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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: June 8, 2026 <br /> TOPIC: 2026 Rural Area Drought Management Program <br /> ACTION REQUESTED: Direct Staff <br /> LEAD STAFF: <br /> Arden Thomas <br /> RECOMMENDATION: <br /> Direct staff to implement the 2026 Rural Area Drought Management Program <br /> BRIEFING SUMMARY: <br /> • The Yakima Basin is in its fourth consecutive drought year. Ecology has declared <br /> a drought emergency; proratable water users will receive 52%, and junior users <br /> are subject to curtailment. <br /> • In the Settlement Agreement, Kittitas County committed to preparing and <br /> implementing a water conservation program during drought years. <br /> • The proposed Kittitas County 2026 Rural Area Drought Management Program <br /> includes water conservation education and outreach through updating our <br /> webpage, issuing a press release, distributing a water conservation brochure, <br /> sharing information on the Board of County Commissioners Facebook page, and <br /> sending a postcard to indoor-only water mitigation customers. <br /> BACKGROUND: <br /> In the May 15, 2014, Settlement Agreement between Kittitas County, the Washington <br /> State Department of Ecology, Futurewise, the Kittitas County Conservation Coalition, <br /> and RIDGE Association, Kittitas County committed to implementing a water <br /> conservation program for new and existing rural domestic groundwater users during <br /> declared drought years. This program must communicate that, for historic groundwater <br /> uses, only indoor domestic uses and irrigation of up to 500 square feet of exterior yards <br /> are covered by the program and that use in excess of this coverage is at risk of <br /> curtailment. <br /> To implement the Rural Area Drought Management Program in 2026, staff proposes <br /> updating the Water Resources webpage, issuing a press release,printing and stocking <br /> brochures at our office, issuing a statement on social media, and sending postcards to <br /> indoor-only mitigation customers. <br /> Page 1 of 3 <br /> PUBLIC WORKS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WORK SESSION STAFF REPORT <br />