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Open Space The Growth Management Act requires cities to identify open space corridors within and between mban growth areas [RCW 36.70A.160]. These corridors shall include lands that are useful for recreation, wildlife habitat, trails, and the connection of critical areas. Open space corridors provide important linkages of wildlife habitat as well as serving to knit the community tighter through a system of trails. Currently within the city limits infonnal open space exists as trails througho.ut residential neighborhoods, such as the Pacific Railroad right-of-way, the ridge to the north of Cle EI~ and the Yakima River plain. Additionally, formal open space exists as the Coal Mines Trail that links Cle Elum and Roslyn, The Progress Path that extends from Ranger Station Road to the Cle Elum Roslyn Schools, and the Hanson Ponds Trail. Cle Elum plans to provide a designated open space corridor, through the City, that would link the Coal Mines Trail with the John Wayne Trail. The City of Cle Blum would like to see additional open space corridors along the Yakima River and its associated floodplain. Lands presently zoned Industrial (Along the River) would be rezoned to a newly created zone, ''River Front Park". This land is currently forested land intermixed with residential structures. It is primarily floodwayand floodplain and is therefor:e unsuitable for development as currently zoned -Industrial. As "River Front Park District" the property would be preserved as important wildlife habitat, riparian habitat, anadromous fish habitat and for parks and trail linkages. Above and beyond this new zoning district, ele Elum will explore the use of conservation easements, further open space acquisition and dedication, and a change of the zoning code to require a minimwn of 10-percent of new developments to be dedicated to Open Space. Aquifer Recharge As precipitation reaches the earth it does several things. It becomes part of the snow pack entering into lakes, streams and rivers or wetlands, it seeps into the soil to be taken up by plant roots, or seeps into the groWld and becomes groundwater. As groundwater moves through the ground it may discharge to surface water features, such as lakes, streams, or rivers, which wm in tum recharge the groundwater. The water that remains in the ground will make up the aquifer. Aquifers discharge water naturally through springs and seeps, streams, lakes and wetlands. As aquifers discharge they are in-tum recharged. Recharge occurs primarily as a result of the infiltration of rainfall and secondly by the movement of water from adjacent aquifers or water bodies. The rate and quantity of water entering the ground depends on several factors. Natural factors include amount of precipitation, soil type and conditions, vegetation, and topography. Aquifers can also be identified by contamination. City ofCle Elum -Land Use Plan 22