Publication Summary

The Department of Ecology (Ecology) views the capture and reuse of irrigation water as a conservation measure that allows water users to achieve maximum beneficial use of their water. Capture and reuse involves an irrigator capturing irrigation runoff at the lower end of their fields and reusing this water on the same fields for irrigation. It can improve a poor or inadequate water supply situation for water users. It can also reduce the amount of water that users must divert from a stream or withdraw from the ground over the course of a year. A reduction in the amount diverted or withdrawn can provide more water to satisfy other water rights and instream flow requirements in streams.