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Department of Ecology News Release - April 4, 2001
01-052
OLYMPIA - The Department of Ecology (Ecology), Columbia Snake-River Irrigators Association and city of Pasco have reached an agreement to preserve water flows in the Columbia River while also helping some cities and farmers who want to use water from the river.
The agreement arose from discussions about a lawsuit the irrigators association and Pasco filed against the environmental agency in October 2000.
"We are pleased that the agreement helps break the logjam on processing water rights in the Columbia basin while also acknowledging the need to maintain healthy flows in the river," said Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons. "We're devoting a lot of attention to managing the immediate water shortages caused by the drought, but we know it is just a temporary situation and the river will eventually be full again. We still need to pay attention to our water needs of the future and support the people of our state who are striving to build homes and businesses in rural areas."
The main elements in the agreement include:
By Sept. 30, Ecology will process approximately 12 applications that have been seeking to divert water from the Columbia River since 1991. Like all water rights issued for the Columbia River since 1980, these 12 water rights will contain conditions that protect minimum stream flows in the river.
Ecology will develop a draft interim rule by Sept. 30 that will govern how applications to withdraw water from the Columbia and Snake rivers are processed. The rule will address stream-flow needs and identify how water rights would be administered until a comprehensive strategy for managing the Columbia River is completed.
The irrigators association and Pasco will support Ecology's legislative request for more staff to process water-right permits.
The irrigators association and Pasco will participate in efforts to develop a management strategy for the Columbia and Snake rivers, as proposed by Gov. Gary Locke.
"This is good news because managing the Columbia and Snake river systems is an enormous task," said Gov. Gary Locke. "I want the involvement of the irrigators, local communities, environmental organizations, hydropower producers, tribes and others in determining how best to manage the river systems for all the competing interests."
"The agreement moves the state toward processing new water rights on the Columbia River to meet expanding social and economic demands of Eastern Washington. It also brings forward review of a new water management program for the Columbia River," said Darryll Olsen, representative for Columbia Snake River Irrigators Association.
Between now and Sept. 30, all parties agreed to put the lawsuit on hold while they implement the agreement.
CONTACT: Mary Getchell, Public Information Manager, (360) 407-6157; pager, (360) 534-8590Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
