WALLA WALLA WATER 2050Strategic Planning Advisory Committee MeetingJune 24, 2020

TECHNOLOGY TIPS FOR THIS CALL

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• Use your computer to connect to WebEx.

• Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

• Use a headset or take call from a quiet space to reduce background noise/echo

• Keep your phone or headset muted unless you are speaking to the group.

• Stay focused.

TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

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Brent Edgar, IT SupportCascadia Consulting Group

Phone: (206) 449-1172Email: brent@cascadiaconsulting.com

VIRTUAL FACILITATION TOOLS

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Throughout the meeting today, we’ll be using several tools to facilitate discussion and decision making. Please open the following links for your respective groups:• SPAC Members:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/13r71eI9z5cUEFykedC4z1Bazy8heBb1_WrpGzjwfeTA/edit?usp=sharing

• General Public: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EB0CT1KZDptBCeH2yQ55ETO3hwlGeYtRXpLQ0f2turo/edit?usp=sharing

GROUND RULES

• Only SPAC members may speak during the meeting. • Other participants may speak during public comment.• All participants at SPAC Meetings agree to:

• Be Respectful• Be Constructive• Be Productive• Bring a Sense of Humor and Have Fun

• General Public (non-SPAC members) may submit comments at any time via the virtual tools.

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

MEETING ROAD MAP

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• WELCOME

• INTRODUCTIONS

• REVIEW AGENDA

• REVIEW & APPROVE MEETING SUMMARY

INTRODUCTIONS

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Roll call

REMINDER: Unmute yourself to speak to the group.

AGENDA

• Welcome, Introductions, Review Agenda• Report to the Legislature• Working Group Updates• Walla Walla Spring Chinook Hatchery – Summary and Status• SPAC Discussion: Scope & Scale of Strategic Plan Issues

within the Basin• Presentations for Future Meetings• Public Comment• Updates and Next Steps

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MEETING SUMMARY

• Questions, comments, edits? • SPAC members: Virtual Tools (see link in chat)

• Submit comments on Slide 1

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE

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REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE

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• Status updates• SPAC questions and discussion?

• Submit comments or questions on Slide 2 of virtual tools

REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

WORKING GROUP UPDATES

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WORKING GROUPS: GOALS

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Data, Studies, and Monitoring Ecological Function Water Supply Needs• Build a collective

understanding of current water conditions.

• Provide data and information for other WGs to discuss desired future conditions.

• Develop data-driven recommendations in the Strategic Plan.

• Develop Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) for Ecological Function.

• Identify key stream reaches and their ecological functions that need protection and restoration.

• Build on the current conditions information compiled by the DSM WG.

• Develop Desired Future Conditions (DFCs) for out of stream water demands.

• Make recommendationsrelated to water supply needs and out of stream demand for the Strategic Plan.

DATA, STUDIES, AND MONITORING WG

Reviewed and discussed data and information on:• Instream flow gauge data from OWRD, USGS, and Ecology• Out of Stream Data:

• Municipal• Rural-Domestic• Commercial-Industrial• Agriculture

• Discussed key studies regarding:

• Identified next steps for gathering monitoring info from OR and WA

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• Water Rights Evaluations

• Infrastructure• Reclaimed Water

• Water Conservation• Bi-State Flow Study• Surface Groundwater

Interactions

• Basalt Aquifer Groundwater

• MAR• Habitat

DATA, STUDIES, AND MONITORING WG: NEXT STEPS

• WG members are continuing to provide data and information.• Consultant Team Next Steps:

• Synthesize data and studies to inform current conditions• Internal QA• Populate Strategic Plan sections (Current Conditions)• WG and SPAC review of draft strategic plan sections

• SPAC Questions or Comments on DSM WG?

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

WATER SUPPLY NEEDS WG

• Held first meeting on 6/18• Discussed high-level DFCs as they relate to water supply or out of

stream demands in the basin. • Themes identified:

• Manage water supply for sustainability and balancing needs for agriculture, population growth, and instream.

• Current climate variability challenging for agricultural operations • Active engagement in water conservation by Muni and Ag

• Key challenges addressed: • Meeting future growth water demand• Improved storage for in-basin water during surplus• Water conservation funding and technology• Water rights and over-appropriation

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

WATER SUPPLY NEEDS WG

Began discussion of water use across sectors–Municipal, Commercial/Industrial, Rural/ Domestic, and Agricultural–addressing two key questions:

• How will each sector meet future water demand?

• What are metrics for tracking progress?

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

Overview of Water Use in OR: DRAFT Estimate

ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION WG

• Held first meeting on 6/17• Discussed high-level overview of DFCs as they relate to ecological

function. Themes include:• Enough water instream to maintain ecological function• Recovery and delisting of species, including summer steelhead • Address levee issues and floodplain reconnection• Flood risk reduction• Connect instream flow with water quality concerns, especially

temperature• Multi-benefit

• Discussed baseline instream flow data, habitat considerations, and connections to water quality

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WALLA WALLA SPRING CHINOOK HATCHERY: SUMMARY AND STATUS

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TEN MINUTE BREAK

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(come back at 2:35 PM)

SPAC DISCUSSION: SCOPE AND SCALE OF STRATEGIC PLAN ISSUES WITHIN THE BASIN

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BACKGROUND

• Unique challenges and opportunities throughout the Walla Walla watershed.

• Many areas face severe water restrictions due to over-appropriation and others face serious water quality concerns.

• Today’s discussion will identify the SPAC’s key concerns within geographic areas.

• Feedback from the SPAC will direct additional work from the Working Groups.

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

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TOUCHET AREA: BACKGROUND

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LITTLE WALLA WALLA RIVER (LWWR)/SPRING BRANCHES AREA:

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MILL CREEK/YELLOWHAWK AREA: BACKGROUND

PRESENTATIONS FOR FUTURE MEETINGS

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DISCUSSION

• Potential ideas:• USGS Groundwater Study• Flood Control: Mill Creek, Nursery Bridge, Other?• Potential funding sources for basin projects• Agency programs and roles in watershed

• Other ideas?• SPAC Members: Add your ideas to Slide 3 of the virtual tools

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

PUBLIC COMMENT

• Comments/questions?• General Public: Virtual Tools (see link in chat)

• Submit comments on Slide 3• Public comments may also be submitted online at

anytime: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WWW2050• Anyone may submit comments at this link throughout

this process.

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REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit questions and comments and/or request to speak to the group.

UPDATES & NEXT STEPS

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UPDATES & NEXT STEPS

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• Action items

• Updates and announcements

• Upcoming meetings:

• SPAC: July 22 from 1 – 4 pm• Working Groups:

• Data, Studies, Monitoring: July 7 from 1 – 3 pm

• Ecological Function: July 15 from 1 – 3 pm

• Water Supply Needs: July 17 from 1 – 3 pm

REMINDER: Use the chat or hand raise function to submit updates and announcements, and/or request to speak to the group.