Lamb and Anderson (Upper Kittitas Basin) Water Bank

Lamb and Anderson
(Upper Kittitas Basin)
DRAFT
Mitigation Suitability Map

Ecology has preliminarily determined that the Lamb and Anderson rights will not be suitable as mitigation for new ground water uses in the following stream basins:

Big Creek
Little Creek
First Creek and Swauk Creek
Teanaway River

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 Upper Kittitas Basin. Mitigation can generally be achieved by acquiring an existing water right to offset a new use in the same water source.

Trust Water Right Agreement

Suncadia-Lamb-Anderson Trust Water Agreement
Draft Upper Kittitas Basin Mitigation Suitability Map - updated May 5, 2012

Trust Water Rights Available for Mitigation of New Ground Water Use

Suncadia has made three trust water rights available that can be used for mitigation purposes in certain areas of the Upper Kittitas Basin. Ecology and Suncadia have completed a trust water right agreement.

CS4-05259CTCL@2sb7 - Trust Water Right Report of Examination Change of Purpose and Place of Use
CS4-00626CTCL@2sb7 - Trust Water Right Report of Examination Change of Purpose and Place of Use
CS4-00908CTCL@3sb7 - Trust Water Right Report of Examination Change of Purpose and Place of Use

These three trust water rights will vary in their effectiveness to serve as mitigation for new ground water users, depending primarily on where the proposed new use of ground water will be located.

"When surplus water is available and not being used for water banking or other authorized purposes, quantities will be added to target flows at Parker Dam and continue onto the confluence with the Columbia River. If the water is used to offset consumptive use by new water users purchasing mitigation credits from Suncadia, the water right will be considered instream at least to Parker Dam in order to offset impacts to total water supply available."

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 in the Upper Kittitas Basin, and you want to calculate your water use and do the paper work yourself, 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