Benton County has no ocean coast, but the Columbia and Yakima rivers are shorelines of the state. Under the Shoreline Management Act, development within 200 feet of these rivers needs a shoreline permit under the county's Shoreline Master Program.
Washington's Shoreline Management Act, RCW 90.58, applies to the Columbia River, Yakima River, and other qualifying waters in Benton County. Development within 200 feet of the ordinary high-water mark falls under the county's Shoreline Master Program, which sets buffers, vegetation conservation, and no-net-loss habitat standards. The Columbia's Hanford Reach and its shrub-steppe banks hold important fish and wildlife habitat, including fall Chinook spawning. Depending on the work, a shoreline substantial development permit, conditional use permit, or documented exemption is required. Hard armoring such as riprap and bulkheads faces strict review, with bioengineered bank stabilization preferred. Building in the floodway and channel migration zone is heavily restricted.
Building, filling, or clearing within shoreline jurisdiction without the required permit violates RCW 90.58 and the Shoreline Master Program, bringing stop-work orders, penalties up to $1,000 per day, and orders to restore habitat.
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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