Who regulates the rivers?

An easier question might be, who doesn't regulate or watch over the rivers?

A complex network of local, state and federal agencies keeps track of what's happening on rivers and lakes. Some establish rights and titles, some issue permits, some review plans.

If you have a project involving a body of water or its shorelands, here are some agencies that might need to be involved:

- Local government: A good place to start on any project is your local planning department. For Thurston County, that's the permit assistance center at 360-786-5490.

For projects involving bodies of water, the county will likely do a State Environmental Policy Act analysis to determine whether the project would significantly affect the environment before other permits are issued. The county also oversees shoreland management regulations.

- State Department of Ecology: Ecology's job is primarily to safeguard water quality, and the department issues a variety of permits for different projects. To sort out what you need, call the department's permit assistance center at 360-407-7037 or 800-917-0043. Information is also available online at www.ecy.wa.gov. Click on "Regulatory Streamlining" in the upper right corner.

The center also can provide information on permits needed by other state departments: Fish and Wildlife, Health, and Natural Resources, as well as what local air quality authorities might need.

- State Department of Fish and Wildlife: The department's job is to protect fish and their habitat. The department would issue a "hydraulic project approval" or HPA permit for river projects, including those within the ordinary high water mark of a river or stream.

For information on HPA permits in Thurston County, call Debbie Carnevali at 360-264-5148 or Jim Fraser at 360-902-8302.

- Army Corps of Engineers: The corps protects the navigability of public waters, and would issue a "Section 10" permit for structures built on navigable waters (like peers and boat ramps). The corps also might issue a "Section 404" (Clean Water Act) permit for any water bodies -- most often wetlands -- that would be filled in during a project.

For information, call the corps' regulatory office at 206-764-3495.

- National Marine Fisheries Service: This agency, part of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, oversees part of the Endangered Species Act list of protected species. The rest of the list is overseen by the federal Fish and Wildlife department.

Individuals would likely not be in contact with these departments but would hear about them. The agencies generally review project permits from the Corps of Engineers or state Fish and Wildlife to determine impact on protected wildlife. For information on the National Marine Fisheries Service, visit www.nwr.noaa.gov.

- State Department of Natural Resources: Not a regulatory agency, DNR is responsible for assessing navigability and determining ownership status of rivers, lakes and tidal lands. DNR also leases and acts as manager of state-owned lands.

For information, visit www.wa.gov/dnr. For information on the navigability status of a water body, call the department's aquatic resources division at 360-902-1100.

On the Web:

- Department of Natural Resources

The Olympian Copyright 2002

back to main Home Page Stories index