2003 cost | Subcontractor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Objective 1. Acquire up to 30 cfs by the end of FY 2005 | Funding acquisitions | ongoing | $400,000 |
Outyear objectives-based budget
Objective | Starting FY | Ending FY | Estimated cost |
---|---|---|---|
Objective 1. Continue to acquire water rights until the end of the contract (2003-2005) | 2004 | 2005 | $800,000 |
Outyear budgets for Construction and Implementation phase
FY 2004 | FY 2005 |
---|---|
$400,000 | $400,000 |
Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase
Task-based budget
Objective | Task | Duration in FYs | Estimated 2003 cost | Subcontractor |
---|
Outyear objectives-based budget
Objective | Starting FY | Ending FY | Estimated cost |
---|
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase
Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
Task-based budget
Objective | Task | Duration in FYs | Estimated 2003 cost | Subcontractor |
---|---|---|---|---|
Objective 2. Collect and analyze data and information about the water rights acquisition program to assess its success and needs for improvements. | 1. Verify and valide the purchase or lease conditions | ongoing | $6,375 | |
2. Purchase and install gages and meters | ongoing | $20,000 | ||
3. Monitor stream flow, evaluate physical and biological conditions in the affected areas and track and report pertinent information. | $24,750 |
Outyear objectives-based budget
Objective | Starting FY | Ending FY | Estimated cost |
---|---|---|---|
Objective 2. Continue task 1 and 3 | 2004 | 2005 | $62,250 |
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
FY 2004 | FY 2005 |
---|---|
$31,125 | $31,125 |
Section 8. Estimated budget summary
Itemized budget
Item | Note | FY 2003 cost |
---|---|---|
Personnel | FTE: 1FTE plus administrative support | $64,000 |
Fringe | $14,820 | |
Supplies | $3,475 | |
Travel | $2,000 | |
Indirect | $29,580 | |
Capital | $420,000 | |
Subcontractor | appraisor | $21,000 |
$554,875 |
Total estimated budget
Total FY 2003 cost | $554,875 |
Amount anticipated from previously committed BPA funds | $0 |
Total FY 2003 budget request | $554,875 |
FY 2003 forecast from 2002 | $0 |
% change from forecast | 0.0% |
Cost sharing
Organization | Item or service provided | Amount | Cash or in-kind |
---|---|---|---|
Department of Ecology | Fund marketing activites--develop local interest in water right acquisition program, generate interest, partner with land trust, water trusts and others to provide targeted information | $30,000 | in-kind |
Fund additional resources needed to evaluate the water rights, monitor, and carry out enforcement activities | $34,000 | in-kind | |
Funding water acquisitions | $500,000 | cash |
Reviews and recommendations
This information was not provided on the original proposals, but was generated during the review process.
Fundable only if response is adequate
Mar 1, 2002
Comment:
A response is needed to show if the acquisitions are backed by watershed assessments, prioritization criteria could be explained further, and methods for monitoring and evaluation by WDFW need to be explained. See the ISRP programmatic comments at the beginning of this report.This is a proposal for the Washington Department of Ecology to participate in a 50-50 matching program with BPA to acquire senior water rights for instream flows in targeted small streams and tributaries to restore critically needed water for spawning, rearing and migration of listed and depressed species within the Wenatchee, Methow, Okanogan and Entiat subbasins. Federally listed and state depressed fish species are present and in need of restoration. All of these subbasins are over-appropriated, with water rights that precede the state's instream flow and Trust Water Right programs. Thus, rights would have to be purchased or leased to obtain instream flows for fish. Streams would be targeted for the program with a prioritization scheme already in place (itemized in the proposal) under the Trust program (which has been implemented in other basins and in these basins to a limited extent). Streams would be those with a history of flow problems and listed species, rated by importance for life-history use, condition of habitat, number of diversions, size of stream, amount of water needed to make a difference, and opportunities for water right acquisitions. The state Trust would purchase or lease rights and hold them in WDOE's name.
This is a well-prepared proposal. The work is justified on the basis of the Council's Fish and Wildlife Program, the BiOp's RPA 151, and the goals and objectives of each of the relevant Subbasin Summaries. The work is also justified on the basis of the Department's own recent history of water right acquisitions (examples are provided that persuasively demonstrate the WDOE's ability to carry out the program). There are established criteria for prioritizing acquisitions. Objectives, strategies and tasks are well laid out. There were several relevant references cited, and brief resumes were provided for staff. The essentially 50-50 cost sharing between WDOE and BPA is a positive impetus.
A few questions remain, however, that should be answered in a brief response. Although the general operating criteria for the program were listed for prioritizing acquisitions, there was no reference to specific watershed assessments other than the subbasin summaries and their general goals and strategies. Have more specific watershed assessments been done to guide the initial efforts toward identification and evaluation of site-specific water needs and potentially available water rights? Also, the ISRP team would like to know how use of the general criteria actually worked when applied to the subbasins already targeted. Although monitoring and evaluation of physical and biological responses to the acquired water rights are included in the objectives and tasks, they are referred to WDFW for implementation without any methods provided. How will WDFW incorporate monitoring specifically for these acquisitions in its overall subbasin monitoring efforts?
Comment:
M&E not adequately described. Is the water guaranteed to remain in streams? What is the criteria for purchasing rights? The priority of this project depends on the status of the development of the BPA water banking strategy. Subbasin planning will also help guide the implementation of this effort. Capital funds should be removed from the first year and focus should be applied to reviewing the database and prioritizing purchases for the out years. The budget has been reduced to reflect this. NMFS has identified this project as a BiOp project.Comment:
Fundable. This is a proposal for the Washington Department of Ecology to participate in a 50-50 matching program with BPA to acquire senior water rights for instream flows in targeted small streams and tributaries to restore critically needed water for spawning, rearing and migration of listed and depressed species within the Wenatchee, Methow, Okanogan and Entiat subbasins. Federally listed and state depressed fish species are present and in need of restoration. All of these subbasins are over-appropriated, with water rights that precede the state's instream flow and Trust Water Right programs. Thus, rights would have to be purchased or leased to obtain instream flows for fish. Streams would be targeted for the program with a prioritization scheme already in place (itemized in the proposal) under the Trust program (which has been implemented in other basins and in these basins to a limited extent). Streams would be those with a history of flow problems and listed species, rated by importance for life-history use, condition of habitat, number of diversions, size of stream, amount of water needed to make a difference, and opportunities for water right acquisitions. The state Trust would purchase or lease rights and hold them in WDOE's name.This is a well-prepared proposal. The work is justified on the basis of the Council's Fish and Wildlife Program, the BiOp's RPA 151, and the goals and objectives of each of the relevant Subbasin Summaries. The work is also justified on the basis of the Department's own recent history of water right acquisitions (examples are provided that persuasively demonstrate the WDOE's ability to carry out the program). There are established criteria for prioritizing acquisitions. Objectives, strategies and tasks are well laid out. There were several relevant references cited, and brief resumes were provided for staff. The essentially 50-50 cost sharing between WDOE and BPA is a positive impetus.
The response adequately answered the ISRP's questions. The response provided five types of watershed assessments that have been prepared for the tributaries of the Wenatchee, Entiat, Methow, and Okanogan subbasins. These assessments should be sufficient to identify the water needs for use in guiding priorities for this project. The response described the criteria used for similar work in other subbasins, which the proponents cautiously view as successful (as new and a pilot program). There is good reason to believe that the proposed project could be successful using these criteria. The response described the development of a comprehensive monitoring strategy in Washington State, which would be the mechanism for long-term monitoring of the biological efficacy of the proposed water right acquisitions.
Comment:
Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESUImprove instream flows in Upper Columbia River subbasins. Project could potentially increase spawning and rearing survival.
Comments
Actions in the Entiat, Methow, and Wenatchee River are already required. Those in the Okanogan are not completely required. BOR is committed to resolving passage and flow problems in all but Okanogan. Request seems premature in that it is not yet know how much water, if any may be available for purchase. In many cases, flow improvement may be most efficiently and acceptably be achieved via change in point of diversion or conservation. Subject proposal assumes water purchase will be a significant tool. In either case, it will be important that the state is able to timely process water right changes and trust transfers to enable federal agency efforts to improve stream flows. Might be better to await the further development of BOR flow improvement effort before establishing water brokerages in priority subbasins.
Already ESA Req? No
Biop? Yes
Comment:
Recommend deferral to Subbasin Planning or submission to Water Entity.Comment: