Sensitive Area Ordinance Streams

For more information about this layer please see the GIS Data Catalog. Streams are defined in the Sensitive Areas Ordinance (SAO) as those areas of King County where surface waters produce a defined channel or bed. A defined channel or bed is an area that 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 definition is not meant to include irrigation ditches, canals, storm or surface water runoff devices or other entirely artificial watercourses unless they are used by salmonids or used to convey streams naturally occurring prior to construction in such watercourse.