West Sound Water Type Assessment

Location:

Kitsap County, WA

Project type:

Assessment/Planning

Status:

Active

Start Date:

12/10/2009

Completion Date:

Ongoing

Description:

Effective salmon recovery requires the restoration and protection of fish habitats. Kitsap County stream buffer width requirements are set by water type. Existing regulatory water type maps demonstrably under-represent the extent of fish and fish habitat, and many streams are mapped incorrectly or not at all. Consequently, many stream channels that warrant protection are not receiving appropriate buffers.

Goals & Objectives:

Through extensive field surveys, Wild Fish Conservancy (WFC) will determine and correct water type classifications in 60 miles of streams in prioritized portions of WRIA 15 using state-sanctioned protocols. Using GPS, WFC will accurately map previously unmapped and incorrectly mapped water courses. In addition to providing data to ensure informed and responsible management of these watersheds, this assessment will generate species-specific distribution data to assist with restoration project identification and prioritization efforts. WFC will incorporate assessment results in a web-based interactive GIS (see www.wildfishconservancy.org) available to resource managers and the general public. Data formats will be compatible with State, County, City, and Tribal datasets. This project will complement WFC’s SRFB-funded watertype assessments in WRIAs 2, 7, 13, 14, and 22.