Regional Management Plan
The purpose of the Upper Yakima Valley Regional Wellhead Protection Plan (WHPP) is to prevent contamination of groundwater supplies in the Upper Yakima Valley.
In this Regional WHPP, each member community in the Upper Yakima Valley plays a role in protecting the groundwater supplies of the entire area by pooling resources and management efforts to target an audience beyond that which could be reached at a local level.
Regional Management Strategies
Regional management efforts adopted by the eight purveyors forming the Regional Wellhead Protection Committee include:
In this Regional WHPP, each member community in the Upper Yakima Valley plays a role in protecting the groundwater supplies of the entire area by pooling resources and management efforts to target an audience beyond that which could be reached at a local level.
Regional Management Strategies
Regional management efforts adopted by the eight purveyors forming the Regional Wellhead Protection Committee include:
- Development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) database of the wellhead protection areas, potential contamination sources, and water quality data in order to monitor and track sources and receptors
- Development of a planning trigger to distribute wellhead protection notification letters for development changes (i.e. building permits, zoning changes, State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), etc.) within wellhead protection areas
- Coordination with Ecology to prioritize their Hazmat Technical Assistance Sweep within wellhead protection areas
- Coordination with the State Health Department's Sanitary Surveys to ensure up-to-date information is maintained in the regional GIS potential contamination source inventory
- Coordination with County Health District to identify septic tanks and private wells with Global Positioning System (GPS) units
- Coordination with the Washington Association of Realtors to adopt a Property Disclosure Addendum that will help identify private and abandoned well locations during property transfers
- Designation of the 6-Month wellhead protection area as a critical "Red Zone" by County Emergency Management (LEPC) in order to prioritize wellhead protection during emergencies (i.e. hazardous material spills)
- Public education efforts including literature distribution
- Coordination with Education Services District (ESD) which provides continuing education to area teachers in order to better integrate wellhead protection and water issues into school curriculum
- Development of a regional website to increase public awareness on the need to protect groundwater
- Development of a logo for wellhead protection area signs
- Development of an interlocal agreement among the eight purveyors to make sure that wellhead protection is given a high priority in the Upper Yakima Valley.