Roan (Swauk Basin) Water Bank

Roan (Swauk Basin)
DRAFT Mitigation Suitability Map

Making Mitigation Available for New Ground Water Uses

This site is designed to help ground water users identify mitigation water for their projects in the Swauk Basin. Mitigation can generally be achieved by acquiring an existing water right to offset a new use in the same water source.

James and Jan Roan have conveyed a portion of their First Creek water rights (Court Claim No. 00648) to Ecology's Trust Water Right Program to make it available for mitigation purposes in the Swauk Creek Basin in Kittitas County. This trust water right will primarily be used to serve as mitigation for up to eight ground water applications to serve up to 145 residences within the green zone of the mitigation suitability map above. This portion of Court Claim No. 00648 may also be used as a source of mitigation for some permit-exempt ground water uses that are independent of the up to eight permits. This right will vary in its effectiveness to serve as mitigation for new ground water users, depending primarily on where the proposed new use is located, as shown on the map.

Draft Trust Water Right Agreement

Ecology and Roan are negotiating a trust water right agreement that spells out how water will be managed for this program.

To submit comments regarding the draft Trust Water Right Agreement contact Kelsey Collins at Ecology.

Eight (8) Draft Report of Examination documents for J.P. and Jan Roan and one (1) Draft Lower Swauk Basin Report that covers all 8 Draft Report of Examination Documents
Draft James and Jan Roan Trust Water Right Agreement
Draft Swauk Basin Mitigation Suitability Map
CS4-00648(AA)sb4-b - Report of Exam for Roan, James P.
CS4-00648(AA)sb40-c(A) - Draft Water Right Change ROE for Roan, James and Jan

Mitigation Water

If you are interested in obtaining mitigation water, please contact Jessica Kuchan at Mentor Law Group.

Jessica Kuchan
Mentor Law Group
Phone: 206 838-7650
E-mail: kuchan@mentorlaw.com

How to Request a Water Budget Neutral Determination

If you plan to use permit-exempt groundwater you need to submit a request for a water budget neutral determination.

Form - Complete the Request for Determination of Water Budget Neutrality form and submit to Ecology
Consumptive Use Calculator (Microsoft Excel format) The calculator allows you to estimate the total water use and the consumptive water use based on number of connections and square feet of irrigation, consistent with WAC 173-539A. Example of Calculator
Water Budget Neutral (WBN) Determinations for Upper Kittitas County - List of new and archived Water Budget Neutral decisions and/or denials

Additional Information:

Do you need mitigation water and no Water Bank is available? Submit your information using the following form:
Potential Buyers for the Kittitas Water Exchange
Upper Kittitas Groundwater Study - The USGS is conducting a major study of the western Kittitas County groundwater-flow system
Water Budget Neutral (WBN) Determinations for Upper Kittitas - List of new and archived Upper Kittitas Water Budget Neutral decisions and/or denials
Tracking Mitigation Bank Performance - Water Bank Transactions for Water Budget Neutral and Permit Decisions
Does the Rule apply to me? Upper Kittitas Ground Water Rule - Chapter 173-539A WAC - The Department of Ecology adopted a rule for managing ground water resources in upper Kittitas County. The rule became effective January 22, 2011.
The rule applies to you if you have a new use of water, and it is not exempted by WAC 173-539A-040(1). If you are not exempt the withdrawal rule applies to you and your use must be mitigated before you begin using water. These are the three exceptions from the Rule:
- Uses determined to be Water Budget Neutral.
- Uses for a structure for which a building permit was vested prior to July 16, 2009.
- Uses for a parcel that is part of an existing group which began prior to July 16, 2009. The exception to the Rule for existing group uses is further limited to groups which utilize the permit-exemption under RCW 90.44.050, and to a time frame of five years of the date water was first beneficially used on any parcel in the group.
Kittitas County and Department of Ecology Cooperators' Agreement March 8, 2011 - Guiding principles for developing a Domestic Water Reserve Program