Funding Mechanisms
Current resources are insufficient to implement the Salmon Habitat Plan in a timely manner. Slow implementation jeopardizes regional salmon recovery and Puget Sound recovery.
To address this lack of resources, the WRIA 9 Watershed Ecosystem Forum in 2009 began exploring possible funding mechanisms.
Investments in watershed health and salmon habitat recovery also yield long-term and substantial benefits in terms of ecosystem goods and services.
Draft Watershed Investment District Legislation
WRIA 9 worked with other watersheds in Central Puget Sound to create the following draft legislation authorizing the creation of watershed investment districts to address the lack of resources for salmon recovery and other watershed priorities:
- Watershed Investment Districts - Draft Legislation (July 2011)(Adobe Acrobat 1.2 MB)
- Watershed Investment Districts - Summary of Draft Legislation (July 2011)(Adobe Acrobat)
- Watershed Investment Districts - Section-by-Section Summary of Draft Legislation (July 2011)(Adobe Acrobat)
Funding Mechanism Analysis
- Toward Implementing the WRIA 9 Salmon Habitat Plan: Addendum to April 2009 WRIA 9 Funding Mechanism Report (May 2010)(Adobe Acrobat 1.5 MB)
- Draft WRIA 9 Funding Mechanisms Report (April 2009)(Adobe Acrobat 1.2 MB)
- Funding Mechanism Policy Brief 1: Project History (June 2010)(Adobe Acrobat)
- Funding Mechanism Policy Brief 2: Funding Need (June 2010)(Adobe Acrobat)
- Funding Mechanism Policy Brief 3: Flood Control District Levy Increase (June 2010)(Adobe Acrobat)
- Funding Mechanism Policy Brief 4: Assessment/Fee (June 2010)(Adobe Acrobat)
- Funding Mechanism Policy Brief 5: Watershed Investment District (September 2010)(Adobe Acrobat)
Funding Mechanism Discussions
The Watershed Ecosystem Forum discussed the funding mechanisms at meetings beginning in 2009. The following meeting notes summarize discussion about funding:
- September 11, 2008 meeting notes (MS Word) - summary of diminishing funding available for context on pages 5-6
- February 12, 2009 meeting notes (MS Word) - pages 4-6
- First Draft Funding Mechanisms Report (February 2009)(MS Word)
- May 14, 2009 meeting notes (MS Word) - pages 5-6
- Selection Criteria Ranking Results (MS Excel)
- August 13, 2009 meeting notes (MS Word) - pages 2-4
- November 12, 2009 meeting notes (MS Word) - pages 4-6
- February 11, 2010 meeting notes (MS Word) - pages 2-3
- Funding Mechanism Project Summary and Next Steps (Adobe Acrobat)
- May 13, 2010 meeting notes (MS Word) - pages 2-5
Ecosystem Goods and Services
Much of the rationale for developing a funding mechanism rests on the significant ecosystem goods and services generated by the land and waters of the Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed. Discussion and analysis of these ecosystem goods and services are detailed in two previous documents:
- Ecosystem Services Enhanced by Salmon Habitat Conservation in the Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed (February 2005)(Adobe Acrobat 1.6 MB)
- Chapter 6: Ecological Economics Foundation (August 2005)(Adobe Acrobat 254 KB) of the 2005 Salmon Habitat Plan
Contact Doug Osterman, 206-296-8069, for more information.