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KITTITAS COUNTY <br />DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS <br />PUBLIC WORKS — BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />STUDY SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />STUDY SESSION DATE: July 24, 2023 <br />TOPIC: 2023 Drought Response <br />ACTION REQUESTED: Direction to Staff <br />LEAD STAFF: <br />Arden Thomas <br />RECOMMENDATION: <br />Direct staff to prepare enabling documents for 2023 short term drought lease if <br />warranted. <br />BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br />• As of July 6t', 2023, proratable water users are receiving 72% of their water right. <br />• County staff anticipates that Governor Inslee will made a drought declaration for <br />the Yakima Basin and the Department of Ecology will start permitting emergency <br />drought wells. <br />• Emergency drought wells will require water right mitigation. Ecology will offer <br />subsidized mitigation, but this mitigation will be capped the amount needed to <br />restore 75% of the water right. <br />• If Ecology mitigation will not meet Kittitas County grower needs, staff proposes <br />to initiate a drought lease process, as was conducted in 2019. <br />BACKGROUND: <br />In 2019 Kittitas County leased unallocated consumptive use water from our water right <br />portfolio to assist water users facing prorationing or curtailment of irrigation supply. As <br />of the July 6, 2023, revised Total Water Supply Available determination, proratable water <br />users are receiving 72% of their supply. Public Works staff anticipates that Governor <br />Inslee will issue a drought declaration for the Yakima Basin and the Department of <br />Ecology will star[ permitting emergency drought wells. Staff is closely monitoring the <br />situation and coordinating with Kittitas Reclamation District to determine the impact of <br />water supply on district operations. Based on the process used in 2019, if we move <br />forward with an auction, we expect it would occur in late August. <br />DISCUSSION: <br />Ecology requirements for drought wells will require that mitigation be distributed over a <br />5-year period. Should water be leased in 2023, it will impact the amount of water we <br />could lease in subsequent years and Public Works staff recommends reserving water for <br />potential future droughts. Ecology is also subsidizing water mitigation available through <br />their program, but this mitigation will be capped the amount needed to restore 75% of the <br />Page 1 of 2 <br />PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />