Abstract
The Pend Oreille River watershed in northeastern Washington State is also referred to as Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 62. WRIA 62 encompasses about 1,300 square miles but only represents about five percent of the total Pend Oreille River drainage basin. The Pend Oreille River, one of the major sub-basins of the Columbia River, drains the Clark Fork – Pend Oreille watershed which spans about 26,000 square miles and includes the fourth and fifth largest lakes in the United States: Flathead Lake in Montana and Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho, respectively.
In accordance with Washington’s Watershed Planning Act (Chapter 90.82 RCW), the WRIA 62 Planning Unit was formed in 1998 and includes federal, state, tribal and local government representation, members from industry, mining, private lumber, real estate and development, agriculture, environmental groups as well as residents of the watershed. The Planning Unit’s mission is “to develop and implement a Watershed Plan addressing local concerns, watershed health and economic stability.”
The WRIA 62 Watershed Management Plan (Plan) is the product of over six years of work, during which the Planning Unit has overseen technical studies, reached consensus on watershed issues and has developed management actions to address these issues. The Plan is due to be approved by the Planning Unit and the Pend Oreille County Commissioners at the end of February 2005. It is intended to be a locally-supported, long-term Plan, focusing on water availability, and also addressing water quality and habitat in the Pend Oreille River watershed in Washington.
Start Date
1-4-2005 11:00 AM
End Date
1-4-2005 11:20 AM
Document Type
Presentation
Watershed Planning in the Pend Oreille River basin in Washington
The Pend Oreille River watershed in northeastern Washington State is also referred to as Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 62. WRIA 62 encompasses about 1,300 square miles but only represents about five percent of the total Pend Oreille River drainage basin. The Pend Oreille River, one of the major sub-basins of the Columbia River, drains the Clark Fork – Pend Oreille watershed which spans about 26,000 square miles and includes the fourth and fifth largest lakes in the United States: Flathead Lake in Montana and Lake Pend Oreille in Idaho, respectively.
In accordance with Washington’s Watershed Planning Act (Chapter 90.82 RCW), the WRIA 62 Planning Unit was formed in 1998 and includes federal, state, tribal and local government representation, members from industry, mining, private lumber, real estate and development, agriculture, environmental groups as well as residents of the watershed. The Planning Unit’s mission is “to develop and implement a Watershed Plan addressing local concerns, watershed health and economic stability.”
The WRIA 62 Watershed Management Plan (Plan) is the product of over six years of work, during which the Planning Unit has overseen technical studies, reached consensus on watershed issues and has developed management actions to address these issues. The Plan is due to be approved by the Planning Unit and the Pend Oreille County Commissioners at the end of February 2005. It is intended to be a locally-supported, long-term Plan, focusing on water availability, and also addressing water quality and habitat in the Pend Oreille River watershed in Washington.