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(1) Classification. The following classifications shall be used in designating aquatic and wildlife habitat conservation areas:

(a) Aquatic Habitat Conservation Areas. Includes those streams, lakes, marine waters and their associated wetlands and floodplains defined as shorelines of the State in the Shoreline Management Act of 1971 and the Clallam County Shoreline Master Program, which are also categorized as “shorelands” under Chapter 90.58 RCW, Shoreline Management Act, as now or hereafter amended, and those streams, lakes and wetlands which meet the criteria for Type 1 – 5 waters as defined herein.

Streams include those areas where the surface water flow is sufficient to produce a defined channel or bed. A defined channel or bed is an area which demonstrates clear evidence of the passage of water and includes but is not limited to bedrock channels, gravel beds, sand and silt beds and defined-channel swales. The channel or bed need not contain water year-round. This does not include irrigation ditches, canals, storm or surface water runoff devices or other artificial watercourses unless they are used by salmon or used to convey streams naturally occurring prior to construction.

(b) Class I Wildlife Habitat Conservation Area. Those lands including the following:

(i) Habitats recognized by federal or State agencies for federal and/or State listed endangered, threatened and sensitive species documented in maps or data bases available to Clallam County and its citizens and which, if altered, may reduce the likelihood that the species will maintain and reproduce over the long term. This includes known locations of nests, rookeries, or other breeding areas for species of concern recognized by local, state and federal public agencies having jurisdiction over such species.

(ii) Habitats targeted for preservation by federal, State and/or local government which provide fish and wildlife habitat benefits, such as important waterfowl areas identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

(c) Class II Wildlife Habitat Conservation Area. Those lands including the following:

(i) Priority habitats not classified as Class I for State listed candidate and monitor species documented in maps or data bases available to Clallam County and its citizens, and which, if altered, may reduce the likelihood that the species will maintain and reproduce over the long term.

(ii) Priority habitats not classified as Class I. These habitats may include wetlands, aquatic conservation areas, marine bluffs, stream ravines, caves, cliffs, islands, meadows, old-growth/mature forest, snag-rich areas, talus slopes, urban natural open space, and those land and water areas identified as significant habitat corridors under the Clallam County Comprehensive Plan, CCC Title 31.

(2) Designation. All lands and shorelands classified as aquatic and wildlife habitat conservation areas are hereby designated as aquatic and wildlife habitat conservation areas. These areas shall be mapped whenever possible. These maps shall be advisory and used by the Administrator and/or review authority to provide guidance in determining applicability of the standards to a property. Sites which include aquatic and wildlife habitat conservation areas which are not mapped shall be subject to the provisions of this section and chapter. The Administrator shall provide maps in a critical areas resource map portfolio as guidance in identifying the presence of aquatic and wildlife habitat conservation areas. These maps may be based on the following information sources:

(a) Department of Wildlife Non-Game and Priority Habitat and Species Data Bases;

(b) Department of Wildlife Washington Rivers Information System Data Base;

(c) Washington State Department of Health Commercial and Recreational Shellfish Area Inventory;

(d) Clallam County Shoreline Master Program;

(e) National Wetlands Inventory;

(f) Department of Natural Resources Waters of the State;

(g) Coastal Zone Atlas of Clallam County;

(h) Limiting Factors Analyses for Anadromous Fish and Habitat Restoration Plans;

(i) Watershed Plans and Analyses.