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BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSI4 <br />COUNTY OF HITTITAS <br />STATE OF WASHINGTON <br />RESOLUTION <br />NO. 2023 - <br />AUTHORIZING CHAIR SIGNATURE ON A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN <br />HITTITAS COUNTY AND TROUT UNLIMITED <br />WHEREAS: Kittitas County has purchased land and water rights previously associated with Tjossem <br />Ditch to advance floodplain management, create a water rights portfolio for mitigation of <br />new uses, and secure back mitigation for historic groundwater exempt water use goals; <br />and <br />WHEREAS: A floodplain management, streamflow improvement, and habitat enhancement goal <br />associated with these purchases is to extinguish all water use from the Tjossem Ditch, <br />which diverts from the Yakima River and conveys water across the floodplain; and <br />WHEREAS: Trout Unlimited, a Michigan non-profit organization working to restore rivers and recover <br />and conserve native trout and salmon, has been working with Tjossem Ditch water right <br />holders to fulfill their water rights from alternative sources; and <br />WHEREAS: Trout Unlimited has secured $470,000 in funding to enable Tjossem Ditch water right <br />holders to fulfill their water rights from alternative source ("the Tjossem Ditch Retirement <br />Project Project'); and <br />WHEREAS: Trout Unlimited requires an additional $80,000 to complete all work needed to finalize the <br />Tjossem Ditch Retirement Project; and <br />WHEREAS: Kittitas County desires to provide up to $80,000 in funding to ensure that the Tjossem <br />Ditch Retirement Project be completed and to ensure that 14 cubic feet per second of <br />water associated with water rights formerly diverted through the Tjossem Ditch remains <br />instream in the Yakima River and that flood control measures will no longer be needed to <br />protect or maintain the Tjossem Ditch point of diversion. <br />NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of County Commissioners of Kittitas County, <br />Washington, in the best interest of the public, does hereby authorize Chair signature Memorandum of <br />Agreement between Kittitas County and Trout Unlimited. <br />DATED this 4' day of April 2023, at Ellensburg, Washington. <br />Attest: <br />❑ Clerk of the Board- Julie Kjorsvik <br />❑ Deputy Clerk of the Board- Mandy Buchholz <br />BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON <br />Cory Wright, Chairman <br />Brett Wachsmith, Vice -Chairman <br />Laura Osiadacz, Commissioner <br />