Futurewise works statewide to protect shoreline habitats.
Cities and counties in Washington state are required to pass policies that protect shorelines from development, called Shoreline Master Programs (SMPs). Shoreline master programs are policies and regulations used to guide development on marine shorelines, rivers and streams with mean annual flows of 20 cubic feet per second, and lakes 20 acres and larger. Washington shorelines are especially important to protect in order to conserve the salmon runs that form a vital cultural resource for Washington tribes and are a critical food source for the Southern resident orca population.
Futurewise works to strengthen and improve SMP policies statewide to improve Washington waterways and riparian and shoreline habitats. We track the SMP update process, provide public comments that include the latest science and identify areas of non-compliance with state laws, deepen relationships with and engage local partners in the process, and conduct legal appeals if necessary.
- Changing state law to protect coastal communities from sea level rise: In 2023, Futurewise successfully worked to pass HB 1181 to add climate change planning to the Growth Management Act. This new state legislation will ensure that shoreline master programs are accounting for sea level rise, ensuring that new development is kept out of flood zones and allowing wildlife habitat and buffer zones to migrate inland as a result of rising sea levels.
- Improving criteria for protecting channel migration zones in Clallam County: Channel migration zones refer to the areas of a river where the river changes course over time. They are both hazardous places to construct buildings and they create important fish and wildlife habitats including salmon spawning areas. Futurewise successfully advocated for channel migration zones to be based on thirty years of aerial images where they are available. This will result in more accurate determinations of where rivers and streams will migrate over time.
- Supporting grant funding for local shoreline planning efforts in Grays Harbor County: Futurewise has worked with Grays Harbor County for years to advocate for sea level rise to be accounted for in the county’s SMP. Grays Harbor County residents and fish and wildlife habitats will be more severely affected by sea level rise than any other Washington county. In 2023, Futurewise supported Grays Harbor County in applying for and receiving $212,000 in state funding to support updating the SMP to plan for sea level rise.