Aspect is working for the Chelan County DNR to implement the next phase of watershed planning in the Wenatchee Basin. This project, funded through state and federal grants, includes planning, permitting, capital infrastructure development, and public outreach/facilitation/litigation support services to ensure sustainable water supply and water resources for future communities and habitat in the basin. We are performing water rights permitting, creating a water rights tracking system of permitted and exempt water rights in 11 subbasins, and coordinating watershed planning in the critical Icicle Creek subbasin to support future capital infrastructure development. We are providing hydrogeological, project management, and GIS services to support the multiple phases of this long-reaching project.
WRIA 30 Multipurpose Water Storage Assessment: Little Klickitat River and Swale Creek
Like other parts of Washington State, water is not uniformly available throughout the year in the Klickitat River watershed (WRIA 30), which can create conflicts between water demands for fish versus people. Aspect completed the initial assessment of storage options for developing new agricultural and municipal water supplies within two priority subbasins of WRIA 30: Little Klickitat River and Swale Creek. We identified prospective storage options based on each subbasin’s physical characteristics, irrespective of water needs. From our assessment, the implementing agencies have initiated a more detailed feasibility study for one of the identified options, in-channel storage within Dry and Idlewild Creeks to achieve both instream and out-of-stream benefits, which Aspect is conducting.
WRIA 16 Hydrogeologic and Instream Flow Studies
Aspect performed four studies in WRIA 16/14B for the Planning Unit. The studies include a hydrogeologic investigation of the Dosewallips Brinnon area, an instream flow study, a hydrogeologic investigation at the Webb Hill biosolids facility, and a river/stream impairment analysis. These projects used methods ranging from use of stable isotopes for hydrogeologic characterization to a development of a GIS database and tool that allows for future updates and use by project stakeholders.
WRIA 48 Water Right Transfer and Water Bank Planning
Aspect assisted the Methow Watershed Council’s implementation of 20 planning actions recommended in the WRIA 48 Watershed Plan. This work included developing guidance and approaches for: identifying local resources to provide information and education on water-right transfers, assisting in evaluating existing water rights, facilitating placement of existing water rights into the State's Trust Water Rights Program, and administering a local water bank using Trust Water Rights to provide mitigation of new uses in the basin.