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Kittitas County, WA $ 17A.02.110 CRITICAL AREAS $ 17A.02.170 (Ord.202l-016,2021) S 17A.02.120. Avulsion. "Avulsion" means a sudden cutting off or separation of land by a flood breaking through a meander or by a sudden change in current whereby the stream deserts its old channel for a new one, such as occurs in Channel Migration Zones. (Ord. 2021 -016, 2021) $ 17A.02.125. Bank (of a water body). "Bank" means any land surface landward of the ordinary high water line next to a body of water and constrains the water except during floods. The term ubanku also includes all land surfaces of islands within a body of water that are below the flood elevation of the surrounding body of water. (Ord.2021-016,2021) S 17A.02.130. Best available science. "Best available science" means scientific information applicable to the critical area prepared by local, state, or federal natural resource agencies, a qualified scientific professional, or team of qualified scientific professionals that is consistent with criteria established in WAC 365-195-900 through WAC 365-195-925. (Ord. 2021-016, 2021) $ 17A.02.140. Buffer. "Buffer" means an area that is contiguous to and protects a critical area, and which is required for the continued maintenance, function, andlor structural stability of a critical area. (Ord.202l-016,2021) $ 17A.02.150. Channel migration zone. "Channel migration zone (CMZ)" means the area along a watercourse, but not always within the flood zone, within which the channel(s) can be reasonably predicted to migrate over time as a result of natural and normally occurring hydrological and related processes when considered with the characteristics of the river and its surroundings. (Ord.2021-016,2021) S 17A.02.155. Clearing. "Clearing" means significant vegetation removal including the removal or alteration of trees, shrubs, and/ or ground cover by grading, cutting, buming, chemical means, or other activity that causes significant ecological impacts to functions provided by such vegetation. The removal of invasive or noxious weeds does not constitute significant vegetation removal. Tree pruning, not including tree topping, where it does not affect ecological functions, does not constitute significant vegetation removal. (Ord. 2021-016, 2021) $ 17A.02.160. Critical aquifer recharge areas. "Critical aquifer recharge areas" are areas with a critical recharging effect on aquifers used for potable water, including areas where an aquifer that is a source of drinking water is vulnerable to contamination that would affect the potability of the water, or is susceptible to reduced recharge. (Ord. 2021-016,2021) Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/K16857 on 2025-05-l 5