Wash. Admin. Code § 173-546-030

Current through Register Vol. 24-20, October 15, 2024

Section 173-546-030 - Definitions

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall be used:

(1)"Allocation" means the designation of specific amounts of water for specific beneficial uses.

(2)"Appropriation" means the process of legally acquiring the right to specific amounts of water for beneficial uses, as consistent with the requirements of the ground and surface water codes and other applicable water resource statutes.

(3)"Beneficial uses" means uses of water for domestic, stock watering, industrial, commercial, agricultural, irrigation, hydroelectric power production, mining, fish and wildlife maintenance and enhancement, recreational, thermal power production, and preservation of environmental and aesthetic values, and all other uses compatible with the enjoyment of the public waters of the state.

(4)"Commercial agriculture" means uses related to commercial orchards and vineyards, and commercial livestock and farming operations.

(5)"Commercial/light industrial" means a water supply for use by small businesses and commercial users. It also refers to the "value added" uses associated with agriculture, as defined by the Chelan County Code, Ch. 11.04.010, or any subsequent amendments. A "value added operation" means any activity or process that allows farmers to retain ownership and that alters the original agricultural product or commodity for the purpose of gaining a marketing advantage.

(6)"Consumptive use" means a use of water that reduces the amount of water in the water source.

(7)"Department" means the Washington state department of ecology.

(8)"Domestic water use" means, for the purposes of this chapter, use of water associated with human health and welfare requirements, including water used for drinking, bathing, sanitary purposes, cooking, laundering, irrigation of not over one-half acre of lawn or garden per dwelling, and other incidental household uses. Stock watering is also included in this category. Stock watering uses must be consistent with the Chelan County Code, Section 11.88.030 or any subsequent amendments. It does not apply to feed lots and other activities which are not related to normal grazing land uses.

(9)"Existing water right" includes perfected riparian rights, federal Indian and non-Indian reserved rights or other appropriative rights.

(10)"Hydraulic continuity" means the interrelation between groundwater (water beneath land surfaces or surface water bodies) and surface water (water above ground, such as lakes and streams).

(11)"Instream flow" as used in this chapter, has the same meaning as a minimum instream flow under chapter 90.82 RCW, a base flow under chapter 90.54 RCW, a minimum flow under chapter 90.03 or 90.22 RCW and an administrative flow in the Entiat watershed plan.

(12)"Nonconsumptive use" means a use of water that does not reduce the amount of water in the water source.

(13)"Plan" or "watershed plan" means the Entiat water resource inventory area (WRIA) management plan, approved by the Entiat WRIA planning unit on May 17, 2004, and by the Chelan County commissioners on September 13, 2004.

(14)"Planning unit" means the Entiat water resource inventory area (WRIA) planning unit (EWPU), or a successor which is mutually agreed upon by the EWPU. The planning unit was established in 1998 in accordance with chapter 90.82 RCW, Watershed Planning Act. The EWPU presently consists of the landowner steering committee, the Yakama Nation, a technical assistance group, and other interested stakeholders.

(15)"Public water system" means any system providing water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, excluding a system serving only one single-family residence or a system with four or fewer connections all of which serve residences on the same farm. (Consistent with WAC 246-290-020; any subsequent amendments to WAC 246-290-020 will be incorporated by reference.)

(16)"Reservation" means an allocation of water set aside for future domestic, stock watering, agricultural, commercial and industrial beneficial uses. For the purposes of this chapter, the priority date of the reservation is senior to the instream flows set in WAC 173-546-050. "Reservation" is the same as "reserved water" in the Entiat WRIA management plan.

(17)"Stream management unit" means a stream segment, reach, or tributary used to describe the part of the relevant stream to which a particular use, action, instream flow level or reserve of water applies. Each of these units contains a control station. A map of the control points is included in this chapter (WAC 173-546-150).

(18)"Withdrawal" means the appropriation or use of groundwater or surface water.

(19)"WRIA" means water resource inventory area. This term can be used interchangeably with "basin" and "watershed."

Wash. Admin. Code § 173-546-030

Statutory Authority: Chapters 43.27A, 90.54, 90.22, and 90.82 RCW. 05-16-114 (Order 04-11), § 173-546-030, filed 8/3/05, effective 9/3/05.