Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;"><DIV><DIV><DIV STYLE="font-size:12pt"><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>Improving riparian ecosystems is critical to protect water quality and increase salmon recovery. Riparian buffers of protective native vegetation along streams keep water clean and provide quality habitat for fish. Healthy riparian areas also help provide flows of cold, clean water necessary for fish migration, spawning, and rearing. Ultimately, robust riparian buffers are crucial to reducing nonpoint pollution, improving water quality and salmon recovery. </SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>Ecology’s Clean Water Guidance includes three buffer options. Ecology’s preferred recommendation is to establish fully forested riparian management zones. Where it is not feasible to restore full riparian habitat functions (i.e., not practicable to have a fully forested RMZ due to natural or anthropogenic factors), Ecology recommends that landowners select an alternative RMZ configuration that allows for either: 1) agroforestry in the inner zone; or 2) light intensity agricultural use of the outer zone that implements a suite of additional BMPs that will effectively control the generation and transport of pollutants. </SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>This map is a representation of Ecology’s Clean Water Guidance for Agriculture riparian buffer recommendations using best available information. Buffer widths are based on anticipated stream hydrologic category, estimated bankfull width and geographic location. For the purpose of simplicity, this map only displays the riparian management zone and core zone widths for each option. Consultation with Ecology’s Clean Water Guidance and funding guidelines will be needed to determine allowable activities within the riparian management zone and additional buffer requirements. </SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>Applicants for grant funding through Ecology's Water Quality Financial Assistance programs should use the information in this map as the default minimum riparian buffer widths; however, buffer requirements may change based on site specific information. </SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN STYLE="font-weight:bold;"><SPAN>Ecology Funding Guidelines:</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN><A href="https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Payments-contracts-grants/Grants-loans/Find-a-grant-or-loan/Water-Quality-Combined-Funding-Program/WQC-funding-cycle" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Payments-contracts-grants/Grants-loans/Find-a-grant-or-loan/Water-Quality-Combined-Funding-Program/WQC-funding-cycle</SPAN></SPAN></A></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN STYLE="font-weight:bold;"><SPAN>Clean Water Guidance:</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN><A href="https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Accountability-transparency/Partnerships-committees/Voluntary-Clean-Water-Guidance-for-Agriculture-Adv" STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN STYLE="text-decoration:underline;"><SPAN>https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Accountability-transparency/Partnerships-committees/Voluntary-Clean-Water-Guidance-for-Agriculture-Adv</SPAN></SPAN></A></P><P /><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>Note, the riparian area guidance does not apply to wetlands (or drainage channels excavated within wetlands), or shorelines of ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and marine waters. It also does not apply to ditches or canals excavated for irrigation or drainage, nor management induced channels such as rills and gullies. For this reason, these hydrologic features are not included in this layer.</SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN><SPAN>The buffer width information presented in this map is based on the Visual Surface Water data, and the most recent published flowlines (summer 2022) from the National Hydrography Dataset Plus HR (NHD+ HR). Visible Surface Water data was compiled by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and combined with NHD Area polygons and buffered NHD flowlines so that minimum buffer widths for intensive agriculture (Option 3) could be assigned to the largest-estimated stream size.</SPAN></SPAN></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN /></P><P STYLE="margin:0 0 0 0;"><SPAN>Stream flowlines will only draw on the map at certain scales; if you don't see the blue stream lines and orange buffer areas, zoom in further until they display. </SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
Description: <DIV STYLE="text-align:Left;font-size:12pt"><P><SPAN>The riparian area guidance does not apply to wetlands (or drainage channels excavated within wetlands), or shorelines of ponds, lakes, reservoirs, and marine waters. It also does not apply to ditches or canals excavated for irrigation or drainage, nor management induced channels such as rills and gullies. For this reason, these hydrologic features are not included in this layer.</SPAN></P><P><SPAN /></P><P><SPAN>The buffer width information presented in this map is based on the Visual Surface Water data, and the most recent published flowlines (summer 2022) from the National Hydrography Dataset Plus HR (NHD+ HR). Visible Surface Water data was compiled by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and combined with NHD Area polygons and buffered NHD flowlines so that minimum buffer widths for intensive agriculture (Option 3) could be assigned to the largest-estimated stream size.</SPAN></P><P><SPAN /></P><P><SPAN>Stream flowlines will only draw on the map at certain scales; if you don't see the blue stream lines and orange buffer areas, zoom in further until they display. </SPAN></P></DIV>