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Department of Ecology News Release - Aug. 25, 2003
03-170
OLYMPIA - Fish runs in the Dungeness River basin are getting an extra boost of water, thanks to a set of agreements the Department of Ecology (Ecology) has reached with 17 area farmers and related irrigation purveyors.
For the next three years, Ecology will lease water rights from participating farmers who forgo growing a second alfalfa and hay crop between Aug. 1 and Sept. 15.
Instead of irrigating about 1,400 acres of crops during the 45-day period, the water will remain in the river basin to help recover a variety of salmon stocks. Increased flows are expected to provide better passage conditions for adult salmon and improve the quality and quantity of available spawning and rearing habitat.
Ecology Director Tom Fitzsimmons said the leases are part of an overall strategy to help restore 16 basins across the state where fish runs are most at risk due to inadequate stream flows.
"By working closely with farmers, we are allowing water to remain in the Dungeness Basin when and where it is needed most by fish," Fitzsimmons said. "We hope to replicate these types of projects across the state to help restore depleted stream flows."
He noted that the Dungeness River is important because the basin supports one of the most diverse arrays of salmon species in the state, including stocks of spring and fall chinook, summer steelhead, summer and fall chum, and bull trout.
Under the lease terms, Ecology will pay farmers a total of $244,545 this year to allow the water to remain in the stream. Individual agreements, based on the acres left fallow, range in value from $1,450 to $63,787 a year. All the leases will expire Sept. 15, 2005.
"This approach seems to be fair and equitable for everyone concerned," said participating Dungeness farmer Gene Adolphsen. "It's a good use of public money that directly benefits farmers, fish and the environment."
Ecology is working with farmers and other state, local and tribal agencies to monitor stream- flow conditions in the Dungeness basin and will help participating farmers meet the terms of their lease, which can be renegotiated starting next season.
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Contact: Curt Hart, Public Information Manager, 360-407-7139, or pager 360-971-9610
For more information about the state water-right acquisition program: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/instream-flows/wacq.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
