Ecology Department proposes rule for managing Columbia River water

Washington State Department of Ecology

Department of Ecology News Release - December 20, 2004

04-232

Ecology Department proposes rule for managing Columbia R. water

OLYMPIA - In conjunction with Gov. Gary Locke's Columbia River Initiative (CRI), the Department of Ecology has formally filed a proposed regulation (rule) and draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Columbia River Mainstem Water Management Program.

The proposed rule is part of the governor's plan for a new water-resource management program for the Columbia River. The CRI establishes a framework for issuing new water rights from the river while also improving stream flows for fish populations.

The plan includes a policy bill for lawmakers to consider in 2005, a capital budget request to acquire water rights, improve conservation practices and develop new water storage capacity, and a proposed rule outlining how the program will be administered.

The proposed rule would establish guidelines for:

Managing a designated account of water from the Columbia River.
Issuing water rights during declared droughts to augment existing rights that now may be curtailed when flows drop too low.
Securing a reliable supply of water to cover water rights recently issued to Kennewick, Pasco, Richland and West Richland that require mitigation water.
Processing new water rights applications on file with Ecology and any future water-right applications received by the department.

Ecology will not adopt the proposed rule unless the next legislature and governor approve the accompanying legislative package. That legislation would provide direction to Ecology to acquire water before approving new water withdrawals.

Two-thirds of the secured water would be placed in a reserve, or "water account," and be earmarked for new uses, while the remaining one-third would be permanently retained by the state to improve stream flows for fish.

Formal hearings on the proposed rule and environmental impact statement are scheduled for February in Vancouver, Pasco, Moses Lake, Grand Coulee, Wenatchee, Lacey and Colville.

More information is available on Ecology's Web site at www.ecy.wa.gov. Click on Quick Links (index bar on the left of the page) and go to Columbia R. Initiative. Comments may be submitted online or more information requested by e-mailing CRI@ecy.wa.gov or by writing to Gerry O'Keefe, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, Wash., 98504. He may be reached by phone at (360) 407-6640.

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Media contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610