OLYMPIA — A booklet is available to guide new farmers in the Quilcene-Snow watershed about water availability.
New water use rules went into effect for the Quilcene-Snow watershed — Water Resource Inventory Area 17 — on Dec. 31.
The rule affects only new uses established after that date.
Meters are required on all new permit-exempt wells. The rule also sets protective stream flow levels for many creeks, streams and rivers in 13 subbasins.
The state Department of Ecology booklets are available at the county’s community development department and on Ecology’s Web site at http://tinyurl.com/23tu3dg.
Readers can find information about water availability for permit-exempt wells in particular areas of the watershed or learn how the rule affects new farms.
Ecology provides details about reimbursement of up to $250 for the cost of new meters.
“As people consider building a new home or starting a farm, they’ll need practical information about what this rule means for their plans, which is why we’ve developed these guides,” said Tom Loranger, Ecology’s regional water resources manager, in a prepared statement.
“We’ve been working with county staff to help them answer the public’s questions at the customer service counter. But if site-specific questions remain, Ecology staff are ready to help.”
Loranger said new growth is possible because the rule stretches existing water supplies to meet current and future needs.
