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Permitting Water from the Port of Walla Walla Lease Project

The Office of Columbia River (OCR) will issue term permits from 4,761 ac-ft of water leased from the Port of Walla Walla. The term permits provide water on a temporary basis, allowing time for water users to find a permanent supply. The term permits expire when the lease expires (up to 10 years). Term permits will be issued to seasonal water users and, in some cases, to unauthorized users as a means to attain temporary compliance.

Application Requirements

To be eligible to receive water, an  applicant must:

• File a water right application or a letter of interest (if an application is already on file.)
• Accept a term permit with a maximum term of ten years, subject to annual review. Under Ecology's lease with the Port of Walla Walla, all or a portion of the leased water can be discontinued, with notice, for subsequent years.
• Propose to divert water from the Columbia River or adjacent ground water to lands within WRIA 32 (state law, (RCW 90.90.010(2)(a),) does not allow water leased with Columbia River Account funds to be distributed outside of the water resource inventory area (WRIA) in which it is located.)
• Agree to a annual cost-recovery fee of $105 per acr-ft (the amount OCR pays for the water it is leasing from the Port of Walla Walla)
• Propose a use that can be interrupted when the lease expires (e.g. not for houses).

Contact Information

For more information, please contact:

Mark Schuppe
Office of the Columbia River
509-454-4238