WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council

The WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council is composed of elected representatives from 29 local cities and two counties (King and Snohomish), and concerned citizens, scientists, and representatives from environmental interests and state agencies. Established in 2007 when the WRIA 8 Steering Committee and WRIA 8 Forum were combined, the Salmon Recovery Council oversees implementation of the science-based Chinook Salmon Conservation Plan in the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed. The watershed, also known as Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 8, runs from the Puget Sound nearshore and inlands from the north end of Elliott Bay to south Everett, and east to the Bear Creek basin, the Issaquah Alps, and upper reaches of the Cedar River.

Other Committees and Subcommittees:

Management Committee

The Management Committee is a subset of the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council. The committee is charged with administrative duties on the Salmon Recovery Council's behalf, in particular, oversight of the cost-shared service provider team and the budget. For more information, contact Jason Mulvihill-Kuntz, WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Manager, jason.mulvihill-kuntz@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-4780.

Implementation Committee

The Implementation Committee is composed primarily of staff from local jurisdictions cost-sharing salmon conservation planning and implementation in the watershed. For more information, contact Jason Mulvihill-Kuntz, WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Manager, jason.mulvihill-kuntz@kingcounty.gov, (206) 477-4780.

Technical Committee

The Technical Committee consists of scientists from local and state agencies and interested stakeholders. The Technical Committee's role is to ensure that salmon conservation actions are scientifically sound. For more information, contact Lauren Urgenson, WRIA 8 Technical Coordinator, lurgenson@kingcounty.gov, (206) 263-1021.

Project Subcommittee

The WRIA 8 Project Subcommittee consists of technical staff, local government staff and elected and citizen representatives of the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council. This Committee has an important role to play in reviewing applications for habitat protection and restoration projects, stewardship projects and programs and studies. In particular, they review applications for the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Puget Sound Acquisition & Restoration funds, and the Cooperative Watershed Management Grant program, and make recommendations to the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council. For more information, contact Carrie Byron, WRIA 8 Projects and Funding Coordinator, cbyron@kingcounty.gov.

Former Committees:

Steering Committee (1999-2006)

The WRIA 8 Steering Committee was composed of local elected officials, concerned citizens, scientists, and representatives from business and environmental interests, water and sewer districts, and federal and state agencies, and oversaw development of a science-based salmon conservation plan in the Lake Washington/Cedar/Sammamish Watershed. In 2007 the Steering Committee combined with the WRIA 8 Forum to become the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council.

Forum (2001-2006)

Twenty-seven local jurisdictions, consisting of King and Snohomish counties and 25 cities in those counties, signed an interlocal agreement to cost-share a joint planning effort to conserve salmon habitat in their shared watershed. Between 2001 and 2006 elected officials representing each of these jurisdictions met as the WRIA (Water Resource Inventory Area) 8 Forum, which covers the Lake Washington/ Cedar/ Sammamish Watershed. Starting in 2007 the Forum and WRIA 8 Steering Committee were combined to form the WRIA 8 Salmon Recovery Council.

Staff Committee (2001-2006)

The Staff Committee was composed primarily of staff from local jurisdictions cost-sharing salmon conservation planning in the watershed.