Laserfiche WebLink
JUN 2 9 2915 <br />Trust Water Right Agreement <br />This Trust Water Right Agreement is made and entered into as of A*Ma-y of June <br />2015, by and between the Washington State Department of Ecology, Yakima River Basin Trust <br />Water Rights Program ("Ecology") and Big Creek Water Right, LLC ("BCWR"), a Washington <br />Limited Liability Company. <br />A. WHEREAS, Ecology is the trustee of the Yakima River Basin Trust Water Rights <br />Program as authorized under Chapter 90.38 RCW ("Trust"); and <br />B. WHEREAS, BCWR is the owner of certain water rights in Big Creek, a tributary of <br />the Yakima River as more particularly described and confirmed under Claim No. 00756 in the <br />Conditional Final Order issued in Subbasin 2, dated February 13, 1997 in Ecology v. Acquavella, <br />Yakima County Superior Court No. 77-2-01484-5 ("Acquavella'); <br />C. WHEREAS, the place of use and purpose of use for a portion of Court Claim No. <br />00756 was changed from irrigation to instream flow for mitigation under Change Application <br />No. KITT-13-07 (CS4-00756sb2@3) ("Water Right"). The change was approved by the Kittitas <br />County Water Conservancy Board and modified by Ecology in its certain letter dated July 2, <br />2014. The Water Right is described in Exhibit A. <br />D. WHEREAS, BCWR has requested to have Ecology hold the Water Right in Trust <br />for instream flow and mitigation so that it can be used to offset or mitigate for future water <br />uses. <br />E. WHEREAS, subject to the terms of this Agreement, Ecology confirms that it is <br />willing, able, and authorized to hold the Water Right in Trust for the intended purposes as <br />provided for herein. <br />NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual covenants and <br />undertakings as hereinafter set forth, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of <br />which is hereby acknowledged, Ecology and BCWR hereby agree as follows: <br />1. Purpose. The purpose of this Agreement is to allow BCWR to provide senior water <br />rights as off -setting mitigation for its own projects or for third parties seeking: 1) to mitigate <br />existing groundwater withdrawals, 2) water budget neutral determinations, or 3) permits for <br />new surface and groundwater uses. BCWR agrees to convey the Water Right to Ecology to be <br />placed in Trust. By doing so, the Water Right may be made available as mitigation for uses <br />designated by BCWR. These uses will be mitigated in whole or in part by way of a permanent <br />assignment of a portion of the Water Right as is reasonably required to ensure no impairment <br />to the total water supply available in the Yakima River basin ("TWSA") or other water rights. <br />2.Closing. This Agreement shall be effective upon its mutual execution, and the Trust <br />shall commence once the Quit Claim Deed is executed, recorded, and delivered to Ecology. The <br />quit claim deed shall be in a recordable form substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached <br />hereto. The term of this Agreement shall then be for so long as any portion of the Water Right <br />is available to be assigned to new and/or existing uses. <br />