2022-07-11-minutes-public-works-study-session

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TASCAOF.S... TOINfC� Fp�� `M; KZTTZTAB COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Arden Thomas, Water Resources Manager KITTITAS COUNTY July 11, 2022 Mr. Mark Schuupe Section Manager, Water Resources Program Washington Department of Ecology 1250 Alder Street Union Gap, WA 98903 RE: Water Right Quit Claim Deeds and Real Estate Excise Tax Affidavits Dear Mr. Schuupe, On February 12`h, 2018, Kittitas County and the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) entered into a Master Trust Water Right Agreement for Back Mitigation to memorialize the process Kittitas County and Ecology would use to process and account for water rights acquired per the terms of the May 15, 2014 Settlement Agreement between Kittitas County, Ecology, Futurewise, the Kittitas County Conservation Coalition, and Ridge Association. The County now intends to convey ten (10) additional quit claim deeds to Ecology (Exhibit A). As identified in the Master Trust Water Right Agreement for Back Mitigation, after a water right change application is approved by Ecology, Kittitas County will execute and deliver to Ecology a recorded quit claim deed and Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) form complying with RCW 64.04.050. In turn, Ecology agrees to maintain an accounting of these water rights in the Trust Water Rights Program, entering a water right into its settlement obligations accounting once it received a deed and REET form from Kittitas County. At this time, Kittitas County wishes to identify the portion of each Trust Water Right to be managed by Ecology for back mitigation purposes, as identified in Exhibit A. The proposed allocation to back mitigation will fully satisfy the County's commitment to secure 800 acre-feet of consumptive use water to address historic domestic groundwater uses. Should Kittitas County seek to manage its water right portfolio so that that different quantities or different water rights are used to satisfy our back mitigation obligations, we will provide a written request to Ecology, following the process identified in Section 4 of the Master Trust Water Right Agreement for Back Mitigation. We have provided two original copies of this letter. If you concur with the allocation of the water for Trust Water Right management for back mitigation purposes identified in this letter, please countersign and return one signed copy. The other copy is for your records. Upon receipt of the countersigned letter, we will provide Ecology with signed deeds and REETA forms. 411 N. Ruby, Suite #1 TEL (509) 962-7523 Ellensburg, WA 98926 FAX (509) 962-7663