WASHINGTON STATE AND TRI CITIES, WA WATER POLICY

AT ISSUE
Support a water policy that supports a future for a growing economy for municipal and agricultural uses, and defining a water right as a property right.

TRI CITY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL POSITION
• Support legislation to:
* Eliminate the current water right “relinquishment” provisions under the water code.
* Change the definition of “beneficial use” to reflect the peak-year use under the history of water rights.
* Support continuing solutions for bringing surface water to relieve the Odessa Su-Area aquifers.
• Support a Columbia River water resources management policy that:
* Supports the Kennewick Irrigation District pump, exchange and diversion point change for stream flow in the Yakima River.
* Supports actions to make the proposed drawdown of Lake Roosevelt transparent to all parties so that the economy of the Lake Roosevelt area is not devastated for the benefit of others. All storage of smaller tributaries should be explored as well as increasing the storage of Banks Lake and the Potholes reservoir before there is any drawdown of Lake Roosevelt.

BACKGROUND
Water users should have their own options with what to do with “saved” water after achieving greater efficiencies. It should be their property to sell or transfer to other land owners.  The Washington State Department of Ecology’s policy of using “relinquishment” statutes to eliminate or impair water rights must be changed, as well as their delays in issuing new water rights. The TCLC also supports the work of the state’s local Water Conservancy Boards to authorize water right changes and transfers.  The Tri-Cities Legislative Council has long endorsed and supported the use of irrigation Best Management Practices (BMPs). We also believe there should be policy that allows the conversion of interruptible Columbia River mainstem water rights to firm status, based on an adoption of BMPs. In addition, allows for the issuance of new Columbia River water rights based on BMPs and hydropower mitigation fees. Finally, we support the uses mitigation fees to fund water conservation measures within the tributaries, particularly the Yakima River Basin.

For more information, contact the Tri Cities Chamber of Commerce.