HomeMy WebLinkAboutWater Resources March 23 1993WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WATER RESOURCES COMMITTEE
March 23, 1993
The meeting was called to order at noon in the Council Chambers, 1000 N. Forest
St., 2nd floor, by Larry Harris, Chair.
Also present
Barbara Brenner
Ken Henderson
Absent
1. DISCUSSION OF TRUST WATER RIGHT PROGRAM,
DEPARTMENT OF ECOLOGY (DOE) (AB93 -101)
Topics discussed: Purpose of meeting; background of water law for trust water
right program; creative reallocation of what is available; oldest rights have priority; use
or lose law; set in- stream flow regulations; State statutes involved; trust water right
designations; program voluntary; trust water rights and in- stream flow; dry year lease
options; temporary transfers; potential benefits to dairymen; hydrology concepts; water
reallocation; parties in negotiation; labor intensive nature of program; timing of
availability of program; history of attempts to establish in- stream flows on Nooksack;
differences between eastern and western Washington water problems; funding sources
and Referendum 38 funds; potential creation of an irrigation district; areas still needing
investigation; requirements of the Nooksack Tribe; pre - eminent position of local
participation; distribution vs. availability; shape of local involvement; need for a Dept. of
Ecology office in Whatcom County; negotiation personnel; potential prioritization of
beneficial uses; options for Whatcom County; steps for becoming part of a pilot program;
time, workload, and financial limitations.
Persons speaking: Harris; Cynthia Nelson, Dept. of Ecology; Brenner; Harriet
Beale, Lummi Nation Water Resources; Tom Anderson, Public Utility District Manager;
Craig McConnell, Cooperative Extension; Marty Maberry, Whatcom County Agriculture
Preservation Committee; Doug Dobyns, Nooksack Tribe; Henderson; Henry Bierlink,
Whatcom County Agriculture Preservation Committee.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:22 p.m.
ATTEST:
Nancy Co Assistant Clerk
WATER RESOURCES COMMITTEE
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Larry Harris, Chair