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Department of Ecology News Release - September 26, 2002
02-179
OLYMPIA - By Sept. 30, most water-right holders in 12 of the 16 basins in Washington where fish runs are the most threatened will be under orders to install water-measuring devices and begin reporting their water use to the Department of Ecology.
The department will send another 153 such orders at the end of the month to water users in the Chambers-Clover, Elwha-Dungeness, Puyallup-White and Walla Walla watersheds. Since March, the department has sent orders to more than 500 farms, irrigation districts, municipalities and other users, comprising 80 percent of the water use in the state's 16 "fish-critical" basins.
The orders have been accompanied by offers of grant money to help the water users pay for the required metering equipment. Costs can range from a few hundred to nearly $50,000, depending on the complexity of the system. Yet so far, fewer than 30 people have applied for the financial assistance, and more than $3 million are still available.
"The orders will help everyone better manage state water supplies, especially in our most sensitive river basins," said Joe Stohr, who supervises Ecology's water-resources program. "We strongly encourage as many people as possible to take full advantage of the state program designed to defray the costs of installing meters and other measuring devices."
Stohr said eligible candidates can receive up to $50,000 to purchase, install and calibrate new water-measuring devices. Since the money was provided by the legislature for the state's current budget cycle, it may not be available after June 2003.
In Western Washington this year, Ecology has sent orders to water users in the Nooksack, Cedar-Sammamish, Duwamish-Green and Snohomish watersheds. East of the Cascades, the department has sent orders to affected water users in the Methow, Middle Snake, Okanogan and Wenatchee river basins.
Orders have yet to be sent to water users in the Lower Yakima, Upper Yakima and Naches basins due to ongoing adjudications in a Yakima-area court. In December, remaining orders will be sent to water users in the Quilcene-Snow watershed.
The orders are being issued by Ecology under a 2001 court order issued by the Thurston County Superior Court. The order came after several environmental and fishing groups sued Ecology, alleging the agency was not complying with a 1993 law requiring those who use significant amounts of water to put in measuring devices and report their water use to the department.
By Dec. 31, the department will have sent orders to about 800 farms, irrigation districts, municipalities and other operations.
Contact: Curt Hart, public information manager, 360-407-7139; pager, 360-455-2073
For more information about the orders and how to apply for a metering grant: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/measuring/measuringhome.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
