The future standards of water quality within the state are determined by the people of Washington (RCW 90.48.010). While our water quality standards are reviewed by the federal EPA, ultimately, the future standards of water quality within the state are determined by the people of Washington .
You can inform the water quality standards! Now. The Department of Ecology is seeking comments from the public to update rules related to water quality standards. These have not been updated for some time.
WAC 173-201A-200 designates which uses of freshwater will be protected by state law.
The rule’s first intent is to protect the habitat, spawning, rearing and migration of salmonids and other species by setting the criteria for freshwater temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH and other freshwater parameters. Other uses are recreational, water supply uses for domestic, agricultural, industrial and stock watering, and miscellaneous uses, such as wildlife habitat, harvesting, commerce and navigation, obtain and aesthetics.
Do you have any thoughts on the beneficial uses of water and how our State can protect them?
Has Ecology considered what happens when humans alter natural conditions? Other states like California include extensive narrative criteria for federally and state listed species as a beneficial use and try to prevent the introduction of invasive species that prevent species recovery. For more info see the San Mateo Creek TMDL for invasive species of San Diego, where the California Water Quality Control Board recognized that the abundance of invasive species in San Mateo Creek threatens the ability of the creek to support endangered southern California steelhead.
In Thurston County, the bullfrog that occupies large wet stormwater ponds and flashy water degrades spotted frog habitat. Shouldn’t the threat of the invasive bullfrog to our endangered Oregon spotted frog be included in Ecology’s freshwater criteria, as California did for its steelhead?
Oddly enough, aesthetics is listed as a beneficial use. What about the views? Those actually count as a beneficial use. As does wildlife habitat. Many species live in pretty places with sweeping meadows. Do you prefer to see warehouses or farmhouses on a few acres? Which sort of view is actually better for wildlife?
Please comment at:
Natural Conditions Draft Rulemaking
Bonnie Blessing is a biologist and advocate for clean water, endangered species and great views
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