How Are “Exempt” Wells

Managed in Washington?

Victoria Leuba

Washington State

Department of Ecology

Water Resources Program

Exempt Wells:

Problems and Approaches in the Northwest

May 17, 2011

“WICKEDLY”

Ten Characteristics of a

Wicked Problem

1. There is no definitive formulation

of a wicked problem.

2. Wicked problems have no stopping rule.

3. Solutions to wicked problems are

not true-or-false but good-or-bad.

4. There is no immediate and no ultimate

test of a solution to a wicked problem.

5. Every implemented solution to a

wicked problem has consequences.

Rittel, H., and M. Webber; “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning” pp 155-169, Policy Sciences, Vol. 4,

Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Inc., Amsterdam, 1973.

6. Wicked problems do not have a well-

described set of potential solutions.

7. Every wicked problem is essentially

unique.

8. Every wicked problem can be

considered a symptom of another

problem.

9. The causes of a wicked problem can

be explained in numerous ways.

10.The planner (designer) has no right

to be wrong.

Ten Characteristics of a

Wicked Problem (con’t.)

Stakeholders Local governments

Local planning departments

Well drillers

Developers and Real Estate agents

Land owners (owners of sub-dividable acreage)

Senior water right users

Environmental Groups

Exempt well owners and users

Cattlemen

The Washington State legislature

Water Resource Inventory Areas

Washington State

Exempt Well “Management”

KEY

Governor’s Office

Rules Regulations

Elected Governments

Agencies Committees

Attorney General’s Office

Interest Groups

Trigger events

Technical Considerations

Underlying Considerations

A Wicked Problem RCW

90.44.050

H2O

Available

?

Local health

jurisdictions

Local watershed

plans

Local planning

departments

Department

of Ecology

Department

of Health

Political

Capital

Political

Climate

Water?

Well Drillers

RCW

90.82

Benign

Neglect

2005

AGO

Environmental

Groups

State Issued

Water Right

Holders

Property

Owners

Property

Developers

Livestock and

Dairy Interests

Beneficial

Use

?

Impairment

?

Public

Interest

?

H2O

Shortages

County

Government

State

Legislature Attorney

General

Governor’s

Office

Potential Goals

Sustainable management of waters of the

state.

Shared governance with local land

management entities.

Compliance with Washington’s Water

Code and Growth Management Act

Equitable distribution and use of a shared

public resource.

QUESTIONS