Water Resources > Water Conservancy Boards

Water Conservancy Boards

General Information

In 1997 the Legislature authorized creation of water conservancy boards under Chapter 90.80 RCW (Water Conservancy Boards) to enable the processing of water-right transfer and change applications at the local level.  This legislation allows counties to establish boards as separate units of local government through resolution of the county or counties that it serves and approval by the Department of Ecology (Ecology).  All board decisions are ultimately reviewed and affirmed, reversed, or modified by Ecology.

Each board consists of three or five commissioners.  All board commissioners must receive training from Ecology before participating in any decision on a water-right transfer application.  A board can serve a single watershed, multiple watersheds, a county, or multiple counties.  Boards are subject to the Open Public Meetings Act and Public Records Act.

There are currently 21 water conservancy boards operating in Washington, 16 on the East side and 5 on the West side; four have Web sites. See the contact list for the boards and board fees.

Adams Benton Chelan Douglas Ferry Franklin Grant

Mason Island Kittitas Klickitat Lewis Lincoln Okanogan

Spokane Stevens Thurston Walla Walla Whatcom Whitman Yakima

Activities

Water Conservancy Boards - Records of Decision - Review and comment on Records of Decision with open comment periods.

More Information

• 2006 Report to the Legislature
• Chapter 173-153 WAC  Water conservancy boards
• Water Conservancy Board Q & A
• Board Web sites
  • Chelan County
  • Thurston County
  • Yakima County
• Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee (JLARC) 2004 Report on Water Conservancy Boards
• Recent Publications
• Information for Board Commissioners

Board Contacts and Fees

• WCB Contact List and Fees  04/25/2008 (24kb pdf)

Status of Boards and Board Commissioners and Alternatives

This information is considered accurate as of the date identified below. Please contact Janet Carlson for more current information.

The operating status of the board identifies whether a board has enough eligible commissioners to make a record of decision. Eligibility of a commissioner is based on the commissioner fulfilling educational requirements per WAC 173-153-050.

• Status of Boards and Board Commissioners and Alternatives

WCB Staff Guidance Document

In order to document the existing internal responsibilities for working with water conservancy boards, Ecology has developed an internal guidance for employees that work directly with boards. The document was effective September 1, 2004 and updated October 31, 2006.

• WCB Staff Guidance Document

Contact

Janet Rajala
Water Conservancy Board Coordinator
Department of Ecology
4601 N. Monroe Street
Spokane, WA 99205
Office - 509 329-3421
Fax - 509 329-3529
jaca461@ecy.wa.gov