Revised Code of Washington
2023 Archive

Title 79 RCW
PUBLIC LANDS
PDF of Title Digest
PDF of Complete Title
Chapters
79.02Public lands managementGeneral.
79.10Land management authorities and policies.
79.11State land sales.
79.13Land leases.
79.14Mineral, coal, oil, and gas leases.
79.15Sale of valuable materials.
79.17Land transfers.
79.19Land bank.
79.22Acquisition, management, and disposition of state forestlands.
79.24Capitol building lands.
79.36Easements over public lands.
79.38Access roads.
79.44Assessments and charges against lands of the state.
79.64Funds for managing and administering lands.
79.70Natural area preserves.
79.71Washington natural resources conservation areas.
79.73Milwaukee road corridor.
79.100Derelict vessels.
79.105Aquatic landsGeneral.
79.110Aquatic landsEasements and rights-of-way.
79.115Aquatic landsHarbor areas.
79.120Aquatic landsWaterways and streets.
79.125Aquatic landsTidelands and shorelands.
79.130Aquatic landsBeds of navigable waters.
79.135Aquatic landsOysters, geoducks, shellfish, other aquacultural uses, and marine aquatic plants.
79.140Aquatic landsValuable materials.
79.145Marine plastic debris.
79.150Forest biomass materials located on state lands.
79.155Community forest trusts.
79.160Derelict aquatic structures.
NOTES:
Access to state timber: RCW 79.36.310 through 79.36.340.
Acquisition, disposition of state highway property: Chapter 47.12 RCW.
Bridges, obstructions in navigable waters: Chapter 88.28 RCW.
Commissioner of public lands: State Constitution Art. 3 §§ 23, 25; chapter 43.12 RCW.
Compact with the United States: State Constitution Art. 26.
Contracts with United States as to highway property: Chapter 47.08 RCW.
Conveyance of real property by public bodiesRecording: RCW 65.08.095.
County lands, generally: Chapter 36.34 RCW.
Diking and drainage, improvement districts, benefit to public land: RCW 85.08.370.
Donation law, conflicting claims: RCW 7.28.280.
Ejectment, quiet title: Chapter 7.28 RCW.
Eminent domain: State Constitution Art. 1 § 16.
Eminent domain by state: Chapter 8.04 RCW.
Extensions of streets over tidelands: State Constitution Art. 15 § 3.
Facilitating recovery from Mt. St. Helens eruptionScope of state agency action: RCW 43.01.210.
Federal areas, jurisdiction: Chapters 37.04 and 37.08 RCW.
Federal funds for forest management: RCW 43.30.340, 43.30.345.
Firewood on state lands: RCW 79.15.400 through 79.15.440.
Flood control districts may include public lands: Chapter 86.09 RCW.
Forest roads, county: RCW 36.82.140.
Funds for the support of common schools, source: State Constitution Art. 9 § 3.
Governmental lands, exemption from taxation: State Constitution Art. 7 § 1.
Harbor line commission: State Constitution Art. 15 § 1.
Harbor lines, relocation: RCW 79.115.020.
Improvement district, benefit to public land: RCW 85.08.370.
Indians and Indian lands: Chapter 37.12 RCW.
Infractions: Chapter 7.84 RCW.
Insect pests and plant diseases: Chapter 17.24 RCW.
Intergovernmental disposition of property: Chapter 39.33 RCW.
Irrigation districts may include public land: Chapter 87.03 RCW.
Lease of unnecessary lands by director of agriculture: RCW 15.04.090.
Leases of public lands for underground storage of natural gas: RCW 80.40.060.
Marine recreation land act: Chapter 79A.25 RCW.
Oil and gas unit plan, participation of public lands: RCW 78.52.450.
Parks and recreation: Chapter 79A.05 RCW.
Permanent school fund, investment: State Constitution Art. 16 § 5.
Pest districts may include public lands: Chapter 17.12 RCW.
Public lands, authority of United States over certain areas: State Constitution Art. 25 § 1.
Public shooting grounds: Chapter 77.12 RCW.
Public waterways may include public lands: Chapter 91.08 RCW.
Reclamation by state: Chapter 89.16 RCW.
Reclamation districts
may include public lands: RCW 89.30.016.
right-of-way across state land: RCW 89.30.223.
Restraint on disposition of certain areas bordering harbor lines: State Constitution Art. 15 § 1.
River, harbor improvements: Chapter 88.32 RCW.
Sale of other than state forestlands: RCW 79.11.005.
School and granted lands
amount offered, platting: State Constitution Art. 16 § 4.
disposition: State Constitution Art. 16 § 1.
limitations on sales: State Constitution Art. 16 § 3.
manner and terms of sale: State Constitution Art. 16 § 2.
State agency for surveys and maps: Chapter 58.24 RCW.
State boundaries: State Constitution Art. 24 § 1.
State lands subject to easements for removal of materials: RCW 79.36.370, 79.36.590.
Streets over tidelands: RCW 35.21.230 through 35.21.250.
Tidelands
declaration of state ownership: State Constitution Art. 17 § 1.
disclaimer of certain lands by state: State Constitution Art. 17 § 2.
Trespass: Chapter 64.12 RCW.
United States reclamation areas, state lands in: Chapter 89.12 RCW.
Use of state land for game purposes: RCW 77.12.360.
Washington plane coordinate system: Chapter 58.20 RCW.
Waste: Chapter 64.12 RCW.
Weed districts may include public lands: Chapter 17.04 RCW.
Wharves, docks, leasing and maintenance: State Constitution Art. 15 § 2.
Wharves and landings: Chapter 88.24 RCW.
INDEX OF PUBLIC LAND ACTS OF SPECIAL OR
HISTORICAL NATURE NOT CODIFIED IN RCW
Subject
 
Year
 
Chapter
Aberdeen. . . .
 
1901
 
 
141
Adams County. . . .
1915
 
 
78
 
1941
 
 
211
American Lake. . . .
1907
 
 
191
 
1907
 
 
197
Auburn game farm, transfer to parks and recreation commission. . . .
 
1981
 
 
49
Barthen, Lenore. . . .
 
1951
 
 
59
Behme, C.R.. . . .
 
1927
 
 
247
Bentley, W.C.. . . .
 
1921
 
 
38
Benton County, state patrol land. . . .
1961
 
 
59
 
1977
ex.s.
 
191
Benton County, University of Washington land. . . .
 
1965
ex.s.
 
5
Benton County, WSU land. . . .
 
1961
 
 
76
Blaine. . . .
 
1917
 
 
144
Bremerton. . . .
 
1947
 
 
207
Camp Murray, conveyance for aerospace science and modeling center. . . .
 
1969
ex.s.
 
85
Canyon Lakes. . . .
 
1986
 
 
7
 
1893
 
 
831
 
1893
 
 
138
 
1901
 
 
45
 
1909
ex.s.
 
20
 
1911
 
 
592
Capitol Buildings. . . .
1913
 
 
50
 
1915
 
 
191
 
1917
 
 
167
 
1925
 
 
27
 
1927
 
 
225
 
1945
 
 
47
Capitol Place. . . .
 
1937
 
 
160
Centralia. . . .
 
1949
 
 
38
Centralia, city of, easement for
street. . . .
 
1963
 
 
81
Chehalis. . . .
 
1945
 
 
124
 
1935
 
 
50
Chelan County. . . .
1935
 
 
52
 
1935
 
 
53
Cheney. . . .
 
1949
 
 
35
Christenson, Ruby. . . .
 
1935
 
 
51
 
1931
 
 
92
Clallam County. . . .
1941
 
 
94
 
1945
 
 
207
Clallam County, county park purposes. . . .
 
1965
ex.s.
 
51
Clapp, Helen A.. . . .
 
1941
 
 
121
Clark County, state school for the deaf, conveyance of portion. . . .
 
1969
ex.s.
 
62
Clark County, Whipple Creek,
exchange. . . .
 
1967
 
 
219
Clarkston. . . .
1919
 
 
75
 
1957
 
 
148
Columbia River. . . .
1905
 
 
28
 
1915
 
 
145
Colville. . . .
1937
 
 
86
 
1939
 
 
144
Commercial Trust Co.. . . .
 
1907
 
 
197
Conconnully Lake, lake in Okanogan County designated as. . . .
 
1965
 
 
104
Cowlitz County. . . .
1915
 
 
157
 
1951
 
 
134
Cowlitz County, exchange of state forestlands for lands adjacent to Seaquest State Park. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
158
Deno, Louis. . . .
 
1931
 
 
51
Deschutes Basin. . . .
 
1937
 
 
159
Deschutes Waterway. . . .
 
1939
 
 
76
Douglas County. . . .
 
1941
 
 
117
Drainage Ditches. . . .
 
1893
 
 
88
Eastern Washington College
1949
 
 
35
of Ed.. . . .
1959
 
 
128
Echo Glenn. . . .
 
1986
 
 
7
Everett, Port. . . .
 
1943
 
 
272
Fairmont Cemetery Association. . . .
 
1939
 
 
20
Ferry County, Curlew. . . .
 
1917
 
 
86
Feureur, Louis. . . .
 
1901
 
 
163
Fircrest. . . .
 
1986
 
 
7
Fort Worden, department of institutions land. . . .
 
1965
ex.s.
 
66
Franklin County. . . .
 
1931
 
 
100
Game department, tidelands in Clark
County. . . .
 
1959
 
 
249
Game Farm. . . .
 
1929
 
 
173
Grays Harbor County. . . .
 
1955
 
 
281
Grays Harbor, Port. . . .
1913
 
 
27
 
1957
 
 
40
 
1935
 
 
50
 
1935
 
 
52
Great Northern RR. . . .
1935
 
 
53
 
1939
 
 
159
 
1941
 
 
117
Harbor lines at Anacortes,
 
Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Cosmopolis,
1963
 
 
139
 
Bellingham, Port Angeles,
1967
ex.s.
 
24
 
Renton, Lake Forest Park,. . . .
1971
ex.s.
 
158
 
Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia,
1972
ex.s.
 
69
 
Kalama, Bremerton, Port
1977
ex.s.
 
124
 
Orchard, Vancouver, Port
1979
 
 
19
 
Townsend, La Conner, Everett, relocation
Harbor lines in Lake Union, Salmon Bay, Union Bay, Commencement Bay, relocation. . . .
 
1967
ex.s.
 
24
Hollingsworth, Howard C.. . . .
 
1949
 
 
23
Holman Waterway. . . .
 
1919
 
 
198
Ilwaco. . . .
1919
 
 
198
 
1929
 
 
222
Ilwaco, Port. . . .
1947
 
 
101
 
1957
 
 
85
Island County. . . .
 
1931
 
 
12
Jefferson County. . . .
1941
 
 
94
 
1941
 
 
121
Keystone Water Users Ass'n. . . .
 
1915
 
 
78
 
1933
 
 
77
 
1933
 
 
99
King County. . . .
1935
 
 
49
 
1935
 
 
51
 
1939
 
 
8
 
1945
 
 
119
King County, University of Washington
land. . . .
 
1967
ex.s.
 
116
King County, unplatted tidelands deeded to state board for community college education; reversion. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
241
 
1927
 
 
262
Kitsap County. . . .
1931
 
 
86
 
1941
 
 
106
 
1947
 
 
207
Kitsap County, sewer disposal plant to county sewer district No. 5. . . .
 
1965
ex.s.
 
95
Kitsap County, Washington Veterans' Home land to department of game. . . .
 
1965
ex.s.
 
94
Kitsap County, transfer of land from state for recreational purposes. . . .
 
1975
1st ex.s.
27
Klickitat County. . . .
1945
 
 
185
 
1951
 
 
73
La Conner. . . .
 
1939
 
 
101
Lake Spokane, Long Lake redesignated
as. . . .
 
1965
 
 
104
Lake Washington. . . .
 
1911
 
 
94
Land Commission. . . .
1889-90
 
...
 
1893
 
 
125
Lewis County, department of natural resources, revesting Liberty Bay, relocation of harbor lines. . . .
 
1961
 
 
22
 
1919
 
 
44
Mason County. . . .
1935
 
 
104
 
1949
 
 
132
Mason County, Cemetery District No. 1, deeding of authorized. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
90
Mason County, exchange of forest trust
land. . . .
 
1973
 
 
26
McCroskey, Milton P.. . . .
 
1947
 
 
26
Medical Lake. . . .
 
1889-90
 
...
Military department, lands in
Seattle. . . .
 
1959
 
 
181
Montesano. . . .
 
1933
ex.s.
 
35
Mt. Spokane State Park. . . .
 
1947
 
 
237
Mulinowski, A.M.. . . .
 
1955
 
 
281
Northern State Hospital at Sedro Woolley, disposition of property. . . .
 
1974
ex.s.
 
178
Okanogan County. . . .
 
1939
 
 
159
 
1907
 
 
17
 
1917
 
 
144
Olympia. . . .
1947
 
 
65
 
1949
 
 
87
Olympia, Port. . . .
1949
 
 
96
 
1953
 
 
92
Olympic National Park. . . .
 
1955
 
 
231
Olympic National Park, exchange of standing timber for lands. . . .
 
1963
 
 
53
Oregon-Wash. RR and Nav. Co.. . . .
 
1931
 
 
50
Pacific Highway. . . .
 
1929
 
 
215
Payne, J.H.. . . .
 
1935
 
 
49
Peninsula, Port. . . .
 
1953
 
 
283
People's Water & Gas Co.. . . .
 
1937
 
 
163
 
1917
 
 
31
Pierce County. . . .
1929
 
 
173
 
1933
 
 
99
 
1949
 
 
37
Port of Seattle. . . .
 
1959
 
 
158
Port Orchard. . . .
 
1951
 
 
95
Port Townsend. . . .
 
1907
 
 
117
Pullman. . . .
 
1947
 
 
48
Riverside State Park. . . .
 
1939
 
 
19
Rohrbach, F.L.. . . .
 
1939
 
 
19
Sager, Frank T.. . . .
 
1951
 
 
59
San Juan Island National Historical
Park. . . .
 
1967
 
 
94
 
1883
 
 
...
 
1890
 
 
...
School Lands. . . .
1917
 
 
46
 
1923
 
 
61
 
1939
 
 
129
 
1897
 
 
28
 
1905
 
 
76
 
1907
 
 
3
 
1909
 
 
30
 
1909
 
 
221
 
1913
 
 
59
 
1915
 
 
115
Seattle. . . .
1925
ex.s.
 
127
 
1927
 
 
267
 
1929
 
 
177
 
1931
 
 
33
 
1939
 
 
77
 
1949
 
 
81
 
1957
 
 
81
 
1957
 
 
252
 
1981
1st ex.s.
1
Skagit County. . . .
 
1951
 
 
83
Skagit County port, conveyance of tidelands to. . . .
 
1969
 
 
127
Skagit County, sale or exchange of University of Washington land. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
228
Skamania County. . . .
 
1937
 
 
91
Slininger, H.A.. . . .
 
1957
 
 
118
 
1909
 
 
126
Snohomish County. . . .
1933
 
 
90
 
1937
 
 
7
Snohomish County, reconveyance, county
park. . . .
 
1967
 
 
18
Soap Lake. . . .
 
1949
 
 
147
 
1913
 
 
40
Spokane. . . .
1937
 
 
85
 
1955
 
 
374
 
1921
 
 
98
Spokane County. . . .
1939
 
 
20
 
1943
 
 
273
 
1951
 
 
25
 
1909
 
 
75
State Lands. . . .
1909
 
 
216
 
1921
 
 
57
 
1935
 
 
56
State parks, Ike Kinswas State ParkRecreation area. . . .
 
1971
 
 
50
State parks, land in Douglas county. . . .
 
1959
 
 
72
State parks, land on Whidbey Island. . . .
 
1959
 
 
63
State parks, Mayfield Lake State Park, name changed. . . .
 
1971
 
 
50
State parks, Wallace Falls State Park. . . .
 
1965
 
 
146
State Timber. . . .
1933
 
 
106
 
1941
 
 
135
State Training School. . . .
1911
 
 
27
 
1931
 
 
94
Steilacoom. . . .
 
1957
 
 
131
Strobach, Richard. . . .
 
1929
 
 
201
Sunde, Olive. . . .
 
1935
 
 
51
Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce. . . .
 
1959
 
 
180
Tacoma. . . .
1907
 
 
16
 
1907
 
 
123
Tacoma Scouts. . . .
 
1935
 
 
104
Tidelands. . . .
 
1897
 
 
27
 
1913
 
 
68
 
1919
 
 
51
 
1919
 
 
161
United States. . . .
1931
 
 
86
 
1937
 
 
91
 
1945
 
 
79
 
1955
 
 
231
 
1891
 
 
125
 
1893
 
 
122
University of Washington. . . .
1903
 
 
91
 
1907
 
 
3
 
1909
 
 
30
 
1911
 
 
94
University of Washington, R.H. Thomson expressway. . . .
 
1967
 
 
116
University of Washington, sale or exchange of land in Skagit county. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
228
Unplatted Ballard tidelands deeded to state board for community college education; reversion. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
241
 
1901
 
 
88
Vancouver. . . .
1909
 
 
95
 
1933
ex.s.
 
42
 
1937
 
 
163
Vancouver, Port. . . .
 
1919
 
 
68
Varney-Sunnyside Packing Co.. . . .
 
1955
 
 
130
Walla Walla County. . . .
1913
 
 
141
 
1955
 
 
376
Walla Walla County, department of institutions land, conveyance of. . . .
 
1965
 
 
115
 
1947
 
 
48
 
1949
 
 
23
 
1949
 
 
24
Washington State College. . . .
1949
 
 
25
 
1949
 
 
207
 
1955
 
 
261
 
1959
 
 
59
 
1959
 
 
89
Washington State University, exchanges, leases. . . .
 
1961
 
 
76
Washington State University, sale or exchange of land in Whitman
county. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
228
Washington Veterans' Home. . . .
1909
 
 
183
 
1945
 
 
79
 
1917
 
 
17
Wenatchee. . . .
1947
 
 
43
 
1955
 
 
359
Whitman County. . . .
1931
 
 
50
 
1947
 
 
26
Whitman County, sale or exchange of WSU land. . . .
 
1971
ex.s.
 
228
 
1961
 
 
76
1963
 
 
78
Whitman County, WSU land. . . .
1965
 
 
90
 
1967
 
 
116
 
1967
ex.s.
 
78
 
1969
ex.s.
 
28
Willapa Bay. . . .
 
1927
 
 
231
Willapa-Grays Harbor Highway. . . .
1931
 
 
25
 
1933
 
 
121
Willapa Harbor, Port. . . .
 
1933
 
 
19
Woodinville. . . .
 
1986
 
 
7
Yakima County. . . .
 
1949
 
 
207
Yakima County, fairground. . . .
 
1955
 
 
257
 
1Section 1 is codified as RCW 79.24.020; section 10 as RCW 79.24.090, repealed by 1959 c 257 § 48.
2Section 9 is codified as RCW 79.24.040, repealed by 1959 c 257 § 48; section 10 as RCW 79.24.060; section 11 as RCW 79.24.070, repealed by 1959 c 257 § 48; and section 12 as RCW 79.24.030.