Title
AN ORDINANCE authorizing the King County executive to enter into an interlocal agreement for Miller and Walker creeks basin stewardship and basin monitoring coordination and development.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The area of the Miller and Walker creeks basin ("the basin") is heavily urbanized, containing an extensive road network, intensive residential and commercial development and a portion of a major airport.
2. Due in part to the fact that the basin was largely developed prior to the implementation of current standards and controls for managing storm and surface water runoff, the basin in general and Miller and Walker creeks specifically experience problems with flooding, erosion, aquatic habitat and water quality.
3. King County, the cities of Burien, Normandy Park and SeaTac, the Port of Seattle and the Washington state Department of Transportation worked under an interlocal agreement to develop a comprehensive, interjurisdictional plan to evaluate and address the basin's flooding, erosion, aquatic habitat and water quality problems.
4. In February 2006, an executive-proposed Miller and Walker creeks basin plan ("the plan") was issued, documenting basin conditions, setting goals for high flow and erosion reduction, water quality improvement and habitat protection and improvement and outlining a range of actions to begin meeting those goals.
5. An important recommendation of the plan is to implement a basin stewardship program, to include public education and outreach to inform and involve citizens in aquatic resource protection and improvement activities, and to provide cross-jurisdictional coordination for activities affecting the basin.
6. An additional plan recommendation is to conduct ongoing scientific monitoring in the basin to allow for trend analysis of flow, water quality and habitat data.
7. King County, the cities of Burien, Normandy Park and SeaTac and the Port of Seattle have agreed to initiate basin stewardship and a...
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