Washington Department of Ecology Launches Rule-making for Spokane River Instream Flow

Published Feb 10, 2014

The Department of Ecology has begun the process of developing a new set of water management regulations for the Spokane River and the Spokane Valley Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer.  Although proposed regulations have not yet been publicly released, Ecology has announced that it will establish instream flow levels for the Spokane River.  Ecology is proposing the new water resource management program partially in response to the State of Idaho’s pending adjudication of the Spokane River occurring just across the border.

The February 2014 issue of the Western Water Law & Policy Reporter includes an article by Tupper Mack Wells attorney Sarah Mack describing Ecology’s announcement and a simultaneous request by several legislators for a suspension of Ecology’s instream flow rulemaking due to the uncertainty created by the Supreme Court’s decision in Swinomish v. Ecology, 178 Wn.2d 571 (2013). For more information, contact Sarah Mack at mack@tmw-law.com.

  • To read the article, click here.
  • To read the letter to Governor Inslee from Sen. Barbara Bailey and other legislators, click here.

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