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Salmon
ESA
I. Salmon and the GMA
A. Water
and the GMA
Washington State's
Growth Management Act requires all local governments to address
water quality and quantity in their planning and implementation
considerations. Local governments must show that adequate quantities
of potable water are available when building permits are issued
and subdivisions are approved or denied. Critical areas, including
wetlands, are required to be designated and protected.
GMA local jurisdictions
are to consider water quality and quantity when planning goals are
developed and carried out for urban areas, economic development,
the environment, and public facilities and services. The land use
chapter of the comprehensive plan is to provide for protection of
the quality and quantity of groundwater used for public water supplies.
Under the GMA,
local governments can limit the type of water service that would
otherwise encourage growth where it should not be.
Water-related
issues directly related to the GMA
Existing water
rights may not match the water needs that communities project to
accommodate population growth.
Many water-planning efforts, such as water system planning, have
timelines that do not coincide with GMA deadlines.
Most cities, counties, and state agencies do not have enough reliable
data on water resources.
Based on their historic treaty rights, tribes have a need to make
sure that rivers and streams have enough flow to maintain fish habitat.
B. Water
Habitat Issues Related to Growth
Changes to stream
channels have a dramatic impact on fish habitat. The two primary
fish habitat are pools and riffles. Riffles are shallow, gravelly,
fast-water areas that are the main food production areas of streams.
Pools, which form in deeper, slower flowing areas, are the main
fish rearing and resting areas for most salmonids. Scouring stormwater
flows destroy pools and riffles. Eroded sand and silt blankets over
critical spawning gravels. Frequent and prolonged high flows cause
spawning gravels to be replaced by cobble too large to be used by
fish for spawning. In extreme cases, all gravels may be scoured
down to bare glacial till or bedrock.
Impervious surfaces
can also cause stream water temperatures to rise, damaging fish
habitat. All juvenile and adult salmon need clean, cold (50-55 degrees
Fahrenheit) water for migration, spawning, and rearing. Increased
streambank erosion leads to a loss of important vegetation. Less
shade from streamside trees and shrubs causes water temperatures
to rise. In addition, local air temperatures have a strong influence
on the water temperature in headwater streams. Just as paved areas
warm the air temperature, they affect water temperature as well.
Often, as urbanization
increases, streams are diverted, channelized, dammed, and piped.
As these man-made alterations increase, so do the ecological impacts.
In addition, related habitats such as wetlands and ponds may be
damaged or eliminated by grading and filling activities.
In 1972 the
voters of the state of Washington passed by initiative the Shoreline
Management Act (SMA). This law is an environmental milestone designed
to recognize the public's right to use, enjoy and protect the state's
streamsides and shorelines. The law states that "the shorelines
of the state are among the most valuable and fragile of its natural
resources and that there is great concern throughout the state relating
to their utilization, protection, restoration, and preservation."
C. Endangered
Species Act (ESA)
The Endangered
Species Act (ESA) was estabalished in 1973 to establish a program
to identify and conserve species of fish, wildlife, and plants that
are declining in population to the point where they are now, or
maybe within the foreseeable future, at the risk of extinction.
The ESA prohibits killing or harming an endangered species in any
way, including significant modification of critical habitat for
the species. It requires federal agencies to develop programs to
conserve and to help recover endangered and threatened species.
Under the ESA, a species likely to become extinct in the foreseeable
future is categorized as "endangered"; one likely to become
endangered is categorized as "threatened."
The National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) added nine West Coast Salmon to
the Endangered Species List on March 16, 1999. Those affecting Washington
include: the Puget Sound Chinook (threatened), Lower Columbia Chinook
(threatened), Upper Columbia spring run Chinook (endangered), Hood
Canal summer run Chum (threatened), Columbia River Chum (threatened),
Middle Columbia River Steelhead (threatened), and the Lake Ozette
Sockeye (threatened). Also included are the Upper Willamette River
Chinook (threatened), Upper Willamette River steelhead (threatened).
The Lower Columbia Steelhead were listed as a "threatened"
species by the National Marine Fisheries Service on March 13, 1998.
The impact of
the listing of these species affects land use and water-related
activities throughout the state, including its most urban areas.
The impact of the Endangered Species Act will be felt throughout
the state of Washington for decades.
II.
Information Sources on the Salmon ESA
A. General
1. Salmon Information
Center
The richest
source of material on salmon and the Endangered Species Act in Washington
can be found at the Salmon Information Center.
In addition
to the General Links on this website, many other interesting links
can be found at the Center’s website, such as those to State
& Federal Agencies.
2. Municipal
Research & Services Center
A rich website
is operated by the Municipal Research & Services Center and
covers a wide range of salmon issues. It provides a directory via
links to information on the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
3. Salmon Recovery
Office
This site, maintained
by the Governor's Office, contains detailed information about what's
being done in Washington to help salmon recover.
4. Joint Natural
Resources Cabinet
In January 1999,
the Joint Natural Resources Cabinet released a complete working
draft of Extinction is Not an Option: A Statewide Strategy to Recover
Salmon. The reports includes those recommendations that would improve
our collective efforts to recover salmon. A Summary of that Strategy
is available.
B. Federal
and State Agencies
Northwest Region
(Region 10) of the Environmental Protection Agency provides links
to work of the agency in the Northwest.
U.S. Geological Survey -Water Resources of Washington
The USGS provides key information and data for salmon recovery,
including stream flow, temperature, sediment, habitat, chemical
water quality, and integrated watershed analyses.
Washington State
Department of Ecology
Washington State
Department of Fish & Wildlife
Washington State
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
National Marine
Fisheries Service
The federal agencies responsible for managing and sustaining salmon
fall under the jurisdiction of the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS). It is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA), which is in the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Northwest Regional
Office
The Northwest Region of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
is responsible for assessing, managing, and promoting the conservation
of living marine and anadromous resources in the waters of the Pacific
Northwest. For more information on their response to the Salmon
ESA, click here.
Northwest Fisheries Science Center
The NFSC is one of five research centers of the National Marine
Fisheries Service, and is charged with providing scientific and
technical support for the management, conservation, and development
of the Pacific Northwest region's marine fishery resources. Their
site provides information on research, publications, special projects,
and a library.
C. Non-Government Salmon Advocacy Groups
The Washington Council of Trout Unlimited
Trout Unlimited in the State of Washington consists of over 30 chapters
and over 4000 members statewide. Their site contains information
on salmon conservation projects, legislative action, and public
meetings.
Watch Over Washington
A statewide network of 12,000 volunteers, including students, who
monitor their local environmental conditions - wildlife, water,
air, vegetation, soils, wetlands, and other parameters.
Washington Environmental
Council
The People’s
Pledge for Salmon
The People's Pledge for Wild Salmon and Steelhead Recovery in Washington
State is of particular interest.
National Audubon
Society
Northwest Ecosystem
Alliance
Pacific Rivers
Council
People For Puget
Sound
Save Our Wild
Salmon
Sierra Club
Washington Environmental
Alliance for Voter Education
Washington Environmental
Council
Washington Public
Interest Research Group
III. Primary Sources of Information/Case Studies
A. Counties
Clark County
The Clark County ESA Information Home Page
This site provides information on the County recovery strategies,
an Endangered Species task force, work currently underway, and proactive
actions.
King County
King County's Salmon Recovery Plan
This site includes sections devoted to the County's efforts, what
citizens can do to get involved, indexground documentation, and local
and national news about salmon recovery.
October is Salmon Month in King County.
In addition, the Public Review Draft of the King County Comprehensive
Plan contains a chapter (Chapter 4) on the environment and is particularly
useful for its coverage of the Endangered Species Act.
Pierce County
The County’s site contains documentation regarding the County's
Response to the ESA. It also includes an ESA Newsletter (posted
twice per month).
Pierce County Environmental Services
Water Resources (including River Improvement, Surface Water Management,
and Wastewater Treatment)
Environmental Brochures and Publications
Environmental Education Resources
Snohomish County
News, policies and regulations, volunteer opportunities, and links
are among the contents of this site. In addition to discussing the
Chinook salmon, Bull Trout information is available.
Thurston County
Thurston County's Program of Storm & Surface Water Management
maintains Streamside Livin'. From here one can find informative
links illustrating the Salmon Life Cycle and the location of streams
(with pictures) of where salmon live in north Thurston County.
Tri-County
The Tri-County ESA Effort is a coalition of local governments, Tribes,
businesses, community groups, and special districts in King, Pierce
and Snohomish Counties working together to develop Salmon Conservation
Plans in response to proposed listings of salmon as threatened under
the Endangered Species Act.
Whatcom County
Teamed up with Washington State University and the Cooperative Extension
Service, the WSU Whatcom County Water site has many links to water
testing, water and watershed studies, and water quality issues.
The Watersheds Information Network also produces a monthly newletter.
B. Cities
City of Bellevue
Bellevue took one of the first steps to save salmon by local government
in the state. Prior to the salmon being officially listed with the
ESA, a proposed action plan was authorized by the Bellevue City
Council. This plans allows Bellevue to participate with jurisdictions
from three counties to present an early action proposal to the National
Marine Fisheries Service.
City of Bellevue Utilities Department
Preventing Water Pollution & Clean Water Practices
Lakes
Wetlands
City of Seattle
This site is a combined effort by Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle
City Light, and Seattle Parks and Recreation. The site includes
sections on the City's efforts, relevant City documents, laws and
treaties, as well as a salmon tutorial and instructions for proposed
actions by city residents.
C. Local Press
The local press covered closely the events leading up to and after
the Salmon ESA. The media continue to cover the topic in great detail
and offer a wide range of opinions. Hundreds of other articles have
been published in the past months.
Select news articles are available at the Salmon Information Center.
Prepared
by Nathaniel Trumbull and Professor Christine Bae. Last updated
10/24/1999.
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