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Department of Ecology News Release - June 11, 2009
09-140
SPOKANE—The Department of Ecology (Ecology) has approved, with modifications, a decision by the Franklin County Water Conservancy Board to authorize a water-right transfer to Easterday Ranches Inc., for its proposed feedlot northeast of Eltopia.
The Board voted April 7, 2009, to approve the transfer of a 316-acre-foot water right to Easterday for up to 30,000 head of cattle on 960 acres of land. (One acre-foot equals 325,851 gallons of water.)
The 316 acre-feet of water each year comes from the former Pepiot water right on property just northwest of the proposed feedlot. The Pepiot water right was historically used for the irrigation of potatoes, blue grass and winter wheat.
The water right transfer will provide 250 acre-feet of groundwater for dust control, stock cooling and other associated feedlot uses, plus 66 acre-feet for stock drinking purposes. Easterday Ranches intends to also withdraw additional groundwater for stock watering at the facility under the state groundwater code’s exemption from water right permitting for stock watering purposes (RCW 90.44.050).
Easterday acquired the Pepiot water right, in part, for those portions of the proposed feedlot’s operations that are not exempt from water right permitting.
"By purchasing an existing water certificate from a willing seller, Easterday now has a valid water right to withdraw water for non-stock drinking uses at the facility,” said Keith Stoffel, water resources section manager at Ecology’s Eastern Region Office.
Easterday will be required to meter and report its water use from separate stock watering and non-stock watering use meters.
“Competition for water in Washington is growing more intense every day. As directed by the Legislature, Ecology is committed to working on stock watering issues in the coming months with legislators and stakeholders like the livestock and dairy industries, as well as affected tribes,” said Evan Sheffels, special assistant for water policy to Ecology Director Jay Manning. “ We will seek legislative solutions during the 2010 session that clarify the proper use and scope of the stock watering exemption that are consistent with sound water management.”
In addition to approving the water-right transfer, Ecology is developing an air quality permit to stipulate what Easterday must do to control dust and releases of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from the Easterday feedlot and expects to issue a draft permit for review later this summer.
Ecology has no decision-making role in resolving local land use issues surrounding the siting and operations of the feedlot.
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Media Contacts:
Dan Partridge, media relations, 360-407-7139; e-mail,
dpar461@ecy.wa.gov
Keith Stoffel, Water Resources, Eastern Regional Office, 509-329-3464; e-mail,
ksto@ecy.wa.gov
For a copy of Ecology’s 15-page transfer decision go to: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/rights/images/pdf/20090611EasterdayLetter.pdf
For answers to frequently asked questions about Easterday and stockwatering, go to: www.ecy.wa.gov/biblio/0911018.html
Easterday/stockwatering Web site: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/wr/rights/easterday.html
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
