Water Resources > Measuring Water Use

Measuring Water Use

Source Water Measuring

The measurement of ground water withdrawals or surface water diversions, commonly referred to as source metering, involves the installation of gauges or other measurement devices where water is withdrawn from the ground or diverted from surface water to determine how much water is being used.

Purpose

Measuring water at the source of a surface water diversion or ground water withdrawal before the water is put to beneficial use is essential to effectively manage water supplies.  Successful water supply management requires knowing how much water is actually being used and whether there is any more water in specific areas available for new uses.

Technical Requirements for Measuring Devices

The following two "Technical Requirements" documents are intended to assist users in understanding the most important portions of the rule and do not include all the requirements from the rule.  For additional detail and information on requirements, see "Requirements for Measuring and Reporting Water Use," WAC 173-173.

• Guidelines for Selecting Open Channel Meters
• Inspecting an Open Channel Water Measuring System
• Liquid Flowmeters - A Guide for Selecting a Flowmeter for Pressurized Systems

Types of measuring devices

SCADA is the acronym for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems.  SCADA is electronic and capable of automation from the basic level to a very high level of sophistication. SCADA systems can be used on both pressurized systems and open channel (canal) systems.

• SCADA systems for measuring and managing water

Meter Vendors and Installers

The following list of meter vendors and installers includes those who have received training on the Water Metering Program of the Washington State Department of Ecology.  This training included the technical requirements for assessing a system and selecting a meter of the type and style for accurately measuring water.  The meter distributors and representatives, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) distributors and representatives are also listed.

• Vendor and Installer list 5/21/2009

Reporting Forms and Instructions

System Information Form

• System Information for Water Use Measurement Form 1
  Use this form to report information about the system.  To be used for both Open Channel and Pressurized Systems.

Water Use recording and reporting Form

• Open Channel Flow Meter Water Use Measurement Form 2
  Use this form for water use recording and reporting for Open Channel Flow Meters (includes instructions)
• Pressurized System Meter Water Use Measurement Form 3
  Use this form for water use recording and reporting for Pressurized System Meters (includes instructions)

Yakima River Basin Metering and Reporting

• Yakima River Basin Metering and Reporting

Applying for Cost-Sharing for Water Measuring Devices

Money was appropriated by the Legislature to Ecology for cost-sharing the purchase and installation of measuring devices.  Ecology has entered into agreements with Conservation Districts in some areas to accept applications and distribute the money through cost-share contracts. 

To find out if the Conservation District in your area participates, this link Washington State Conservation Commission has the websites, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of all Conservation Districts in the State of Washington.  Locate the Conservation District in your area on the link and ask the District if they are participating in the cost-share program.

FAQ - Grants for Cost-Sharing for Water Measuring Devices
The only requirement is that an applicant must have a valid water right claim, permit, certificate, or adjudicated certificate for the point of diversion or withdrawal.  In the Yakima Basin Adjudication, water users must have a valid water right recognized in the Conditional Final Order for the sub-basin where the diversion is located.

Application Form and Instructions

• Water Measurement Device Cost Share Application (download the instructions too)
• Instructions for Cost-share Application

Benefits of Measuring Water Use

Measuring water use benefits the public in many ways, such as:

• Informing water users how much water they are using, which allows them to better manage their water use.
• Providing a tool for ensuring compliance with water rights and increasing fairness among users who measure and those who don’t.
• Supplying information for water resource planning and management.
• Ensuring the individual users stay within the water right held by the user

Does the benefit of this rule outweigh the costs?

RCW 34.05.328(1)(c) requires that, prior to the adoption of certain rules, a determination be made that "...the probable benefits of the rule are greater than its probable costs..."   A cost-benefit analysis of this rule was performed and is available in the following document:  "Evaluation of Probable Benefits and Costs (83 KB PDF)

The State Water Code, Chapter 90.03 of the Revised Code of Washington (RCW)

The water measuring law is found at RCW 90.03.360, Controlling works and measuring devices -- Metering of diversions -- Impact on fish stock.  In 1993, the legislature added metering to the water code and now requires measuring of all surface water diversions.  The Department of Ecology (Ecology) must require measuring as a condition for all new surface water right permits and for existing water rights that meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Surface water diversions greater than one cubic feet of water per second, or
• Diversions and withdrawals from surface and ground water sources that support fish stocks classified as critical or depressed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Since the addition of metering to the water code, Ecology has been requiring measuring devices and recording and reporting requirements on all surface water withdrawals larger than one cubic foot per second.  Since 1999, Ecology has also been requiring measuring devices on all new water rights for surface and ground water withdrawals, as well as on changes, transfers and enforcement actions.

If approved by the Yakima Superior Court, all remaining surface water diverters not already required to measure and report to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will be required by court order to measure and report water use to the Department of Ecology.  The order will apply to all diversions that divert greater than one cubic foot per second, to include diverters with individual water rights from a diversion in common with other water right holders.

The Rule Chapter 173-173 of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC)

Requirements for Measuring and Reporting Water Use, Chapter 173-173 WAC became effective on January 21, 2002.  The new rule replaced 1969 rule (Chapter 508-64 WAC).  The rule specifies:

• Who must measure and when it is required.
• Specific data collection and reporting requirements.
• The frequency of recording measurements based on the size of the diversion or withdrawal.
• Technical requirements for both open channel and pipe diversions that establish standards of acceptability for measuring devices and methods.
• Requirements for using indirect measurement methods instead of using direct measuring devices.

What is the purpose of this rule?

Ecology's purpose for this rule is to establish requirements for measuring and reporting water use:

1. This rule establishes standards of acceptability for measuring devices and methods, as well as requirements for recording and reporting water use data.
2. All measuring devices or measuring methods required to be installed under this rule must conform to requirements for measuring devices and methods described in this rule or other methods approved by Ecology.

What is the statutory authority for this rule?

• RCW 43.21A.064(8)  -  "Department of Ecology: Powers and duties -- Water resources."
• RCW 43.27A(090)(11)  -  "Water Resources: Powers and duties of department."
• Chapter 90.03.360  -  "Water Code: Controlling works and measuring devices -- Metering of diversions -- Impact on fish stock."
• Chapter 90.44.050, 250 and 450  -  "Regulation of Public Ground Waters: Permit to withdraw; Investigations -- Reports of appropriators; and Metering or measuring ground water withdrawals -- Reports."

What are the goals of this rule?

1. To ensure the reliable, accurate measurement of state water that is diverted, withdrawn, stored and used so that sound decisions may be made in administering state water laws and regulations.
2. The following are specific goals for the enforcement of water measurement and the reporting of measurement data:

• determining whether water is available for appropriation
• assessing and enforcing water rights compliance
• understanding the hydrology of surface and ground waters
• protecting instream resources
• managing and planning the state's watersheds
• informing water users about how much and when water is used

Compliance Plan

Background and history of the metering law and rule

In March 1999, American Rivers, the Center for Environmental Law and Policy, Washington Environmental Council, Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, and the Institute for Fisheries Resources filed suit (565 KB PDF) against Ecology for not complying with the 1993 water measuring law.

A summary judgment (307 KB PDF) was filed in March 2000.  A summary judgment is a procedural tool that is used to settle a controversy without a trial.

In December 2000, the Thurston County Superior Court issued a final ruling (661 KB PDF) in this case. The court ordered Ecology to submit a Compliance Plan (77 KB PDF), which was done on March 30, 2001.  It describes how Ecology will bring its water compliance program into line with the state water measuring law by December 31, 2002.  The Compliance Plan is discussed below.

• Measuring Lawsuit American Rivers, et al. vs. Dept. of Ecology March 1999 (565 KB PDF)
• Summary Judgment American Rivers, et al. vs. Dept. of Ecology March 2000 (307 KB PDF)
• Measuring Ruling American Rivers, et al. vs. Dept. of Ecology December 2000 (661 KB PDF)

How the new rule was implemented

The March 2001Compliance Plan (77 KB PDF) calls for the water users comprising the top 80 percent of total water use in 16 fish critical watersheds (288 KB PDF) to conform their measuring and reporting practices with the requirements of the new water measuring rule.  It only affected a small percentage of water-right holders statewide (approximately 1000).  The majority of those water users already measured their water, such as public utilities and large agricultural operations.

Orders were mailed to all those water-right holders identified as using 80% of the water in the fish critical watersheds.

Additionally, under Chapter 173-173 WAC, Ecology now requires water right holders requesting changes or extensions to existing rights to measure and report in some circumstances.

Links

• Map of 16 Fish Critical Watersheds (288 KB PDF)
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Water Measurement Manual
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Hydromet System - a network of automated hydrologic and meteorological monitoring stations located throughout the Pacific Northwest that can be useful for water management.
• U.S. Geological Survey - Water Use in the United States

Contacts