WAC 222-22-060   Level 2 watershed resource assessment.  *(1) The department acting under WAC 222-22-040(2) or forest landowner acting under WAC 222-22-040(3) may assemble a level 2 resource assessment team either to begin a watershed analysis at a level 2 resource assessment or to review the level 1 resource assessment on a WAU. The level 2 team shall consist of specialists qualified under WAC 222-22-030(1). Each level 2 team shall include persons qualified in the disciplines indicated as necessary in the methodology, and should generally include a person or persons qualified in the following:

     (a) Forestry;

     (b) Forest hydrology;

     (c) Forest soil science or geology;

     (d) Fisheries science;

     (e) Geomorphology;

     (f) Cultural anthropology; and

     (g) Archaeology.

     Any owner, and any cooperating group of owners, of ten percent or more of the nonfederal forest land acreage in the WAU and any affected Indian tribe shall be entitled to designate one qualified member of the team at its own expense. The cultural resources module must include the participation of the affected Indian tribe(s). See board manual section 11, J. Cultural Resources Module, Introduction, 1) Using this methodology in formal watershed analysis.

     *(2) The level 2 team shall perform an assessment of the WAU utilizing the methodology, indices of resource condition, and checklist set forth in the manual in accordance with the following:

     (a) If a level 1 assessment has not been conducted under WAC 222-22-050, the assessment team shall complete the tasks required under WAC 222-22-050(2), except that the level 2 team shall not rate any likelihood of adverse change and deliverability or resource vulnerability as indeterminate.

     (b) If the level 2 team has been assembled to review a level 1 assessment, the level 2 team shall, notwithstanding its optional review of all or part of the level 1 assessment, review each likelihood of adverse change and deliverability and resource vulnerability rated as indeterminate and shall revise each indeterminate rating to low, medium, or high and shall revise the map of the WAU accordingly.

     *(3) Within sixty days of mailing notice under WAC 222-22-040(4) where a watershed analysis begins with a level 2 assessment or within sixty days of beginning a level 2 assessment after completion of a level 1 assessment, the level 2 team shall submit to the department its draft level 2 assessment, which shall consist of the map of the WAU and the causal mechanism report.

     *(4) The level 2 team shall endeavor to produce a consensus report. If the level 2 team is unable to agree as to one or more areas of resource sensitivity or the casual mechanism report, alternative designations and an explanation shall be included in the draft assessment. Where the draft level 2 assessment delivered to the department contains alternative designations or reports, the department shall within thirty days of the receipt of the draft level 2 assessment make its best determination and approve that option which it concludes most accurately reflects the proper application of the methodologies, indices of resource condition, and checklists set forth in the manual.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040. 11-12-009, § 222-22-060, filed 5/20/11, effective 6/20/11; 05-12-119, § 222-22-060, filed 5/31/05, effective 7/1/05. Statutory Authority: RCW 76.09.040, 76.09.170 and chapter 34.05 RCW. 94-01-134, § 222-22-060, 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, § 222-22-060, filed 7/2/92, effective 8/2/92.]