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Vashon-Maury Island Groundwater Protection Committee
The Vashon-Maury Island Groundwater Protection Committee (VMI GWPC) has been serving the Vashon-Maury Island community since 2001. The Committee is responsible for the Groundwater Management Plan and Watershed Plan. They continue to work on strategies for protecting Vashon-Maury Island's groundwater.
Groundwater and surface water on Vashon-Maury Island
Vashon-Maury Island is about 13 miles long and 4 miles across in the widest areas, and has an area of about 37 square miles. The island's ground and surface waters provide all of the water needed for residential, commercial, and agricultural needs, and water quality on the island is generally excellent.
All drinking water sources on the island (springs, surface water, and groundwater) are supplied by local precipitation and Vashon-Maury Island was designated a Sole Source Aquifer by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in June 1994. The majority of the residents get their drinking water from public water systems (PWS).
Sustainability indicators
The Groundwater Protection Committee developed a set of indicators to measure the sustainability of our Island water resources. Each indicator has a target which was assessed in 2010 and for changes through time (2001-2010 Status). These indicators use resource monitoring being done by a variety of stakeholders including Island Water Purveyors, local volunteers, and King County staff.
These 11 indicators are grouped into broad categories:
- Water Quality (Groundwater, Surface Water, Marine)
- Water Quantity
- Ecosystem Health
- Water Use and Management
Groundwater Management Plan
The Groundwater Management Plan (16,804KB) provides a description of Vashon-Maury Island's groundwater resources, identifies threats to long term water quality and quantity, and recommends management strategies for protection. Maps and figures help to explain our work and an in-depth appendix provides more details. The plan has been approved by Washington State Department of Ecology and King County Council.
Watershed Plan
The Vashon-Maury Island Watershed Plan (3.2MB) was developed under the Watershed Management Act (Chapter 90.82 RCW) to address water supply issues on the Island. The Vashon-Maury Island Ground Water Protection Committee (GWPC) adopted the Plan on June 1, 2005. The GWPC represented the Island as a citizen caucus in the WRIA 15 planning process.
Public comment on the Plan was received in public meetings, GWPC meetings and in response to articles in local newspapers in 2004 and 2005. Public comments and state and county agency comments were incorporated into the Plan by the GWPC. See written public comments and a response from the Vashon-Maury Island Ground Water Protection Committee.
Committee membership
Members of the 2024 Groundwater Protection Committee:
- Morgan Brown, Chair (2024)
- Mike O'Connor, Vice-chair (2024)
- Michael Brown
- Mary Bruno
- Donna Klemka
- Richard Bard
- John Martinak
- Allen de Steiguer
Several individuals are pending nominations to the committee and King County Council approval.
Membership by stakeholder
| Position number |
Interest represented | Current member | Term expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vashon-Maury Island resident | Mike Brown | July 1, 2023 |
| 2 | Septic system owner | vacant | July 1, 2023 |
| 3 | Group A - public water system | John Martinak | July 1, 2024 |
| 4 | Residential exempt well user | vacant | July 1, 2023 |
| 5 | Residential exempt well user | Allen de Steiguer | July 1, 2025 |
| 6 | Vashon-Maury Island commercial business entities | Morgan Brown | July 1, 2023 |
| 7 | Vashon-Maury Island resident | Shawn Boeser | July 1, 2022 |
| 8 | Farming community | Stephen Buffington | July 1, 2021 |
| 9 | Vashon-Maury Island resident | Michael O'Connor | July 1, 2024 |
| 10 | One representative from local nonprofit organizations | Mary Bruno | July 1, 2023 |
| 11 | One representative from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians | vacant | vacant |
Resources from the committee
Protecting our Liquid Assets
This mailer explores Vashon's "Liquid Assets" - from the ditches beside our roads to the geology beneath our feet - and details how Islanders can work together to sustain the amount of clean water available.
Assessing our Liquid Assets
A "report card to the community," Assessing Our Liquid Assets was originally distributed as an insert in the Beachcomber newspaper.
Private wells Q and A
Bob Seibold of Island Pump answers questions from 2021's Safe Wells Vashon workshop.
Vashon-Maury Island Water Resources - a Retrospective of Contributions & Highlights
This report, from a project spanning 2004-2010, summarizes precipitation, stream flow and groundwater monitoring results and activities on the Island since the 1980‘s. In addition, a section is dedicated to summarizing key challenges in moving forward with maintaining the water resources on the Island.