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Determining the Ordinary High Water Mark for Shoreline Management Act Compliance in Washington State

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Determining the Ordinary High Water Mark for Shoreline Management Act Compliance in Washington State Determining the Ordinary High Water Mark for Shoreline Management Act Compliance in Washington State October 2016 Final Review Publication no. 16-06-029 Template Publication and Contact Information This report is available on the Department of Ecology’s website at https://fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/SummaryPages/1606029.html For more information contact: Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program P.O. Box 47600 Olympia, WA 98504-7600 Phone: 360-407-6000 Washington State Department of Ecology - www.ecy.wa.gov o Headquarters, Olympia 360-407-6000 o Northwest Regional Office, Bellevue 425-649-7000 o Southwest Regional Office, Olympia 360-407-6300 o Central Regional Office, Yakima 509-575-2490 o Eastern Regional Office, Spokane 509-329-3400 Accommodation Requests: To request ADA accommodation including materials in a format for the visually impaired, call Ecology at 360-407-6000. Persons with impaired hearing may call Washington Relay Service at 711. Persons with speech disability may call TTY at 877-833-6341. Determining the Ordinary High Water Mark for Shoreline Management Act Compliance in Washington State by; Paul S. Anderson, Susan Meyer, Dr. Patricia Olson, Erik Stockdale Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program Washington State Department of Ecology Olympia, Washington Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................3 Executive Summary .............................................................................................................4 Chapter 1 - Introduction .......................................................................................................8 1.1 Importance of Accurate Ordinary High Water Mark Determinations .....................8 1.2 Purpose of the Document .........................................................................................9 1.3 Organization of This Document.............................................................................10 1.4 Target Audience for This Document .....................................................................11 Chapter 2 – Determining the OHWM ................................................................................12 2.1 The Ordinary High Water Mark Defined...............................................................12 2.2 The Three Criteria of an Ordinary High Water Mark ............................................13 2.3 Ordinary High Water Mark Considerations ...........................................................15 2.4 Reasons for Systematically Determining the OHWM ...........................................18 2.5 How to Determine the OHWM ..............................................................................19 2.5.1 Step 1: Office assessment of landscape and geomorphic features .............19 2.5.2 Step 2: Field assessment .............................................................................19 2.5.3 Step 3: Document findings .........................................................................20 2.5.4 Step 4: Hydrologic assessment (if needed) ................................................21 2.6 Special Circumstances ...........................................................................................21 Chapter 3 – Streams ...........................................................................................................22 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................22 3.2 Definining the OHWM ..........................................................................................23 3.2.1 Field indicator descriptions ........................................................................24 3.2.2 Common misunderstandings of stream OHWM ........................................33 3.2.3 Special circumstances .................................................................................38 3.3 Office Assessment .................................................................................................41 3.4 Field Assessment ...................................................................................................59 - Set up transect(s) from the water’s edge to the upland........................................60 - Identify vegetation and soil indicators along transect starting at water’s edge. ..60 Chapter 4 – Tidal Waters ...................................................................................................66 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................66 4.2 Defining the Ordinary High Water Mark...............................................................67 4.2.1 Field indicators descriptions .......................................................................76 4.2.2 Common misunderstandings ....................................................................101 4.3 Office Assessment ...............................................................................................103 3.4 Field Assessment .................................................................................................108 Chapter 5 – Lakes ............................................................................................................110 5.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................110 5.1.1 Origin and patterns of lakes ......................................................................111 5.2 Defining the OHWM ...........................................................................................112 5.2.1 Definition of lakes in the SMA ................................................................112 1 5.2.2 Field indicator descriptions ......................................................................114 5.2.3 Common misunderstandings of lake OHWM ..........................................133 5.2.4 Special circumstances and considerations ................................................134 5.3 Office Assessment ...............................................................................................138 5.4 Field Assessment .................................................................................................139 5.4.1 General observations ................................................................................139 5.4.2 Identify lower and upper boundaries of OHWM using transect(s): .........140 5.4.3 Field verification of preliminary OHWM determination .........................140 Chapter 6 – Associated Wetlands and River Deltas ........................................................141 6.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................141 6.2 Office Assessment ...............................................................................................149 6.2.1 Step 1: Assess landscape and geomorphic features ..................................150 6.2.2 Step 2: Choose potential locations for field survey ..................................151 6.3 Field Assessment .................................................................................................151 6.3.1 Conducting the field assessment ..............................................................151 6.3.2 Description and rationale for field indicators ...........................................152 6.3.3 Proximity indicators .................................................................................153 6.3.4 Influence indicators ..................................................................................153 Appendices .......................................................................................................................155 Appendix A: Field data form .....................................................................................156 Appendix B: Plant species distribution across OHWM gradient ...............................160 Appendix C: Useful internet links for making OHWM determinations ....................177 Streams ..............................................................................................................177 Tidal Waters ......................................................................................................178 Lakes ..................................................................................................................178 Wetlands ............................................................................................................179 Soil .....................................................................................................................179 Plants .................................................................................................................179 Aerial Photographs and Interactive Mapping ....................................................180 Appendix D: Geomorphic examples and indicators ..................................................182 Appendix E: Example report outline .........................................................................198 Appendix F: Glossary ................................................................................................199 Appendix G: Comparison of different OHWM definitions in various statutes and rules ....................................................................................................................................215 Appendix H: References
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