FY 2003 Columbia Cascade proposal 29055

Additional documents

TitleType
29055 Narrative Narrative
29055 Sponsor Response to the ISRP Response
29055 Powerpoint Presentation Powerpoint Presentation

Section 1. Administrative

Proposal titleColumbia Cascade Water Rights Acquisition
Proposal ID29055
OrganizationWashington Department of Ecology (WA Ecology)
Proposal contact person or principal investigator
NameHedia Adelsman
Mailing addressPO Box 47600 Olympia WA 98504
Phone / email3604076222 / hade461@ecy.wa.gov
Manager authorizing this projectJoe Stohr
Review cycleColumbia Cascade
Province / SubbasinColumbia Cascade / Columbia Upper Middle
Short descriptionAcquire 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 speciesSpring and summer chinook, sockeye, summer steelhead, and bull trout.
Project location
LatitudeLongitudeDescription
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 agencyAction #BiOp AgencyDescription
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

YearAccomplishment

Section 3. Relationships to other projects

Project IDTitleDescription

Section 4. Budget for Planning and Design phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2003 costSubcontractor
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
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Objective 1. Continue to expand task 1, 2, and 3 2004 2005 $207,500
Outyear budgets for Planning and Design phase
FY 2004FY 2005
$103,750$103,750

Section 5. Budget for Construction and Implementation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2003 costSubcontractor
Objective 1. Acquire up to 30 cfs by the end of FY 2005 Funding acquisitions ongoing $400,000
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated 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 2004FY 2005
$400,000$400,000

Section 6. Budget for Operations and Maintenance phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2003 costSubcontractor
Outyear objectives-based budget
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Outyear budgets for Operations and Maintenance phase

Section 7. Budget for Monitoring and Evaluation phase

Task-based budget
ObjectiveTaskDuration in FYsEstimated 2003 costSubcontractor
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
ObjectiveStarting FYEnding FYEstimated cost
Objective 2. Continue task 1 and 3 2004 2005 $62,250
Outyear budgets for Monitoring and Evaluation phase
FY 2004FY 2005
$31,125$31,125

Section 8. Estimated budget summary

Itemized budget
ItemNoteFY 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 forecast0.0%
Cost sharing
OrganizationItem or service providedAmountCash 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.

Recommendation:
Fundable only if response is adequate
Date:
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?


Recommendation:
High Priority
Date:
May 17, 2002

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.
Recommendation:
Fund
Date:
Jun 7, 2002

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.


Recommendation:
Date:
Jul 19, 2002

Comment:

Statement of Potential Biological Benefit to ESU
Improve 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


Recommendation:
C
Date:
Jul 26, 2002

Comment:

Recommend deferral to Subbasin Planning or submission to Water Entity.
Recommendation:
Do Not Fund
Date:
Oct 30, 2002

Comment: