WAC 222-16-030   Water typing system.  Until the fish habitat water type maps described below are adopted by the board, the Interim Water Typing System established in WAC 222-16-031 will continue to be used. The department in cooperation with the departments of fish and wildlife, and ecology, and in consultation with affected Indian tribes will classify streams, lakes and ponds. The department will prepare water type maps showing the location of Type S, F, and N (Np and Ns) Waters within the forested areas of the state. The maps will be based on a multiparameter, field-verified geographic information system (GIS) logistic regression model. The multiparameter model will be designed to identify fish habitat by using geomorphic parameters such as basin size, gradient, elevation and other indicators. The modeling process shall be designed to achieve a level of statistical accuracy of 95% in separating fish habitat streams and nonfish habitat streams. Furthermore, the demarcation of fish and nonfish habitat waters shall be equally likely to over and under estimate the presence of fish habitat. These maps shall be referred to as "fish habitat water typing maps" and shall, when completed, be available for public inspection at region offices of the department.

     Fish habitat water type maps will be updated every five years where necessary to better reflect observed, in-field conditions. Except for these periodic revisions of the maps, on-the-ground observations of fish or habitat characteristics will generally not be used to adjust mapped water types. However, if an on-site interdisciplinary team using nonlethal methods identifies fish, or finds that habitat is not accessible due to naturally occurring conditions and no fish reside above the blockage, then the water type will be immediately changed to reflect the findings of the interdisciplinary team. The finding will be documented on a water type update form provided by the department and the fish habitat water type map will be updated as soon as practicable. If a dispute arises concerning a water type the department shall make available informal conferences, as established in WAC 222-46-020 which shall include the departments of fish and wildlife, and ecology, and affected Indian tribes and those contesting the adopted water types.

     The waters will be classified using the following criteria:

     *(1) "Type S Water" means all waters, within their bankfull width, as inventoried as "shorelines of the state" under chapter 90.58 RCW and the rules promulgated pursuant to chapter 90.58 RCW including periodically inundated areas of their associated wetlands.

     *(2) "Type F Water" means segments of natural waters other than Type S Waters, which are within the bankfull widths of defined channels and periodically inundated areas of their associated wetlands, or within lakes, ponds, or impoundments having a surface area of 0.5 acre or greater at seasonal low water and which in any case contain fish habitat or are described by one of the following four categories:

     (a) Waters, which are diverted for domestic use by more than 10 residential or camping units or by a public accommodation facility licensed to serve more than 10 persons, where such diversion is determined by the department to be a valid appropriation of water and the only practical water source for such users. Such waters shall be considered to be Type F Water upstream from the point of such diversion for 1,500 feet or until the drainage area is reduced by 50 percent, whichever is less;

     (b) Waters, which are diverted for use by federal, state, tribal or private fish hatcheries. Such waters shall be considered Type F Water upstream from the point of diversion for 1,500 feet, including tributaries if highly significant for protection of downstream water quality. The department may allow additional harvest beyond the requirements of Type F Water designation provided the department determines after a landowner-requested on-site assessment by the department of fish and wildlife, department of ecology, the affected tribes and interested parties that:

     (i) The management practices proposed by the landowner will adequately protect water quality for the fish hatchery; and

     (ii) Such additional harvest meets the requirements of the water type designation that would apply in the absence of the hatchery;

     (c) Waters, which are within a federal, state, local, or private campground having more than 10 camping units: Provided, That the water shall not be considered to enter a campground until it reaches the boundary of the park lands available for public use and comes within 100 feet of a camping unit, trail or other park improvement;

     (d) Riverine ponds, wall-based channels, and other channel features that are used by fish for off-channel habitat. These areas are critical to the maintenance of optimum survival of fish. This habitat shall be identified based on the following criteria:

     (i) The site must be connected to a fish habitat stream and accessible during some period of the year; and

     (ii) The off-channel water must be accessible to fish.

     (3) "Type Np Water" means all segments of natural waters within the bankfull width of defined channels that are perennial nonfish habitat streams. Perennial streams are flowing waters that do not go dry any time of a year of normal rainfall and include the intermittent dry portions of the perennial channel below the uppermost point of perennial flow.

     (4) "Type Ns Water" means all segments of natural waters within the bankfull width of the defined channels that are not Type S, F, or Np Waters. These are seasonal, nonfish habitat streams in which surface flow is not present for at least some portion of a year of normal rainfall and are not located downstream from any stream reach that is a Type Np Water. Ns Waters must be physically connected by an above-ground channel system to Type S, F, or Np Waters.

     *(5) For purposes of this section:

     (a) "Residential unit" means a home, apartment, residential condominium unit or mobile home, serving as the principal place of residence.

     (b) "Camping unit" means an area intended and used for:

     (i) Overnight camping or picnicking by the public containing at least a fireplace, picnic table and access to water and sanitary facilities; or

     (ii) A permanent home or condominium unit or mobile home not qualifying as a "residential unit" because of part time occupancy.

     (c) "Public accommodation facility" means a business establishment open to and licensed to serve the public, such as a restaurant, tavern, motel or hotel.

     (d) "Natural waters" only excludes water conveyance systems which are artificially constructed and actively maintained for irrigation.

     (e) "Seasonal low flow" and "seasonal low water" mean the conditions of the 7-day, 2-year low water situation, as measured or estimated by accepted hydrologic techniques recognized by the department.

     (f) "Channel width and gradient" means a measurement over a representative section of at least 500 linear feet with at least 10 evenly spaced measurement points along the normal stream channel but excluding unusually wide areas of negligible gradient such as marshy or swampy areas, beaver ponds and impoundments. Channel gradient may be determined utilizing stream profiles plotted from United States geological survey topographic maps (see board manual section 23).

     (g) "Intermittent streams" means those segments of streams that normally go dry.

     (h) "Fish habitat" means habitat which is used by any fish at any life stage at any time of the year, including potential habitat likely to be used by fish which could be recovered by restoration or management and includes off-channel habitat.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040 and 76.09.370. 06-23-096, § 222-16-030, filed 11/15/06, effective 12/16/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040. 05-12-119, § 222-16-030, filed 5/31/05, effective 7/1/05. Statutory Authority: Chapter 34.05 RCW, RCW 76.09.040, [76.09.]050, [76.09.]370,76.13.120 (9). 01-12-042, § 222-16-030, filed 5/30/01, effective 7/1/01. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 97-24-091, § 222-16-030, filed 12/3/97, effective 1/3/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040, 76.09.170 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 94-01-134, § 222-16-030, filed 12/20/93, effective 1/1/94. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040, 76.09.050 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 92-15-011, § 222-16-030, filed 7/2/92, effective 8/2/92. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040. 87-23-036 (Order 535), § 222-16-030, filed 11/16/87, effective 1/1/88; Order 263, § 222-16-030, filed 6/16/76.]