Washington State Department of Ecology

News Release

Department of Ecology News Release - Sept. 7, 2000
00-176

State task force studying water storage takes a look at Skagit County

OLYMPIA – A state task force responsible for developing water-storage recommendations for the Washington state legislature will learn what Skagit County is doing to store water on rainy days so it's available when the weather turns dry.

Next week, the task force will tour the Judy Reservoir Enlargement Project near Sedro- Wooley to learn what the Skagit County Public Utility District has done to increase water storage to meet future population growth while still providing adequate water for salmon.

MOUNT VERNON Skagit County Public Utility District, 1415 Freeway Dr.

Monday, Sept. 11, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The 2000 Legislature directed the Department of Ecology (Ecology) to convene the task force made up of water utility districts, agricultural groups, local and state governments, Indian tribes and legislators. The task force is examining the role of increasing water storage to provide water for fish recovery, population and economic growth, and flood control.

"Washington state is fast running out of water that is readily available wherever and whenever people and fish need it," said Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons. "We need to be smarter about capturing and saving extra water when we have it, and then make sure we have a system for getting it to where it is needed most."

The task force is also reviewing how to pay for various water-storage options such as building or remodeling dams and reservoirs and storing water underground in aquifers.

The group is scheduled to meet in Ellensburg in October and in Bellevue in November. Ecology will provide a report on water storage to the Legislature at the end of this year.

Contacts: Mary Getchell, Public Information Manager, (360) 407-6157, (360) 534-8590 (pager); Doug Johnson, Water Resources Engineering Manager, (360) 407-6623

For more information, visit Ecology's web page on water storage: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/plan/wstfhome.html