Scientific Framework for a Comprehensive Assessment of Tribal Water Resources in Western Washington

By Christopher P. Konrad

ABSTRACT

Judicious management of water resources and protection of Tribal water rights requires information about the quantity and quality of water available in western Washington, the quantity of water needed by Tribes for current and future out-of-stream uses, and the quantity of water needed for salmon restoration and protection. A framework for a comprehensive assessment of Tribal water resources in western Washington would produce scientific information on water resources that could be used to support various Tribal management, administrative, and legal activities.

The assessment would evaluate water resources with regard to three research goals:

Quantity, timing, and location of water available for all in-stream and out-of-stream uses;
Quantity and quality of water needed to satisfy current and future out-of-stream uses by Tribes in western Washington; and
Quantity, quality, location, and timing of streamflow necessary to restore and protect aquatic ecosystems so that they support sustainable populations of harvestable fish.

Past and future changes in water use, flood control, land drainage, land cover, and climate require that the assessment have both historical and future perspectives on water resources in the region. The information needs of resource managers should ultimately guide implementation of the framework including the level of detail.

CONTENTS

Abstract
Introduction
Description of Western Washington
Scientific Framework for a Comprehensive Assessment
Regional Coordination for Implementing the Science Plan
Summary
References Cited

This report is available online in Portable Document Format (PDF). If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader, it is available for free download from Adobe Systems Incorporated.

Download the report (PDF, 715 KB)

Document Accessibility: Adobe Systems Incorporated has information about PDFs and the visually impaired. This information provides tools to help make PDF files accessible. These tools convert Adobe PDF documents into HTML or ASCII text, which then can be read by a number of common screen-reading programs that synthesize text as audible speech. In addition, an accessible version of Acrobat Reader 5.0 for Windows (English only), which contains support for screen readers, is available. These tools and the accessible reader may be obtained free from Adobe at Adobe Access.

Send questions or comments about this report to the author, C.P. Konrad, (253) 428-3600 ext. 2634.

For more information about USGS activities in Washington, visit the USGS Washington Water Science Center home page.

Accessibility FOIA Privacy Policies and Notices
U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey Persistent URL: http://pubsdata.usgs.gov/pubs/of/2005/1390/ Page Contact Information: USGS Publishing Network Last modified: Saturday, January 12 2013, 09:42:55 PM