Deschutes Watershed Study

Summary

Thurston County government received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to study regulatory ways to protect and improve water quality in the Deschutes River watershed. The County formed a work group with the Squaxin Island Tribe; cities of Olympia, Rainier, and Tumwater; and the Thurston Regional Planning Council. The group detailed existing conditions; studied effects of various land management scenarios on water quality; presented proposals to public and stakeholder groups, and incorporated the input received; and finally recommended land management and regulatory strategies for the watershed. Their recommendations were approved in Resolution 15374 (PDF) by Thurston's Board of County Commissioners on November 29, 2016.

Study dates 2015-2016

Completed Work

Reports & Survey (PDFs)
Final Report with Scenario Development	Current Conditions Report	Community Survey
Maps (PDFs)
Map 1 Project Study Area	Map 14 Well Logs	Map 27 TMDL Shade Improvement
Map 2 Basins	Map 15 Landcover	Map 28 TMDL Bacteria MS
Map 3 Soils	Map 16 Landuse	Map 29 TMDL Bacteria OA
Map 4 Seepage	Map 17 Sewer	Map 30 TMDL DO Improvement
Map 5 Critical Areas	Map 18 Current Conditions	Map 31 TMDL NSDZ
Map 6 TCD Shade	Map 19 Impervious 1991	Map 32 TMDL Fine Sediment
Map 7 303d List	Map 20 Impervious 2010	Map 33 Development
Map 8 Urban Septic System Analysis Area	Map 21 Impervious Buildout	Map 34 Zoning
Map 9 Urban Septic System Analysis Groundwater Risk (Revised March 2014)	Map 22 Canopy 2006	Map 35 OSTP
Map 10 Urban Septic System Analysis Surface Water Risk	Map 23 PSWC Flow Overall MZ	Map 36 Forest Vulnerability
Map 11 Urban Septic System Analysis Neighborhood Density	Map 24 PSWC WQ Deg	Map 37 Agriculture
Map 12 Urban Septic System Analysis Groundwater Risk Scores All Neighborhoods	Map 25 PSWC FW Salmon	Map 38 Priority Areas
Map 13 Urban Septic System Analysis Surface Water Risk Scores All Neighborhoods	Map 26 PSWC Terrestrial

MORE PROJECT DETAILS

Background/History

The Deschutes River is one of the largest streams in Thurston County. It flows more than 57 miles from its forested headwaters to Puget Sound. The watershed that drains into the river includes a variety of land uses, including timberland agricultural lands, as well as developed areas within the cities of Olympia and Tumwater. While the Deschutes River currently supports a variety of wildlife habitat and recreational uses, it also suffers from ongoing pollution concerns. The river is listed under the federal Clean Water Act for dissolved oxygen, fecal coliform, temperature, pH, and fine sediment, and is the subject of a state-coordinated cleanup plan. Nutrient levels in the Deschutes contribute to pollution issues in Capitol Lake, and it is considered a major contributor to low dissolved oxygen levels in Budd Inlet. Anticipated future development in the watershed could exacerbate water quality issues.

Public Outreach

A stakeholder group informed the development of alternative future scenarios, and considered the impact so f different land use management options on water quality and other factors in the watershed. The project team presented the alternative future scenarios and recommended land use management options from the stakeholder workgroup at a community workshop on June 30, 2016 and incorporated input from the public and residents of the watershed in the final recommendations.

Meeting Date	Meeting Materials (PDFs)
September 2, 2016 (Stakeholder group)	Agenda Meeting Summary
June 30, 2016 (Community workshop)	Community Workshop Presentation
June 2, 2016 (Stakeholder group)	Agenda Meeting Summary Presentation - Scenario Results
March 25, 2016 (Stakeholder group)	Agenda Meeting Summary Presentation - Concerns & Scenarios
January 29, 2016 (Stakeholder group)	Agenda Meeting Summary Presentation - Management Tools Presentation - Voluntary Approaches
December 11, 2015 (Stakeholder group)	Agenda Meeting Summary Presentation - Project Overview

Thurston County, Washington