Representatives of the Squaxin Island Tribe met government‑to‑government with Mason County commissioners on Nov. 25 to press for stronger comprehensive plan language and basin‑level water data to protect streamflows and salmon habitat.

The tribe requested three specific changes: 1) include basin‑by‑basin inventories of existing and forecasted wells (the county currently presents a countywide estimate of roughly 10,000 wells), 2) use active language committing the county to develop and finalize offset projects to mitigate consumptive uses from per‑ and exempt wells, and 3) place the technical well inventory and forecasting tables (developed by consultants) in the plan or an appendix so that the baseline data are visible. The tribe framed the requests around streamflow impacts on salmon and related natural resources.

County planners and commissioners acknowledged the science linking wells and streamflow, noted progress on a Goldsboro streamflow gauge co‑funded by the county and partners, and discussed the balance between protective language and landowner permitting certainty. Commissioners suggested compromise approaches—placing detailed basin tables in an appendix and using phrasing that commits the county to pursue offset projects and grant funding rather than imposing immediate, binding limits on private property use.

County staff and tribal representatives agreed to continue collaboration, pursue grant funding for monitoring and offset work, and catalogue the consultant‑generated basin tables so they remain part of the record. Several commissioners emphasized the collaborative history with the tribe and the goal of using grants and technical work to implement offset projects under applicable law.

Next steps: staff will incorporate agreed updates to the draft comprehensive plan (including references to section 3.5.09 and the consultant table), explore placement of basin tables in an appendix, continue government‑to‑government coordination, and pursue monitoring and grant opportunities to support offset projects.