Publication Summary

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) is proposing an amendment to Chapter 173-503 WAC. The main features of this proposed rule amendment are creating reservations of a limited amount of water for specific future uses that are not subject to the established in-stream flows, establishing closures for tributaries, and setting forth conditions for future water right permitting. The proposed rule amendment also changes previously interruptible water supplies into uninterruptible water supplies, and potentially reduces in-stream flow levels. It provides additional benefits to various out-of-stream water users, and also potentially reduces various environmental values.