WALLA WALLA WATER 2050

Appendix D. Irrigation Diversions for the Non-Growing Season __________________________________ 183 Appendix E. Strategy Details _________________________________________________________________________188 Appendix F. Comment Summary ____________________________________________________________________196 Works Cited ________________________________________________________________________________________________198 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 viii WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 1 ABBREVIATIONS Abbreviation Defined AMI Advanced Metering Infrastructure ANTD Agreements Not to Divert ASR Aquifer Storage and Recharge AVA American Viticultural Area BMLT Blue Mountain Land Trust BMP Best management practices CCD Columbia Conservation District cfs Cubic feet per second (unit of measure for volumetric rate of water flow) CLFP Critical Low-Flow Plan CM Creek mile CPRAS Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System CRBG Columbia River Basalt Group CREP Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program CRP Conservation Reserve Program CTUIR Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation CURB Creating Urban Riparian Buffers Program CWA Clean Water Act DEQ Oregon Department of Environmental Quality DFC Desired Future Conditions DOH Department of Health Ecology Washington State Department of Ecology EDT Ecosystem Diagnostic Testing EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act GFID Gardena Farms Irrigation District #13 GHG Greenhouse Gas GMA Growth Management Act GPD Gallons per day GSI Green stormwater infrastructure GWIS Geographic Water Information System WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 2 Abbreviation Defined HBDIC Hudson Bay District Improvement Company HPA Hydraulic Project Approval HUC Hydrologic Unit Code IFIM Instream Flow Incremental Methodology IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ISF Rule Instream Flow Rule LWP Local water plans LWWR Little Walla Walla River MAR Managed Aquifer Recharge MCWG Mill Creek Work Group MFWCD Milton-Free Water Control District NAIP National Agriculture Imagery Program NASS National Agricultural Statistics Service NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NFWF National Fish and Wildlife Foundation NGO Non-governmental Organization NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NRCS National Resources Conservation Service NRI Natural Resource Investment OCR Office of the Columbia River ODW Office of Drinking Water OHA Oregon Health Authority OR Oregon ORDEQ Oregon Department of Environmental Quality OWRD Oregon Water Resources Partnership The Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership PCB Polychlorinated biphenyls PCSRF Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund PEIS Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement PHABSIM Physical Habitat Simulation System RCP Representative Concentration Pathway RCO Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office RM River mile SEPA State Environmental Policy Act WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 3 Abbreviation Defined SMA Shoreline Management Act SMP Shoreline Management Program SRSRB Snake River Salmon Recovery Board SPAC Strategic Plan Advisory Committee SWMPA Serious Water Management Problem Area SWSMP Small Water System Management Program TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load UGA Urban growth area UGB Urban growth boundary UIC Underground Injection Control USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USDA United States Department of Agriculture USFS U.S. Forest Service USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service USGS U.S. Geological Survey VSP Voluntary Stewardship Program WA Washington WAC Washington Administrative Code WDFW Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife WRIA Washington’s Water Resource Inventory Area WRTS Water Rights Tracking System WSDA Washington State Department of Agriculture WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation WSP Water System Plan WST Water Science Team WSU Washington State University WUE Water Use Efficiency WWBWC Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council WWCCD Walla Walla County Conservation District WWRID Walla Walla River Irrigation District WWT Washington Water Trust WWTP Wastewater treatment plants WWW2050 Walla Walla Water 2050 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 5 INTRODUCTION The Walla Walla Basin was once an ecologically healthy and thriving region—the fertile lands and many waters supported tribal life and ensured an abundance of First Foods. Throughout the 20th century, the basin has transformed into an economically prosperous agricultural hub with thriving urban centers, a flourishing tourist destination, and a popular outdoor recreation area. However, the steady development over this century has had measurable environmental impacts on the basin, leading to issues such as overused water, channelized and fragmented floodplains, and population declines and extirpation of certain native wildlife species. Today, the Walla Walla Basin is a hydrologically, jurisdictionally, and biologically complex watershed, extending across Washington and Oregon state lines. Ensuring adequate water—for people, irrigated agriculture, and instream flows for fish and wildlife—is a challenge in the basin, particularly in the summer when demand is the highest. Despite the myriad of organizations and entities who have worked for years to improve water quality and address water management issues in the basin, its health and productivity are constrained by the factors below:  Low streamflows compounded by irrigation diversions.  Concrete and/or incised stream channels, levees, weirs, and other alterations.  Point-source and non-point-source pollution.  Declining water levels in the alluvial and basalt aquifers.  Increased stream temperatures and degraded habitat for fish and other species.  Climate change driving drastic changes in temperature and habitats.  Over-allocated water supply for out of stream uses.  Historic loss of fisheries production (salmonids). Over the last three decades there have been significant efforts to address water management in the basin with several collaborative planning processes and completion of many on the ground projects. To further respond to a need for leadership on basin water resource management, the Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership (the Partnership) kicked off in 2009 as a 10-year pilot program that allowed local decision-making and flexibility in water management. The 2019 Washington State Legislature (the Legislature) extended this pilot through June 30, 2021, to allow the pilot to perform internal and external evaluations, build upon previous pilot program efforts, continue Walla Walla River flow enhancement technical work, and develop this 30-year integrated water resource management strategic plan. This plan aims to identify and prioritize key strategies to balance and harmonize the basin’s threatened ecosystem health with the continued growth and prosperity of its human inhabitants. LEGISLATIVE AUTHORIZATION The Legislature passed Senate Bill 5352 in 2019 which tasked the Partnership and the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) to collaboratively develop a 30-year strategic plan for water management in the Walla Walla Basin. Together with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 6 Reservation (CTUIR) and stakeholders on both sides of the state border, the partners began this process, dubbed “Walla Walla Water 2050” (WWW2050), in late 2019. The WWW2050 process extended from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021. The Legislature required the following by June 30, 2021:  The Office of the Washington State Auditor will conduct a performance audit and a financial audit to evaluate the Partnership pilot program since 2008.  Advance the Walla Walla Basin bi-state flow enhancement study and its recommendations, including any necessary environmental reviews for near-term actions.  Develop a report to the Legislature recommending the scope and scale of an integrated water resource management strategic plan, including a funding approach and organizational structure, to achieve desired outcomes for the basin.  Collaborate to develop a 30-year integrated water resource management strategic plan (including a draft and final programmatic environmental impact statement) and explore interstate agreements to maximize integrated water resource management. PROCESS AND PARTICIPANTS This WWW2050 Strategic Plan reflects a two-year planning effort by Ecology, the Partnership, CTUIR, and Washington and Oregon stakeholders to guide water resource decisions for the next 30 years in the Walla Walla Basin. To facilitate the WWW2050 Strategic Plan process, Ecology, the Partnership, and CTUIR created a Strategic Plan Advisory Committee (SPAC) consisting of diverse and representative basin stakeholders. The SPAC met approximately monthly from May 2020 to June 2021 to develop a package of recommended strategies to achieve desired future conditions by 2050. The SPAC operated by consensus to incorporate diverse basin stakeholder perspectives, address the challenges of bi-state water resource management, and draw on local knowledge. Throughout this process, a Coordinating Committee—comprising representatives from Ecology, the Partnership, and CTUIR—guided and supported the SPAC, providing feedback on draft materials and ensuring a smooth and effective process to meet goals and timelines. Working Groups consisting of subject matter experts and various basin stakeholders also supported the SPAC by identifying, researching, and analyzing potential strategies for consideration. Five Working Groups convened over the course of this project, focusing on the following areas: data, studies, and monitoring; water supply needs; ecological function; land use; and implementation strategies. The Working Groups gathered and relied on completed studies and assessments, ongoing work by government agencies and private sector scientists, and the expertise of Working Group members to develop potential strategies for inclusion in the plan. The efforts of the SPAC, Coordinating Committee, and Working Groups culminated in this strategic plan which encompasses solutions from the basin's varied stakeholders, including interests in both states; regional tribes; local residents and farmers; environmental and conservation groups; and local, state, and federal governments. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 7 DESIRED FUTURE CONDITIONS FOR THE BASIN The long-term health of the watershed depends on achieving specific planning goals (or “desired future conditions”) over the next 30 years, summarized in Table 1 below: Table 1. Summary of desired future conditions for the basin. Focus Area Desired Future Conditions Floodplains, Critical Species, Habitat, & Water Quality The basin’s critical species need increased access to existing high-quality habitat as well as significant restoration of currently degraded habitat. Functional floodplains provide benefits to instream flows, aquifers, instream and riparian habitat, and water quality. The plan seeks to balance the restoration of healthy floodplains with adequate flood risk management to improve ecological benefits and protect communities and the region’s economy. Further, improving water quality by meeting Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements in area rivers, streams, and specific river reaches will help protect and enhance both human health and aquatic species’ health and habitat. Water quality conditions often directly relate to other watershed dynamics, meaning that achieving desired conditions for water quality parameters will often also assist in meeting water supply and habitat goals. − Achieve healthy, natural floodplain function − Increase access to quality habitat − Increase riparian cover − Increase river channel complexity and naturalize channelized streams − Restore a natural sediment transport regime − Meet TMDL targets − Increase critical fish species population and abundance levels necessary to meet delisting criteria, support sustainable natural production, and provide a fishery for Tribes and the community Water Supply, Streamflows, & Groundwater The desired future condition for streamflow means finding a balance of meeting instream and out-of-stream water needs; supporting regional agriculture, cities, and industry; and providing for the water and habitat needs of fish and other species’ instream flow goals identified in the bi-state flow study and WWW2050 Strategic Plan. For groundwater, the desired future condition is one where all basin aquifers have ecologically functioning and stable water levels. − Build resiliency and redundancy in the agricultural irrigation water supply to meet current and future water demand − Stabilize aquifer levels to support water resources and water for people and farms − Improve instream flows to meet instream flow targets for critical species − Increased natural infiltration, acreage, and duration of inundation WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 8 Focus Area Desired Future Conditions Land Use & Flood Control When achieved, the following goals will help achieve a healthy and thriving watershed. These goals focused on land use topics of floodplain management, stormwater quality, and the health of the forested headwater regions as they relate to water quality in the basin. − Reduced flood risk for people and cities − Meet TMDL targets − Create climate resilience for basin water resources Quality of Life Water quality and flowing streams impact overall quality of life and the economy of the watershed. Rivers and creeks provide direct recreation and tourism opportunities like boating, fishing, and swimming, while enhancing other activities like birding, hiking, camping, and viticulture tourism. − Sustain and improve quality of life in the Walla Walla Valley by supporting, community health with clean and reliable water supply, opportunities for outdoor recreation and sustainable tourism Monitoring & Metering Monitoring and metering support achievement of the desired future conditions described above. − Increase streamflow, habitat, and water use monitoring to support better water resource management and adaptive management RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES The SPAC (supported by the Implementation Strategies Working Group) developed an integrated package of strategies to achieve desired future conditions. The Working Group provided a comprehensive list of strategies for the SPAC’s consideration and the SPAC further developed and refined these strategies into a package through a series of facilitated meetings, active working sessions, and a SPAC member survey to gauge relative importance to respective member entities. An explicit goal of the planning process was to generate strategies that (when fully implemented) meet multiple water resource benefits for floodplains and habitat, water quality, water supply and efficiency, and monitoring and metering. SPAC analyzed strategies across the following attributes:  Implementation tool: type of action required to implement the strategy.  Implementation timeline: when the bulk of the strategy will be funded and/or implemented.  Cost: estimated cost of implementation.  Ease of implementation: relative feasibility of implementation. Based on these conversations and analysis, SPAC ranked the strategies into three tiers with Tier 1 being the highest priority and Tier 3 being the relatively lowest priority. These tiers were used to help illuminate priorities, given that strategies will compete for time and resources in the short-term. However, strategies in Tier 3 are not considered “low priority” and should still be considered WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 9 important components of the overall package of strategies. Refer to Table 3, Table 4, and Table 5 for a summarized list of strategies in the order of the number of desired future conditions met. NEXT STEPS Expanding upon the SPAC’s work in 2020–2021, the following additional tasks will need to be completed as a “Phase II” effort following the end of this process (after June 30, 2021):  Further develop implementation details for strategies. Many strategies included in the plan need additional implementation details, such as detailed calculation of costs, funding mechanism(s), sequencing considerations, implementation lead or partners, and implementation timeline.  Develop an adaptive management strategy. An adaptive management strategy will help address the inherent uncertainties and assumptions underlying this strategic plan while increasing assurance that this plan’s strategies will achieve desired future conditions.  Develop an education and outreach strategy. Implementation will be more effective with the development of an education and outreach strategy focused on the needs and challenges in the basin and the importance of successful implementation.  Develop a strong, sustainable, funding strategy. A strong funding strategy that matches needs with potential funding sources and prioritizes competing funding needs is critical for successful plan implementation.  Agree upon a bi-state management approach and administrative structure. Because the Walla Walla Basin crosses state lines between Washington and Oregon, a bi-state management approach is necessary to successfully implement this plan and provide an administrative structure that is sustainable and effective into the future. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 10 Table 2. Strategy summary tables – legend. Category Primary focus area of the strategy Implementation Tool Type of action required to implement the strategy Implementation Timeline When the bulk of the strategy will be funded and/or implemented Cost Estimated cost of implementation Ease of Implementation Relative feasibility of implementation Water quality Education & outreach Short term (0-5 years) <$150K In place Streamflows & groundwater Land management change Long term (>5 years) $150K - $500K Ready to go Water supply & efficiency Monitoring & measuring $500K - $1M Not ready to go but forecasted to be straightforward Floodplains & habitat Physical construction $1M - $3M Challenging Monitoring & metering Policy or regulation change $3M - $10M Very challenging Policy & regulatory Research and analysis >$10M Transaction based Water management change WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 11 Table 3. Tier 1 strategies summary table (presented in order of number of desired future conditions met). # Tier 1 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 1.01 Reconnect floodplain and restore channel complexity Basin wide to reduce flood risk and improve habitat 13 1.02 Support the ongoing analyses of the Bi-State Flow Study and work toward a recommendation on implementation of the preferred alternative 12 1.03 Direct additional winter flow down the Little Walla Walla River to support alluvial aquifer recharge and stream function 10 1.04 Water rights acquisitions (short-term, long-term, and split season) to restore streamflows 8 1.05 Improve and expand managed aquifer recharge (MAR) 8 1.06 Improve fish passage and habitat conditions in weired and concrete channel sections of flood control project in Mill Creek 8 1.07 Restore and protect riparian habitat along tributaries, small streams, and the Walla Walla River Basin wide 7 1.08 Decrease surface water diversions or substitute for basalt wells during low flow periods 6 1.09 Protect and improve fish passage at Nursery Bridge and implement levee setback projects upstream and downstream of Milton Freewater 6 1.10 Develop an overarching monitoring strategy and adaptive management plan for fish, habitat, and water to inform actions and evaluate effectiveness 6 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 12 # Tier 1 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 1.11 Address legal implications of Bi-State surface water management and protection of instream flow across the state border and protection of instream flow within States 6 1.12 Improve flow and timing of fish passage through the Hofer Dam fishway 6 1.13 Expand and support Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) to maintain groundwater quality and capacity 5 1.14 Improve coordination and response to drought management Basin-wide 5 1.15 Expand and fund streamflow gages throughout the Basin 4 1.16 Increase coordination and enforcement of floodplain and riparian regulations and management between Counties and State water management entities 4 1.17 Increase infiltration of stormwater rather than discharge to surface water bodies and improve coordination and management 4 1.18 Upgrade Dayton wastewater treatment plant to meet Ecology requirements and watershed community environmental goals 4 1.19 Improve fish passage at Gose Street long term 4 1.20 Improve agricultural irrigation water use metering and reporting programs in WA and OR by installing telemetry and improving data use by agencies and water users 3 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 13 # Tier 1 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 1.21 Additional Bi-State coordination on groundwater regulation 3 1.22 Implement conservation tillage and soil erosion BMPs to decrease nonpoint source pollution 3 1.23 Improve fish passage at Bennington Diversion Dam 3 Table 4. Tier 2 strategies summary table (presented in order of number of desired future conditions met). # Tier 2 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 2.01 Manage forested portion of the Walla Walla Watershed to maximize snow/water retention and inundation 6 2.02 Strategic piping of irrigation ditches to modernize irrigation infrastructure and benefit streamflows 5 2.03 Implement improved and additional municipal water conservation strategies such as detecting and repairing leaks, implementing tiered water rates, installing advanced smart meters, updating drought response programs, decreasing irrigated landscapes, and planting native species 5 2.04 Encourage on-farm Best Management Practices (BMPs) for water retention and efficiency 5 2.05 Improve forecasting system for high-flow and flood events to help water managers make real-time and fast decisions 5 2.06 Conduct education and outreach related to local flood response plans with specific guidance for 5 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 14 # Tier 2 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met emergency response procedures to better protect floodplain function and riparian health 2.07 Improve on-farm irrigation application efficiency 4 2.08 Update channel migration zone mapping and update flood inundation maps 4 2.09 Invest in outreach to community members, elected officials, planning departments and the real estate community related to stream and riparian health 4 2.10 Substitute small scale off-channel stored water for surface water diversions where possible 3 2.11 Develop a detailed forest management plan for water supply in the upper Mill Creek Watershed 3 2.12 Minimize impact to South Fork Walla Walla River by providing alternative access to cabins on private land 3 2.13 Conduct systematic surface water quality monitoring to provide baseline data and inform management 2 2.14 Conduct habitat status and trends monitoring 2 2.15 Incentivize hook up to city sewer systems in lieu of septic systems where feasible 2 2.16 Conduct outreach to agricultural entities and other landowners to provide tools around implementing livestock BMPs and pesticide use BMPs 2 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 15 # Tier 2 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 2.17 Encourage Low Impact Development (LID) and urban lawn BMPs in urban areas and small towns 2 2.18 Review existing exempt well mitigation program WA; Consider expansion of mitigation program for other uses in WA 1 2.19 Improve water right regulation and enforcement 1 Table 5. Tier 3 strategies summary table (presented in order of number of desired future conditions met). # Tier 3 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 3.01 Restore flushing flows to Yellowhawk 6 3.02 Conduct targeted outreach to urban and suburban landowners located on small streams related to stream and riparian health 6 3.03 Community educational opportunities to teach conservation practices and overall watershed health 5 3.04 Strategically plan to supply water to development outside city limits. Encourage keeping development small and compact in urban growth areas and develop associated incentives 4 3.05 Implement soil and water quality testing for MAR sites 4 3.06 Conduct fish status, trends, and distribution monitoring 4 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 16 # Tier 3 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 3.07 Provide incentives and assistance for converting from higher demand water use crops to lower water demand crops 3 3.08 Conduct outreach related to levee setback projects through Dayton and Waitsburg 3 3.09 Implement Mill Creek General Investigation (GI) action related to threshold of diversion to Bennington Lake 3 3.10 Engage on salmonid recovery related policy as identified in Salmon Recovery Plans and State salmon recovery strategies 3 3.11 Maintain and increase public access to rivers and streams in the Walla Walla Basin through the creation of trails, parks, and public access points 3 3.12 Implement erosion control on roadside cut banks 2 3.13 Review WDFW diversion to Bennington Lake to ensure that streamflow is not impaired 2 3.14 Expand stormwater monitoring 2 3.15 Implement incentives to encourage rural developments to annex 2 3.16 Grow opportunities for employment in water reliant outdoor recreation jobs in the Basin 2 3.17 Basin-wide assessment of sediment and bedload management build-up 1 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 17 # Tier 3 Strategy Category Tool Timeline Cost Ease of Implementation # of Desired Future Conditions Met 3.18 Study and analyze feasibility and benefits of flow enhancement in the LWWR 1 WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 INTRODUCTION 18 1. INTRODUCTION WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 INTRODUCTION 19 1.1 PURPOSE As a requirement of RCW 90.92.050, the Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership (Partnership) is developing a 30-year integrated water resource management strategic plan in coordination with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Reservation (CTUIR). The purpose of this strategic planning effort, known as Walla Walla Water 2050 (WWW2050), is to improve streamflows and water supplies throughout the bi-state watershed over the course of the next 30 years. The WWW2050 approach seeks to integrate goals and solutions from the basin's diverse stakeholders in both Washington and Oregon (including residents, farmers, environmental and conservation groups, and local, state, and federal governments) to achieve a holistic and viable long-term plan for water use in the basin. This strategic plan intends to serve as a planning and policy-making tool that is accessible for both technical and non-technical audiences. The plan provides a broad summary of key accomplishments and ongoing work in the basin as well as a description of current watershed conditions and consensus-based desired future watershed conditions. A critical function of the plan is to present prioritized short- and long-term strategy recommendations that will help realize the desired future conditions of the watershed. 1.2 GOALS & OBJECTIVES The overarching goals of this effort are to:  Holistically address the basin’s longstanding struggle to balance instream and out-of-stream uses and future demand to ensure enough water for fish, farms, and people.  Identify and prioritize the strategies, projects, initiatives, and/or programs needed to address challenges and achieve short and long-term goals for the watershed.  Develop an organizational structure that ensures accountability and implement the strategy.  Achieve clarity around legal framework and regulatory scheme, including bi-state coordination and water rights management.  Obtain adequate/dedicated funding to support the plan. This plan is considered a “Phase I” effort and focuses primarily y on the first and second bulleted goals above. A subsequent “Phase II” effort will begin after June 30, 2021 and will continue to address all five goals above. 1.3 PLAN AUTHORITY & SCOPE In 2009, the Washington State Legislature (the Legislature) authorized the creation of a 10-year “Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership Pilot Program” in the Walla Walla Basin. In 2019, Senate Bill 5352 extended the program, providing additional funding for monitoring and auditing WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 INTRODUCTION 20 until June 30, 2021. During the extension period, the Legislature authorized the Partnership and Ecology to collaboratively develop a 30-year strategic plan for water management in the Walla Walla Basin, as stated in RCW 90.92.050 (2) (c): “Collaborate with the department in the development of a thirty-year integrated water resource management strategic plan, including a draft and final programmatic environmental impact statement, and explore interstate agreements to maximize integrated water resource management.” RCW 90.92.050 also requires the Partnership to continue collaboratively advancing work on the Walla Walla Bi-State Flow Enhancement Study, framing the effort as a primary strategy of the overall WWW2050 Strategic Plan. Through the Bi-State Flow Study, a variety of Walla Walla Basin stakeholders are working to identify and evaluate strategies to increase streamflows in the Walla Walla River. The primary objective of the flow study is to improve Walla Walla River streamflow at levels that support harvestable populations of native fish species, while maintaining the long-term viability of agricultural, municipal, commercial, and residential uses of water. While focused on addressing the bi-state watershed, the strategic plan is funded and authorized only in the state of Washington and participation from the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) is both voluntary and limited in capacity. 1.4 PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Strategic Plan Advisory Committee (SPAC) At the direction of the Legislature, the Partnership, Ecology, and CTUIR created a Strategic Plan Advisory Committee (SPAC) to help shape the WWW2050 strategic planning process. Consisting of diverse and representative basin stakeholders, the committee met once a month from May 2020 to June 2021. The SPAC was responsible for developing science-based recommendations for the strategic plan that (1) incorporate diverse basin stakeholder perspectives; (2) address the challenges of bi-state water resource management; and (3) draw on local knowledge, published scientific studies, and ongoing work by government agencies and private sector scientists. Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the SPAC met virtually using WebEx as a meeting platform. Working Groups Working Groups consisting of various basin stakeholders and 10-25 subject matter experts from various agencies and organizations were established to (1) aid plan development by identifying, researching, and analyzing potential strategies and (2) formulating draft recommendations for consideration by the SPAC. Representatives from the Partnership, Ecology, and other state agencies participated in Working Group meetings and working sessions. Table 6 outlines six Working Groups focused on different topics related to water use and resource management in the basin. Working Groups met on a bi-monthly or monthly basis from May 2020 to June 2021. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 INTRODUCTION 21 Table 6. Working Group structure and function. Working Group Function Data, Studies, and Monitoring Working Group Develop initial list of resources, reports, studies, forecasts, plans, etc. to inform the Introduction and Watershed Overview chapters of the strategic plan and build content for use in the Instream and Out of Stream Work Groups. Water Supply Needs Working Group Work on Current Conditions and Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) chapters of strategic plan, specifically addressing water demand and supply across the agricultural, municipal, rural-domestic, and industrial sectors. Ecological Function Working Group Work on Current Conditions and Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) chapters of strategic plan, focusing on key topic areas including streamflows and groundwater, floodplains and flood control, surface water quality, habitat, and critical species. Land Use Working Group Consider upland management, dryland agriculture, forests, and urban/rural planning and zoning. Implementation Strategies Working Group Develop key implementation details around strategies and projects to achieve desired future conditions. Coordinating Committee Representatives from Ecology, the Partnership, and CTUIR formed a Coordinating Committee to guide and support the SPAC; provide feedback on draft materials prepared by the SPAC and Working Groups; liaise between the SPAC and the consulting team; ensure a smooth and effective process that meets goals and timelines; and review final SPAC recommendations. Figure 1 illustrates the organization and process flow between the SPAC, Coordinating Committee, and Working Groups. Refer to Appendix A for full list of SPAC, Working Group, and Coordinating Committee members. Figure 1. Strategic plan participant structure. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 22 2. WATERSHED OVERVIEW WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 23 2.1 LOCAL CONTEXT The Walla Walla Basin is a bi-state watershed located in southeastern Washington and northeastern Oregon that encompasses an area of 1,760 square miles. Approximately two-thirds of the physical watershed lies in Washington state’s Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 32 (hydro unit 17070102). The remaining one-third of the watershed is in Oregon, including the headwaters of the Walla Walla River. The watershed represents part of the ancestral home of the Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla Tribes (now called the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indians (CTUIR)) as well as ceded lands of the Nez Perce Tribe. The Walla Walla River headwaters (North and South Forks) flow out of the Blue Mountains in Oregon to form the mainstem. Further downstream in the Walla Walla Valley, the river historically functioned as a series of braided streams or distributaries. Over time, it has been confined to a mainstem channel and some distributaries have been converted to function as water management and irrigation conveyance systems. Other historic distributary channels still exist and flow from the mainstem and back into the river further downstream; for example, the East and West Little Walla Walla Rivers (LWWR) flow out of the Walla Walla River at Milton-Freewater and partly back in via surface water and groundwater infiltration downstream. The LWWR system and other distributaries more broadly across the basin are hydraulically connected to localized springs that form aquatic habitat, supply water, and host unique landscapes. The largest tributaries to the Walla Walla River are the North and South Forks of the Walla Walla River, Mill Creek, and the Touchet River—all of which flow out of headwater areas in the Blue Mountains. Like the mainstem, Lower Mill Creek was also historically a braided channel system with spring-fed tributaries and distributaries. The largest of these distributaries is Yellowhawk Creek, which currently serves as an irrigation conveyance system with a headgate delivering water to one of the largest irrigation diversions in the Washington side of the basin. The Touchet River is the largest tributary and flows from the north into the lower Walla Walla, downstream of the confluence with Mill Creek. Downstream of the confluence with the Touchet River, the Walla Walla River enters the Columbia River. This strategic plan divides the watershed into three subbasins (Figure 2):  Walla Walla River  Touchet River  Mill Creek Several distributary creeks, including Yellowhawk Creek, are aggregated into the Mill Creek subbasin due to their geographic proximity or co-management history with Mill Creek. Where appropriate, tributaries, smaller regions within each subbasin, and specific river reaches are used to focus the geographic scope of the plan. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 24 Figure 2. The Walla Walla Watershed and subbasins; Washington State Department of Ecology, 2021. See Figure 4 for more detailed map of the LWWR System. This region of the Pacific Northwest exhibits an arid climate with hot summers, cold winters, and precipitation occurring mostly within the months of October through March. Temperatures in the basin can experience significant seasonal variation with maximum temperatures rising above 38°C (100°F) in the summer and falling below -18°C (0°F) in the winter [1]. The Walla Walla Basin serves as a critical habitat for various aquatic and terrestrial species. It was historically home to many fish species including spring and fall Chinook, chum, Coho, sockeye salmon, and several trout varieties. At present day, remaining native fish populations include summer steelhead and bull trout, both of which are classified as threatened under the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA), as well as Redband trout, reintroduced spring Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytsca), Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus), Western Brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri), and other species [2]. In addition to these important aquatic species, the basin is also home to diverse bird, plant, terrestrial, and riparian species that depend on rivers, springs, wetlands, and upland habitats closely interconnected to the region’s hydrology. Due to lack of substantial snowpack in the relatively low-elevation Blue Mountain range, natural streamflows are typically low year-round, particularly in the drier summer months. In addition to WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 25 surface flows, basin water users depend heavily on groundwater sources as both a primary and supplemental water supply. The basin’s groundwater supply is derived from the Blue Mountain range’s underground aquifer systems, which consists of both shallow alluvial and basalt aquifers. The shallow alluvial aquifer, which is roughly 190 square miles and lies under a lowland portion of the basin, consists of a mixture of sedimentary rocks and water-bearing alluvial sediments overlying basalt. Comparatively, basalt aquifers span a much larger area of approximately 2,500 total square miles and extend beyond the watershed boundaries [3]. The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System (CPRAS) reports broadly characterized these basalt aquifers, which generally consist of porous interflow zones that occur between dense, low permeability basalt flow interiors. While considered the most productive of volcanic aquifers, basalt aquifers have varying levels of surface level connectivity and permeability with typically less permeability in the center layers. The Blue Mountain range’s underground aquifer systems are hydrologically interconnected with the Walla Walla River and tributaries, discharging to the river via springs and flowing through the streambed in some places while recharging tributaries and the river in other areas. In Washington, the Walla Walla Basin resides primarily in Walla Walla County; the Touchet River headwaters are in Columbia County. The Oregon portion of the basin is primarily in Umatilla County with small portions of Wallowa and Union Counties. The watershed serves as a source of drinking and municipal water to several cities with burgeoning urban centers and growing populations. Additionally, increasing numbers of rural and domestic water users in both Walla Walla and Umatilla counties rely on the watershed for their water supply. Of the estimated 142,000 residents of Walla Walla, Columbia, and Umatilla Counties, roughly 63,440 reside in the cities of Walla Walla, Milton- Freewater, College Place, Dayton, Waitsburg, and other rural and unincorporated areas that fall within the boundaries of the Walla Walla Watershed. The Walla Walla Basin has long been an important center for agricultural production. While dryland farming is prevalent in the region, much of the basin’s lowlands and floodplain are irrigated to support production of the region’s well known sweet onions, alfalfa seed, fruit orchards, vineyards, and row crops. Agricultural irrigation accounts for the majority (overall percent of water use in the basin by sector) of both surface and groundwater use in the basin. Many of the watershed’s natural surface water channels, including significant reaches of the Walla Walla River and Mill Creek through the City of Walla Walla, have been diked, channelized, straightened, or otherwise altered to serve as conveyance systems that primarily control flooding. The channels also deliver water to farms and make space for additional irrigated lands at the expense of suitable habitat for native aquatic species. Population, industry, and tourism growth projections threaten to compound the basin’s long- standing struggle to meet competing water needs across various socio-economic sectors, while ensuring instream flows that sustain healthy ecosystem functions. According to state population growth projections, the combined population of Walla Walla, Columbia, and Umatilla counties is WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 26 projected to reach164,293 by 2050.1 The projected 11 percent population increase from 2025 signals further reliance on the water resource systems of the Walla Walla Basin [4] [5]. Agricultural production has continued to serve as one of the top industries in the area, growing at a rate of nearly 1 percent per year and employing nearly 13 percent of the population within Walla Walla County [6]. Throughout the last two decades, the basin has seen tremendous winery development and growth, with over 180 established wineries bringing significant economic value to the region. These two industries are highly water dependent and face ongoing challenges around securing water to sustain current and future demand. Hydrogeologic and Cultural Overview Columbia River Basalt Group The hydrogeology of the Walla Walla Basin has evolved over the last 17 million years in a sequence of events that began with the formation of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). The CRBG covers an area that extends over 82,000 square miles (210,000 square kilometers) within what is now Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The CRBG comprises over 350 discrete lava flows that erupted as “flood basalts” over a period of 11 million years, with most eruptions occurring over just a 1.5- million-year period. Between eruptions, sediment deposits formed shale, sandstone, and local carbonate rocks that became interbedded within the lava flows. The CRGB attains thicknesses exceeding 4,000 feet and comprises most of the rock mass above an older bedrock core within the Walla Walla Basin. The CRBG basalts form much of the Blue Mountains, which uplifted, folded, and faulted in response to regional tectonic forces. They are locally overlain by a residual soil mantle that has been weathered from the basalt rock. Glacial events and Missoula floods The region underwent a series of glaciations, with the most recent occurring between 16,500 and 14,000 years ago. Various Missoula flood events that deposited fine-grained flood and lake sediments (such as the Touchet beds) in lower-lying parts of the basin marked this cold period. Wind later transported these sediments (post-glaciation) to form thick layers of “loess”—the rich, silty soil of the Palouse region that mantles much of the basin landscape and supports dryland grain crops. Formation of stream network and sediment features The modern system of rivers, distributary creeks, and springs began forming near the end of the last glacial period. These features issue from alluvial fans consisting of sand, gravel, and cobbles that formed from flows emanating from the Blue Mountains (via the Touchet River, the Walla Walla River, and Mill Creek). Sediments are coarsest at the apex of the alluvial fans—for example, at the Rocks 1 Other population projections for Umatilla (Coordinated Population Forecast for Umatilla County, its Urban Growth Boundaries (UGB), and Area Outside UGBs 2019-2069) and Walla Walla (Wall Walla County Comprehensive Plan) exist and are not substantially different than these OFM projections. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 27 District American Viticultural Area (AVA)in the Milton-Freewater vicinity—and become finer toward the downstream areas. Groundwater and surface water occurrence Groundwater occurs in both alluvial and basalt aquifers in the Walla Walla Basin. Within alluvial aquifers, pore spaces between sediments (sand and gravel) store groundwater. In the CRBG aquifers, groundwater is stored within vesicular, fractured, and faulted basalt and porous sedimentary rocks. For millennia, Blue Mountain snowpack and annual rainfall has fed surface water in the region’s rivers and creeks. Winter and year-round precipitation replenishes alluvial and basalt aquifers; river and creeks recharge aquifers directly in some locations, or groundwater flowing upward from basalt and or alluvial aquifers may recharge aquifers. Historically, the lakes and floods at the end of last glacial event likely increased recharge to the alluvial and basalt aquifers during that period. Indigenous peoples and water The Columbia River Basin and its water resources have sustained the CTUIR and their First Foods since time immemorial. The First Foods—water, fish, big game, roots, berries, and other plants— remain central to the CTUIR's culture, religion, economy, and sovereignty. In the Treaty of 1855 between the CTUIR and the United States, the CTUIR reserved rights to fish, hunt, and gather the First Foods at usual and accustomed places, including the Walla Walla River Basin. The Walla Walla River Basin is a CTUIR priority basin for restoring, protecting, and enhancing the First Foods, their habitats, and the ability for CTUIR members to exercise associated Treaty reserved rights. Agricultural and urban development in the basin In the mid-1800s, European Americans settled in the basin and began growing food crops. To support these agricultural practices, they diverted and channeled surface water and dug wells (by hand) in the alluvial aquifer, equipping them with pumps. In the early to mid-1900s, farms expanded, population increased, fuel prices dropped, and dams on the Columbia River system brought cheap hydroelectric power. The availability of water up to this point enabled skilled farmers to develop today’s economic engine and food security network in the basin. However, over time, water supply in the basin would become over-appropriated, meaning distributed paper water rights to allow water use exceeded the amount of water physically available. The founding of the City of Walla Walla in the mid-late 1800’s, followed closely by the cities of Dayton, Waitsburg, Milton, and Freewater (later to form the City of Milton-Freewater), signaled the start of large-scale urban development in the region. As the natural landscape began transforming to include urban and agricultural infrastructure, numerous small and large-scale flood reduction efforts began to take shape. These modifications drastically altered the distributary systems of the Walla Walla River and Mill Creek systems. Mill Creek and its distributaries and tributaries, known as the Mill Creek-Yellowhawk complex, have been significantly altered as an estimated 60 percent of the City of Walla Walla is in the Mill Creek floodplain. In response to flood risks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) constructed a major flood control project on Mill Creek in the 1940s which confined Mill Creek through the city and created a WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 28 flood control reservoir (Bennington Lake). The Mill Creek USACE flood control project includes significant leveed reaches and a concrete channel through and under the City of Walla Walla to help reduce flood impacts. The concrete channel portion provides minimal habitat for fish and presents fish passage barriers [7]. USACE also constructed levee system in Milton-Freewater between 1949 and 1952 to protect the City of Milton-Freewater from flooding. The Milton-Freewater flood control project includes four separate levees along approximately five miles of the Walla Walla River. The Nursery Bridge Dam was constructed in 1967 to help protect the bridge from downcutting. The dam’s fish passage structure has been damaged and does not provide adequate fish passage. Levees were also built along the Touchet River in the mid-1960s as it flows through Waitsburg and Dayton. Privately constructed dikes are also located along some reaches of the Walla Walla and Touchet Rivers. While reducing some flood impacts, levees and concrete structures have also had significant impacts on habitat, fish populations, basin hydrology, and groundwater recharge. These structures present fish passage barriers and severely reduce critical habitat. Furthermore, concrete is an impervious surface, which amplifies and speeds urban and agricultural runoff during heavy precipitation events, resulting in exacerbated flood impacts throughout the basin’s urban centers. Because runoff is not absorbed and is instead concentrated and accelerated by non-impervious surfaces, it impacts both water quality and basin hydrology. Enhanced runoff easily transports and discharges pollutants such as fertilizers, chemicals, oil, and other toxins to basin waterways, contributing to reduced water quality and suitable habitat for fish. Concrete structures also increase flow velocities that modify channel structures, create passage barriers, and reduce habitat complexity. The LWWR was once a system of meandering and spring-fed branches of the Walla Walla River; however, through water management efforts and agricultural diversions, distributaries and branches were modified to facilitate farming. Today, the overall impact of these systematic changes to LWWR surface flows—along with increased groundwater pumping for agricultural irrigation use—has led to declines in the natural recharge of the shallow alluvial aquifer and significantly reduced downstream spring branch flows [8]. As a result, water rights holders in Washington lack adequate water to meet their needs from mid-summer to mid-autumn. Reductions in alluvial groundwater have also resulted in increased use of and dependence on water from the area’s basalt aquifers, which in turn have also experienced declines. 2.2 HISTORY & ACCOMPLISHMENTS Significant Lawsuits & Adjudications Existing water rights in the Walla Walla Basin were largely allocated and adjudicated through a series of intra-state court disputes nearly a century ago. Oregon enacted its surface water code in 1909 and its groundwater code in 1955, while Washington enacted its surface and groundwater codes in 1917 and 1945, respectively. In both Washington and Oregon, surface and groundwater rights are allocated based on the prior appropriation doctrine, whereby during water short periods, senior WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 29 rights holders are entitled to their allocated water, while junior users may have their allocated water curtailed [9]. Adjudications in both states did not acknowledge terms of the 1855 Treaty between CTUIR and the United States, which reserved in perpetuity certain pre-existing rights including the right to fish at all usual and accustomed sites, hunt, gather roots and berries, and pasture animals on unclaimed lands [10]. Surface water rights on the Washington side of the Walla Walla Basin were adjudicated from 1922- 1929, except for Dry Creek (a Walla Walla mainstem tributary, adjudicated in 1952) [11]. Many surface water rights on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Basin were adjudicated as early as 1913, with the remainder settled in 1933 after the state of Washington filed a lawsuit against the state of Oregon, alleging Oregon irrigators were diverting a disproportionate amount of water. In 1936, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Oregon, concluding that Oregon diversions were not wasteful or harmful to water users in Washington and allowing potential diversion of the entire flow of the Walla Walla River in Oregon. The Supreme Court supports separate state-based management of water rights and stipulates that both states entitled to their equitable proportions of the water of the Walla Walla, on the basis of priority of appropriations [12]. In response to potential ESA violations resulting from irrigation diversions on the Walla Walla River, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) reached an agreement with Hudson Bay District Improvement Company (HBDIC), Walla Walla River Irrigation District (WWRID), and Gardena Farms Irrigation District #13 (GFID)—the basin’s three largest irrigators. The 2001 agreement required WWRID and HBDIC to bypass river flows at 25 cfs2 (27 cfs in June) and GFID to bypass flows at 18 cfs (19 cfs in June) at their diversions and maintain minimum instream flows. This important agreement has helped keep more water instream to sustain bull trout and other aquatic life and increased conservation, both on-farm and conveyance; however, it has also increased irrigation dependence on groundwater sources. In addition, the federal response absent coordination with Oregon and Washington had a limited impact, as it lacked an authority to enforce the agreed upon bypass flows. Furthermore, while the bypass agreement did improve flows, additional instream flow gains are necessary for fish recovery. The bypass agreement expired in 2007 and has been voluntarily implemented since that time. CTUIR contracted a study in 2013 to (1) identify ecological and fish flow needs in all major waterways in the Walla Walla Basin and (2) develop instream flow prescriptions that protect and enhance conditions for all life stages of priority and federally protected fish species throughout the region [13].The study compiled all instream demand data collected by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) using Instream Flow Incremental Methodology (IFIM), Physical Habitat Simulation System (PHABSIM), Tennant, and Toe-Width studies. These flow prescriptions have the potential to ensure sufficient water for protecting and restoring fish habitat, consistent with the goal of fish abundance in the basin and can help basin irrigators avoid potential ESA violations and the threat of further litigation; however, there has not been formal agreement to adopt the instream flow targets identified in the 2013 study. 2 cfs is an abbreviation of “cubic feet per second,” a unit of measurement of water in motion. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 30 Recent Studies In recent years, state and federal agencies, CTUIR, and basin stakeholders have conducted several key studies and assessments that make up the foundational body of knowledge around the basin’s current conditions and future water needs. To fill outstanding gaps in basin-wide metering and monitoring data needed to establish accurate baselines, two large-scale studies are underway today. The study findings intend to inform surface water flow improvement and groundwater storage strategies as well as broader watershed management and planning efforts. A list of additional key reports that represent significant work recently conducted within in the Walla Walla Watershed are found in Appendix B. Walla Walla Bi-State Flow Enhancement Study With the initiation of the Walla Walla Water 2050 (WWW2050) strategic planning initiative in 2020, the Walla Walla River Bi-State Flow Study (Flow Study) was reframed as one primary project in the broader context of the WWW2050 Strategic Plan. An associated task was included within the current Flow Study scope of work to coordinate the ongoing development of the Flow Study with the more recent 2050 strategic planning effort. The overarching purpose of the Flow Study is to improve streamflow in the reach of the Walla Walla River mainstem extending from the controlled diversion into the LWWR near Cemetery Bridge in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, to the confluence with the Columbia River near Wallula, Washington. The primary objective of the Flow Study is to sustain streamflow at levels that support naturally sustaining harvestable populations of native fish species, while maintaining the long-term viability of agricultural, municipal, commercial, and residential uses of water. The Flow Study identifies streamflow targets of 65 cfs for the low flow period between July 1 and November 30, and 150 cfs during the spring migration period of April 1 to May 31. A transitional flow of 100 cfs is the target for June 1 to July 1. The Flow Study aims to sustain these streamflow targets throughout the entire reach of the Walla Walla River from Cemetery Bridge to the mouth. Another objective of the Flow Study is to return to irrigators the portion of the historically diverted streamflow that they voluntarily and temporarily agreed to bypass for fish in 2000. Water conserved through implementation of publicly funded conservation projects will remain instream as required by individual conservation funding agreements and Oregon conserved water statutes. Proposed Flow Study projects may also present opportunities to accomplish secondary objectives, including addressing reduced tributary stream flow, recharging depleted groundwater, and supplementing water supply for irrigation and domestic uses. The Flow Study Steering Committee was formed in 2014 and funded by Ecology’s Office of the Columbia River (OCR) as part of OCR’s mission to develop water supply to benefit instream and out- of-stream uses. It is co-led by the Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership (the Partnership) and the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council (WWBWC) to find collaborative solutions to chronic Walla Walla River mainstem instream flow problems. The Steering Committee comprises a diverse array of stakeholders and sovereigns interested in the management and performance of the Walla WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 31 Walla River, including representatives of local, state, and federal agencies, tribes, irrigated agriculture, municipalities, and environmental organizations. The Steering Committee is currently engaged in its third phase of study after completing the Walla Walla Basin Integrated Flow Enhancement Study in 2017 and the 2019 Flow Study Update. Since its inception, the Steering Committee has considered dozens of independent projects and project combinations, seeking to identify a preferred alternative to achieve the stated streamflow targets. To date, the Flow Study has identified three primary projects and about a dozen secondary projects that are currently being evaluated in greater detail. • The three primary projects under consideration include a water source exchange (Columbia River Pump Exchange) and two new water storage reservoirs (Pine Creek Reservoir and Warm Springs Reservoir). • The secondary projects include managed aquifer recharge (MAR), aquifer storage and recovery (ASR), piping of open canals and ditches, a water market and other water conservation strategies. In 2019, the proposed site of the Pine Creek Reservoir was shifted from an upper site to a lower site in response to changes in site availability. The feasibility of the Lower Pine Creek Reservoir site is being investigated under the current scope of work, along with a new Warm Springs Reservoir site proposed in 2020. During the 2021–23 biennium, the Steering Committee intends to work with the WWW2050 planning initiative to include review of Flow Study objectives and projects within the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) required by the Washington State Legislature (the Legislature) for the WWW2050 Strategic Plan. Once a preferred alternative is further refined, a project-level Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will likely be required in the future to meet the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) requirements. Walla Walla River Basin Groundwater Study To improve understanding of the Walla Walla Watershed’s hydrologic system and fill significant data gaps in groundwater use, the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD), Ecology, and CTUIR are collaborating with the USGS to conduct a groundwater study of the watershed. By developing and refining a quantitative conceptual understanding of the Walla Walla Basin groundwater-flow system and hydrogeologic framework and budget, the study aims to inform the development of reliable flow modeling and help guide long-term watershed management and planning across state lines [14]. Furthermore, by helping strengthen the understanding of surface and groundwater dynamics, this study will inform ongoing and future management decisions and projects, including strategies identified through the WWW2050 Strategic Planning process, related to future water use, restoration, protection, MAR, and other actions to stabilize alluvial aquifer water levels in the vicinity of gaining reaches. The study is planned to be conducted over four years for a total cost of approximately $4 million, of which 40 percent will be covered by federal funds, with the remaining cost split between Oregon and Washington. The participating agencies are committed to keeping the public and basin stakeholders WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 32 informed and involved over the course of the study. OWRD has developed a public participation plan to guide engagement with local stakeholders and other interested parties over the course of the study. Virtual public presentations are to commence in spring of 2021, with an in-person event each fall. Beginning in fall 2021, a technical advisory group will convene to allow for an ongoing exchange of information and feedback as the study progresses. The study also seeks to develop and execute strategies to increase equitable access to public participation activities by better understanding specific participation needs and barriers of basin stakeholders. Prior Work and Accomplishments With growing concern around management of basin resources, stakeholders and sovereigns range across state and federal agencies, environmental groups, regional tribes, and irrigators. These entities have pursued a variety of efforts to mitigate impacts of development and implement conservation measures within the basin. Measurable progress has been made in the areas of irrigation efficiency, water conservation, groundwater recharge and storage, water quality improvement, and floodplain and habitat restoration. Appendix C details major accomplishments by program/project implementors and sponsors in further detail. Walla Walla Watershed Management Partnership Since its inception through Washington state legislation in 2009, the Partnership has built its program on the premise that a flexible management approach for conservation, flow restoration, and protection of ecological functions is key for success. Representing a breadth of basin stakeholders, the Partnership consists of irrigators, government representatives, local tribes, and environmentalists who have collaborated to pilot flexible and voluntary water management approaches and tools, such as public water rights forums, local water plans, water banking, and voluntary agreements not to divert. A key Partnership accomplishment has been its ability to facilitate productive conversations and consensus building among diverse basin interests and goals regarding water use and watershed planning [15]. There are currently 143 water rights enrolled in the Partnership’s water banking program, with a cumulative total quantity of 18,698 acre-feet3 of water. Through the Exempt Well Mitigation Exchange program, the Partnership sells mitigation credits that represent the preservation of water and in the exchange, compensate both seller and buyer and help to reduce strain on the water table. The bank contains 24.84 acre-feet of water and sold 2.75 acre-feet of water as credits to five homes; the remaining balance in the bank is capable of supplying credits to 45 additional houses (as of 2018). Furthermore, 374 acre-feet of water has been left instream through three partially implemented Local Water Plans (LWP), with a potential for 1,543 acre-feet to be left instream through an additional four approved LWPs (which are yet to be implemented or have expired). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Since 2000, Congress has provided funding for the protection, conservation, and restoration of Pacific salmon and steelhead. Through the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF), the 3 Acre-foot (af) is a unit of measurement of water stored or impounded. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 33 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) distributes those funds to states and tribes through competitive grants. Eligible projects include all phases of habitat restoration and protection activities that contribute to recovering Pacific salmon and steelhead listed under the ESA or supporting Pacific salmon and steelhead species important to tribal treaty fishing rights and subsistence fishing. Since 2000, NOAA has awarded an average of $74 million per year; appropriated 1.48 billion; leveraged 1.78 billion non-PCSRF contributions; and protected, restored, or created 1,120,000 acres of salmon habitat. City of Milton-Freewater The City of Milton-Freewater has addressed issues of water conservation and clean water supply as well as fish and wildlife habitat protection. The City has decreased annual water usage from over 900 million gallons a year in the early 2000s to 600-650 million gallons a year over the last five years. Water conservation efforts include the Smart Water Meters program established in 2010 to help identify leaks. In partnership with WWBWC, the City is conducting an ongoing study on the potential impacts to future water supplies in the upper watershed and an ASR feasibility study and design project for one of the city’s basalt wells. Through this partnership, the City has also removed a fish passage barrier on Couse Creek to improve fish habitat. For the provision of clean water supply, the City decommissioned 36 underground injection control (UIC) facilities to reduce potential inputs to the groundwater system and worked with the state of Oregon to provide clean drinking water to urban growth boundary (UGB) areas. With considerations of various benefits (including flood control, habitat protection, and clean water), the City, Milton- Freewater Water Control District (MFWCD), and WWBWC collaborated on the recertification of levees along the Walla Walla River. Confederated Tribes Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) CTUIR has a long and successful history of habitat restoration, fish passage, and streamflow improvement work throughout the basin. The CTUIR has helped bring tens of millions of fish recovery funding to the basin to improve ecological conditions for fish and to help with ESA compliance. The CTUIR co-sponsored the USACE Flow Enhancement General Investigation, which has provided the foundation for the ongoing collaborative Walla Walla Basin Integrated Flow Enhancement Study. Working with basin partners, including Blue Mountain Land Trust (BMLT) and Walla Walla County Conservation District (WWCCD), the CTUIR has acquired over 2,800 acres of critical habitat (including riparian and upland areas) for protection, conservation, and reconnection purposes. Much of the acquired land has already received various improvements including floodplain reconnection, improved fish passage, and increased native vegetation. Additionally, CTUIR has facilitated the removal of 4,000 linear feet of levees, installed numerous log and boulder structures, and constructed side-channels within acquired land easements, improving stream complexity and habitat conditions. Appendix C provides a comprehensive list of significant project accomplishments from 2008-2018. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 34 Tri-State Steelheaders (Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group) Tri-State Steelheaders Salmon Enhancement Group works to restore sustainable populations of native salmon, steelhead, and bull trout by enhancing habitat, providing public education, and promoting recreational opportunities around the Blue Mountain region. Current habitat restoration projects include participation in the ongoing Mill Creek Fish passage project, a collaborative effort with federal, state, and local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGO), and regional tribes. The effort focuses on addressing fish passage problems along a two-mile concrete channel in the City of Walla Walla. The group also leads restoration work on the Walla Walla River, which started in 2010 with the removal of a half a mile of levee and the installation of large woody debris between the bridges at McDonald and Lowden-Gardena roads. Further improvement is planned for the remaining reach through bank stabilization, off-channel area and pool installation, and riparian planting. Additionally, the Tri-State Steelheaders is working to mitigate adverse impacts of a Garrison Creek dam at Lion’s Pond. The goals of the project include improvement of water quality and elimination of safety hazards. Kooskooskie Commons Kooskooskie Commons focuses on stream restoration efforts of the basin. The Walla Walla nonprofit works—in partnership with inmates from the Washington State Penitentiary— to remove invasive plant species and replant native plants to develop riparian buffers. Past efforts have restored areas of the basin, including Russell Creek, LWWR, Yellowhawk at Wa-Hi, Garrison Creek, Yellowhawk Creek, and Whitney Spring Creek. Kooskooskie Commons also regularly collaborates with landscape architecture students to envision ways to increase the ecological, economic, and cultural improvements of Mill Creek through downtown Walla Walla. Washington Water Trust Washington Water Trust (WWT) is a private, nonprofit organization with a mission to improve and protect streamflows for the benefit of fisheries, irrigated agriculture, water quality, and recreation. WWT takes a voluntary, non-regulatory, and market-based approach to on-the-ground projects that work for landowners and for streams. WWT has been working with water right holders in the Walla Walla Basin for two decades, completing their first instream flow acquisition in 2001. With the support of CTUIR, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), Ecology, WDFW, and other partners, WWT has worked with willing landowners to successfully shepherd 13 projects through the Trust Water Rights Program in this area. These efforts have left approximately 2,150 acre-feet and 14.6 cfs of water instream in the Walla Walla River, Touchet River, and Mill Creek. In 2010, WWT completed its largest Walla Walla Basin water right purchase in collaboration with a family on the Touchet River, purchasing up to three cfs of water to be permanently protected instream for more than 30 miles of river. WWT partnered with the City of Walla Walla and CTUIR to reduce the City’s surface water diversion on Mill Creek through ASR. This approach will keep about 5.5 cfs of water instream for almost 14 river miles of Mill Creek, and support passage for threatened summer steelhead and bull trout to quality upstream habitat. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 35 Blue Mountain Land Trust BMLT works to enhance and protect the climate, soil, food, water and species in the Blue Mountain Region through conservation, education, and recreation. BMLT communicates directly with over 3,000 households and maintains a robust presence on Facebook and Instagram, promoting awareness of human relationships with the land. BMLT has collaborated with the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), CTUIR, and the Snake River Salmon Recovery Board (SRSRB) on a number of conservation easements in the Walla Walla River Basin, protecting agricultural lands, fish and wildlife habitat, riparian areas and water resources. BMLT’s educational offerings promote appreciation and understanding of natural resources by connecting people with the land, its stewards, flora, and fauna. Thousands of people have participated in BMLT events, including film screenings, online webinars, film festivals, and programs including Learning on the Land, Nature Kids, Farm Kids, and Blue Mountain Field Science. Past field trips included visits to fish hatcheries, the Walla Walla Watershed and intake, Mill Creek dam, and riparian restoration sites, as well to farms featuring sustainable farming practices which impact water quality, soil health, and carbon sequestration. Other excursions feature recreation on local waterways, such as fly fishing and paddle boarding. The Blues Crew (BMLT’s recreation program) has maintained, improved, and built trails in the Blue Mountain Region for three seasons, and maintains Horseshoe Prairie Nordic Ski Area in the winter. In their fourth year, Blues Crew has hosted volunteers from around the region, collaborating with USACE, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (USFS), Washington State Parks, McNary Wildlife Refuge, and National Audubon Society to complete thousands of trail work hours to improve outdoor recreation experiences. The Road Patrol enlists community volunteers to collect trash from along county roadways popular with recreationists, which both beautifies the area and helps keep toxins from drainage ditches. Lower Snake River Salmon Recovery Board The SRSRB harnesses the expertise of scientists and local communities to coordinate and support high priority salmon recovery projects in southeastern Washington. With the support of representative organizations including CTUIR, Ecology, and WDFW, the board provides technical, legislative development and funding assistance to recover populations of salmon and steelhead such as the Walla Walla River summer steelhead. The board focuses on habitat restoration, monitoring of watersheds, and identification of data gaps to assess best approaches for recovering and supporting healthy salmon and steelhead populations in the region [16]. Walla Walla 2020 Walla Walla 2020 is a civic group that seeks to envision, plan for, and undertake projects to help realize a livable community in the Walla Walla area—now and for the future. Since its founding in 1988, the group has been promoting practices and systems which will protect and enhance residents’ quality of life. Its Trees, Landscaping, and Natural Resources Committee maintains a WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 36 demonstration garden (Xeriscape4 Park) at the corner of North Rose and East Isaacs Avenue. The park is landscaped with flowers, shrubs, trees, and groundcover which require little or no additional watering and a very small lawn of two drought tolerant grasses. Walkways through the area help showcase the plantings and benches encourage visitors to stay awhile to enjoy them. The group’s website includes a map of the park with names of each variety of vegetation, along with the Seven Principles of Xeriscape. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife WDFW is dedicated to preserving, protecting, and perpetuating the state’s fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities. WDFW’s multi-program composition spans an array of management objectives and corresponding actions, making it uniquely suited to inform policy and natural resource management. Within the context of the WWW2050 process, one of WDFW’s primary objectives is to inform and advance actions that achieve restoration targets for ESA-listed species within the Walla Walla River and its tributaries. WDFW’s Water Science Team (WST) is intimately familiar with the present habitat needs. Working closely with NGOs, tribes, and state and federal agencies, the WST plays a crucial role in improving habitat for ESA-listed salmonids. These actions include cooperative efforts and beneficial review of Irrigation Efficiencies Grant Program projects and Trust Water acquisitions within the basin. In 2015, the WST conducted a pulse flow in the lower Walla Walla River that triggered a number of spring Chinook salmon to move upstream. Through the Columbia Basin Water Transaction Program, the WST also monitors stream flows where there are water acquisitions, including in the Touchet River. The Team has also developed the Columbia River Instream Atlas, a scoring mechanism for streamflow projects throughout the Columbia River that includes the Walla Walla and its numerous tributaries. WDFW’s Habitat Program works closely with local sponsors to develop and implement stream restoration projects. WDFW developed the Cooperative Compliance Program that provided a cost share for local farmers to get ESA-compliant fish screens for their irrigation diversions. WDFW also provides technical assistance to landowners and local government entities for fish passage and other stream related issues. WDFW and CTUIR are co-sponsors for the Mill Creek Work Group (MCWG). The MCWG members also include NOAA Fisheries, USFWS, City of Walla Walla, Walla Walla County, WWCCD, Tri-State Steelheaders, SRSRB, USACE, and interested citizens. The group has been working to improve conditions and fish passage through the Walla Walla Flood Control Project and past the City of Walla Walla. The Mill Creek Fish Passage Project will benefit ESA threatened Mid-Columbia Basin Steelhead and Bull Trout in the Walla Walla Basin and provide important habitat for CTUIR’s efforts to restore Spring Chinook Salmon to the basin. Finally, WDFW strives toward a no net-loss goal related to the hydraulic project approval (HPA) permit authority and work in and around streams and rivers. This work is particularly important during times of crisis, like the recent flooding in February 2020. Mitigation requirements also help 4 Xeriscape refers to landscaping for water conservation. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 37 towards the no-net loss goals. Recently, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and WDFW worked together on mitigation for the Highway 12 expansion project. WSDOT provided funding for ferruginous hawk nesting platforms to mitigate future project impacts to their nest sites. WDFW has already observed successful use of two new nesting territories. US Army Corps of Engineers The Walla Walla District of the USACE develops, constructs, and maintains regional infrastructural projects aimed at flood reduction, water resource management, and economic growth. USACE coordinates maintenance of one mile of the Mill Creek Channel and Bennington Lake Dam, which provides flood risk management, recreation, and habitat for wildlife. An estimated $75 million in potential flood damages have been avoided through the construction of the channel and off-stream reservoir in 1942. As the only public lake within 45 miles of the City of Walla Walla, the reservoir also provides valuable recreational opportunities [7]. In the Mill Creek Channel, USACE installed two fish ladders to improve passage and added large boulders to create resting places for migratory fish. In 2001, USACE installed fish screens at the intake on the diversion structure of Bennington Lake to reduce the incidence of fish trapping. To improve fish migration in Yellowhawk Creek, USACE also installed fish screens at the gate of Garrison Creek [17]. Both USACE and the TriState Steelheaders have tested designs for notching the weirs in the leveed reach by modifying prototypes in the leveed reach, with the intent to provide a low-flow channel. Plans are in development for the Corps to undertake large-scale notching of the weirs for fish passage. The City of Walla Walla In 1999, the City of Walla Walla implemented an ASR program, which involves conveying surplus treated drinking water from Mill Creek into the city’s wells for storage [18]. Under the City’s ASR permit, the City can recover up to 2,310 acre-feet of the 3,850 acre-feet of water it is permitted to store annually. In January of 2018, net storage in Well #1 peaked at 500 acre-feet of water stored, while net storage in Well #6 peaked in September of 2018 with just over 2,000 acre-feet of water stored. A surface water main damaged in the historic flood of 2020 and the renovation efforts of the City’s water treatment plant have led to increased dependence on groundwater, resulting in reduced net storage for both Well #1 and #2 in 2019-2020 [19]. The City of Walla Walla has reduced water loss by 513 million gallons over the past decade through conservation and efficiency efforts. These efforts include detection, notification, and repair of leaks; waterline and service line replacements; and adoption of advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) [19]. The City has also broadened education and outreach programs, providing residents with water conservation tips and guidelines through email and the City’s Public Works website. The City has also coordinated with the CTUIR and WDFW to complete a report assessing strategies to improve the use of Mill Creek. The City and two partners formed a working group and produced a WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 38 final report in May of 2018 that outlined projects intended to enhance the City’s water system as well as instream flows at Mill Creek. Walla Walla County Conservation District Through landowner grants, on-the-ground technical assistance, and cost-sharing programs, the WWCCD provides basin-wide assistance to landowners, irrigation districts, and other water users to implement water conservation and natural resource protection measures. Notable programs include: • USDA Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP): through CREP, WWCCD has planted nearly 1.5 million native trees and shrubs and protected nearly 197 miles of stream bank [20]. • Creating Urban Riparian Buffers Program (CURB): the CURB program resulted in 41 installed urban buffers, 11,928 feet of restored stream bank, and over 7,200 trees, shrubs and perennials planted [21]. • Stream restoration projects: these projects can improve flood resiliency, increase ESA- listed fish habitat, and provide increased connectivity between surface waters and shallow aquifers. Recent projects cost $500,000 per river mile, and at least five years from inception through engineering design, permitting, and construction. The restoration needs are greater than current available funding. • Fish screen/barrier removal and flow meter programs: in fall 2020, WWCCD audited fish screens and flow meters installed throughout the WWCCD as part of the Voluntary Stewardship Program (VSP). The VSP is an alternative to regulation that falls under the county critical areas ordinance where critical areas intersect with agricultural activities. The audit results showed fewer than anticipated functional flowmeters and problematic fish screens. The WWCCD acknowledges the limiting factors of current metering technology. Long-term success and use of flowmeters will depend on the development improvements by the manufacturers on alternative flowmeter technology that has longer battery life and is designed to withstand sediment build up. • The WWCCD worked with several landowners and irrigation districts improving irrigation efficiencies, such as variable frequency drives and infrastructure upgrades. Over 20 years, the WWCCD and irrigators converted over 41 miles of leaking earthen canals to piped systems. Columbia Conservation District The Touchet Basin watershed is an integral place for natural resources and the Columbia County community. The Columbia Conservation District’s (CCD) stewardship efforts have helped producers adopt and implement conservation practices. The CCD’s program opportunities include: Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), CREP, Natural Resource Investment (NRI), VSP, soil education demonstration projects for soil health, irrigation efficiencies, fish screens and metering, and salmonid habitat restoration programs. These programs help producers and the community invest significant time and effort toward ensuring the quality of life and maintaining the culture that natural resources provide. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 39 Most recently, CCD sponsored the Touchet River Geomorphic Assessment and Restoration Prioritization, which provides valuable resource analysis and data that will help guide restoration efforts within the basin. Currently within the Touchet watershed there are approximately 8,000 acres in the CRP and about 620 acres protected by CREP. NRI has been a staple for livestock access control, watering facilities, spring developments, and shelter belts, while VSP is a new option gaining momentum for numerous better management practices. There are also 31 producers and 40 sites that are involved in CCD’s ongoing soil education project. The CCD’s projects all directly or indirectly impact the water quality of the Touchet River Basin within the county. As CCD, producers, and the community look to continue their efforts toward natural resource enhancements, process evaluations, technical advances, and programs will continue to ensure the best methods are being utilized and remain economically feasible. Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council In collaboration with major basin irrigators and other partners, the WWBWC focuses on addressing reduced and declining groundwater levels through alluvial aquifer recharge projects. By recharging the shallow alluvial aquifer during the high flow season (between November and May), MAR programs provide increased groundwater for a variety of uses, including agricultural irrigation. Using MAR to increase groundwater levels that help sustain spring branch flows has potentially measurable co-benefits for not only irrigators in this area, but the overall ecosystem function as well. Since the development of the first aquifer recharge site in 2004, led in partnership by WWBWC and HBDIC, multiple recharge projects have been implemented on both sides of the state line [22]. Currently there are a total of 14 recharge sites in Oregon and four sites in Washington. Source water from the Walla Walla River is diverted at the Little Walla Walla Diversion in the City of Milton- Freewater and delivered through existing irrigation infrastructure connecting to each Oregon site. From 2017-2019, total recharge volume from Oregon’s combined sites was 14,659 acre-feet [23]. Total recharge volume from Washington’s combined active sites was 1,287 acre-feet [24] from 2014- 2017. The Last Chance Road and Washington Mud Creek sites were constructed in 2015 but have not been active due to funding challenges around water quality testing. Other factors including reduced flows in the mainstem Walla Walla River, water rights, and issues related to ESA and Clean Water Act (CWA) present barriers to expanding recharge efforts. The WWBWC also works in partnership with individual landowners, irrigation districts, CTUIR, Milton- Freewater Municipal Golf Course, and others on 14 Oregon projects (nine completed; five ongoing), resulting in 39.9 cfs plus 20.1 cfs completed instream water rights, benefitting the Walla Walla River and Mill Creek. In Washington, WWBWC manages 14 projects (seven completed; five ongoing; one designed; one proposed), resulting in 46.1 cfs plus 19.5 cfs completed instream water rights, benefitting the Walla Walla River, Mud Creek, Mill Creek, and the Lower Touchet River [25]. The WWBWC is currently working on a project in the upper South Fork of the Walla Walla River, focused on documenting the springs responsible for the base flow of the Walla Walla River and the effects of climate change on the upper watershed spring system. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 40 Walla Walla Basin Irrigators In 2000, the three major irrigation districts in the basin entered into an agreement with USFWS to bypass river flows at their diversions and maintain minimum instream flows. Following a 2002 amendment to the agreement, GFID has pledged to maintain bypass flows at 18 cfs throughout the year and both WWRID and HBDIC are leaving 27 cfs (0.7641 cubic meters per second) from January 1 to June 30 and 25 cfs (0.706 cubic meters per second) from July 1 to December 31 each year [26]. As a result of the agreement, less water has been allowed to flow into the LWWR during critical low flow summer months to provide much needed flows for fish in the mainstem. As of 2019, WWRID, HBDIC, and GFID Oregon and Washington irrigation districts, in collaboration with WWBWC, local governments, landowners, and other partners, have developed numerous agricultural irrigation and water efficiency infrastructure projects. WWRID-led projects have resulted in completed instream water rights of 11 cfs and HBDIC completed projects totaling 12.4 cfs completed instream water rights [26]. Through collaborative partnerships, the WWBWC, irrigation districts, and other stakeholders have constructed a series of MAR sites within the LWWR subbasin. Additionally, irrigators have placed roughly 11.8 cfs into the Washington State Trust through such actions as installation of more efficient irrigation application systems and canal piping. Oregon Water Resources Department OWRD regulates Oregon’s waterways and protects instream water rights to ensure sufficient water humans and ecological function. The department has achieved measurable gains in increasing streamflow throughout Oregon, with over 3,924.78 cfs left instream through 536 current instream leases, instream transfers, allocations of conserved water, and conversions of hydro-electric rights. Benefits of these instream flow increases include improved fish habitat, pollution abatement, and increased recreational use of waterways [27]. In the Oregon portion of the Walla Walla Basin, OWRD has approved 26 instream water right certificates since of the passage of the 1987 water rights act. [28]. These water rights are junior and likely do not contribute to meeting instream flow targets during critical periods. Regulating groundwater use statewide since 1955, OWRD functions as the lead permitting and reporting authority overseeing the 2016 rule change that designates the basalt aquifers in the Walla Walla subbasin as a Serious Water Management Problem Area (SWMPA). The changes to groundwater regulation classify future groundwater appropriation in the subbasin for exempt uses only and the SWMPA designation requires basalt wells with water rights to have functioning flowmeters and owners to report. This program reports a near 100 percent user compliance rate. Washington State Department of Ecology Ecology provides technical, regulatory, and financial assistance to local jurisdictions and organizations to protect water systems in the state. Ecology’s numerous programs contribute to water conservation and protection efforts: • The Water Quality Program applied the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) process for WRIA 32 to assess the water quality and reported measures for the region to improve water quality. WALLA WALLA WATER 2050 WATERSHED OVERVIEW 41 • The Water Resource Program focuses on adaptive and sustainable management of water resources for the current and future benefits of people and the natural environment. Its contributions helped form the Partnership pilot program and the implementation of RCW 90.92.070, which authorizes Walla Walla water banking and the Walla Walla Instream Flow Rule (Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 173-532-030). • The Environmental Assessment Program collects streamflow discharge, develops rating curves, and maintains five active gages in the basin. • The Shoreline and Environmental Assistance Program supports communities to protect shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains. The program coordinated a USACE Silver Jackets project to conduct channel migration zone study on Mill Creek and the Walla Walla River. It also contributed funding to a levee setback and habitat restoration project on the North Touchet River. • OCR contributed funding to the WWW2050 and the Bi-State Flow Study, while all the programs provided technical and regulatory input for WWW2050. Washington State Department of Health The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) Office of Dr