1775-S.E

AN ACT Relating to water transfers and changes; amending RCW 90.03.380, 90.44.100, 90.03.290, and 90.44.445; and adding a new section to chapter 90.03 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 90.03.380 and 1991 c 347 s 15 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The right to the use of water which has been applied to a beneficial use in the state shall be and remain appurtenant to the land or place upon which the same is used: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That ((~~said~~)) the right may be transferred to another or to others and become appurtenant to any other land or place of use without loss of priority of right theretofore established if such change can be made without detriment or injury to existing rights. The point of diversion of water for beneficial use or the purpose of use may be changed, if such change can be made without detriment or injury to existing rights. Before any transfer of such right to use water or change of the point of diversion of water or change of purpose of use can be made, any person having an interest in the transfer or change, shall file a written application therefor with the department, and ((~~said~~)) the application shall not be granted until notice of ((~~said~~)) the application ((~~shall be~~)) is published as provided in RCW 90.03.280. If it shall appear that such transfer or such change may be made without injury or detriment to existing rights, the department shall issue to the applicant a certificate in duplicate granting the right for such transfer or for such change of point of diversion or of use. The certificate so issued shall be filed and be made a record with the department and the duplicate certificate issued to the applicant may be filed with the county auditor in like manner and with the same effect as provided in the original certificate or permit to divert water.

(2) If an application for change proposes to transfer water rights from one irrigation district to another, the department shall, before publication of notice, receive concurrence from each of the irrigation districts that such transfer or change will not adversely affect the ability to deliver water to other landowners or impair the financial or operational integrity of either of the districts.

(3) A change in place of use by an individual water user or users of water provided by an irrigation district need only receive approval for the change from the board of directors of the district if the use of water continues within the irrigation district. The board of directors may approve such a change if the board determines that the change: Will not adversely affect the district's ability to deliver water to other landowners; will not require the construction by the district of diversion or drainage facilities unless the board finds that the construction by the district is in the interest of the district; will not impair the financial or operational integrity of the district; and is consistent with the contractual obligations of the district.

(4) Subsections (1), (2), and (3) of this section do not apply to a change regarding a portion of the water governed by a water right that is made surplus to the beneficial uses exercised under the right through the implementation of practices or technologies, including but not limited to conveyance practices or technologies, which are more efficient or more water use efficient than those under which the right was perfected or through a change in the crops grown under the water right. The use within an irrigation district of water supplied by the district and made surplus as provided in this subsection shall be regulated solely as provided by the board of directors of the irrigation district except as follows: Such a use requires the approval of the board of directors of the irrigation district or must otherwise be authorized by the board; the board may approve or authorize such a use only if the use does not impair the financial or operational integrity of the district; and water made surplus through a change in the crops grown with district-supplied water is not available for use as a matter of right by the individual water user making the change, but may be used by the board for the benefit of the district generally. The district's board of directors may approve or otherwise authorize under this subsection uses of such surplus water that result in the total irrigated acreage within the district exceeding the irrigated acreage recorded with the department for the district's water right if the board notifies the department of the change in the irrigated acreage within the district. Such a notification provides a change in the district's water right and, upon receiving the notification, the department shall revise its records for the district's right to reflect the change. The use of water other than irrigation district-supplied water that is made surplus as provided in this subsection is governed by section 2 of this act.

(5) This section shall not apply to trust water rights acquired by the state through the funding of water conservation projects under chapter 90.38 RCW or RCW 90.42.010 through 90.42.070.

(6) The department may not initiate relinquishment proceedings under chapter 90.14 RCW regarding a water right for which an application for a transfer or change is filed under this section for a period of two years after the date the department receives the filing.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 90.03 RCW to read as follows:

If a portion of the water governed by a water right is made surplus to the beneficial uses exercised under the right through the implementation of practices or technologies, including but not limited to conveyance practices or technologies, which are more efficient or more water use efficient than those under which the right was perfected or through a change in the crops grown under the water right, the right to use the surplus water may be changed to use on other lands owned by the holder of the water right that are contiguous to the lands upon which the use of the water was authorized by the right before such a change. Such a change shall be made without loss of priority of the right. The holder of the water right shall notify the department of such a change. The notification provides a change in the holder's water right and, upon receiving the notification, the department shall revise its records for the water right to reflect the change.

This section does not apply to water supplied by an irrigation district.

Sec. 3. RCW 90.44.100 and 1987 c 109 s 113 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) After an application to, and upon the issuance by the department of an amendment to the appropriate permit or certificate of ground water right, the holder of a valid right to withdraw public ground waters may, without losing his priority of right, construct wells or other means of withdrawal at a new location in substitution for or in addition to those at the original location, or he may change the manner or the place of use of the water((~~: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That such~~)). An amendment shall be issued only after publication of notice of the application and findings as prescribed in the case of an original application. Such amendment shall be issued by the department only on the conditions that: ((~~(1)~~)) (a) The additional or substitute well or wells shall tap the same body of public ground water as the original well or wells; ((~~(2)~~)) (b) use of the original well or wells shall be discontinued upon construction of the substitute well or wells; ((~~(3)~~)) (c) the construction of an additional well or wells shall not enlarge the right conveyed by the original permit or certificate; and ((~~(4)~~)) (d) other existing rights shall not be impaired. The department may specify an approved manner of construction and shall require a showing of compliance with the terms of the amendment, as provided in RCW 90.44.080 in the case of an original permit.

(2) This section does not apply to a change in use of a portion of the water governed by a ground water right that is made surplus to the beneficial uses exercised under the right through the implementation of practices or technologies, including but not limited to conveyance practices or technologies, which are more efficient or more water use efficient than those under which the right was perfected or through a change in the crops grown under the water right. RCW 90.03.380(4) and section 2 of this act apply to water made surplus as provided in this subsection.

(3) The department may not initiate relinquishment proceedings under chapter 90.14 RCW regarding a water right for which an application for a transfer or change is filed under this section for a period of two years after the date the department receives the filing.

Sec. 4. RCW 90.03.290 and 1994 c 264 s 84 are each amended to read as follows:

When an application complying with the provisions of this chapter and with the rules and regulations of the department has been filed, the same shall be placed on record with the department, and it shall be its duty to investigate the application, and determine what water, if any, is available for appropriation, and find and determine to what beneficial use or uses it can be applied. If it is proposed to appropriate water for irrigation purposes, the department shall investigate, determine and find what lands are capable of irrigation by means of water found available for appropriation. If it is proposed to appropriate water for the purpose of power development, the department shall investigate, determine and find whether the proposed development is likely to prove detrimental to the public interest, having in mind the highest feasible use of the waters belonging to the public. If the application does not contain, and the applicant does not promptly furnish sufficient information on which to base such findings, the department may issue a preliminary permit, for a period of not to exceed three years, requiring the applicant to make such surveys, investigations, studies, and progress reports, as in the opinion of the department may be necessary. If the applicant fails to comply with the conditions of the preliminary permit, it and the application or applications on which it is based shall be automatically canceled and the applicant so notified. If the holder of a preliminary permit shall, before its expiration, file with the department a verified report of expenditures made and work done under the preliminary permit, which, in the opinion of the department, establishes the good faith, intent and ability of the applicant to carry on the proposed development, the preliminary permit may, with the approval of the governor, be extended, but not to exceed a maximum period of five years from the date of the issuance of the preliminary permit. The department shall make and file as part of the record in the matter, written findings of fact concerning all things investigated, and if it shall find that there is water available for appropriation for a beneficial use, and the appropriation thereof as proposed in the application will not impair existing rights or be detrimental to the public welfare, it shall issue a permit stating the amount of water to which the applicant shall be entitled and the beneficial use or uses to which it may be applied: PROVIDED, That where the water applied for is to be used for irrigation purposes, it shall become appurtenant only to such land as may be reclaimed thereby to the full extent of the soil for agricultural purposes. But where there is no unappropriated water in the proposed source of supply, or where the proposed use conflicts with existing rights, or threatens to prove detrimental to the public interest, having due regard to the highest feasible development of the use of the waters belonging to the public, it shall be duty of the department to reject such application and to refuse to issue the permit asked for. If the permit is refused because of conflict with existing rights and such applicant shall acquire same by purchase or condemnation under RCW 90.03.040, the department may thereupon grant such permit. Any application may be approved for a less amount of water than that applied for, if there exists substantial reason therefor, and in any event shall not be approved for more water than can be applied to beneficial use for the purposes named in the application. In determining whether or not a permit shall issue upon any application, it shall be the duty of the department to investigate all facts relevant and material to the application. After the department approves said application in whole or in part and before any permit shall be issued thereon to the applicant, such applicant shall pay the fee provided in RCW 90.03.470: PROVIDED FURTHER, That in the event a permit is issued by the department upon any application, it shall be its duty to notify the director of fish and wildlife of such issuance.

This section does not apply to changes made under section 2 of this act or to applications for transfers or changes made under RCW 90.03.380 or 90.44.100.

Sec. 5. RCW 90.44.445 and 1993 c 99 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

In any acreage expansion program adopted by the department as an element of a ground water management program, the authorization for a water right certificate holder to participate in the program shall be on an annual basis for the first two years. After the two-year period, the department may authorize participation for ten-year periods. The department may authorize participation for ten-year periods for certificate holders who have already participated in an acreage expansion program for two years. The department may require annual certification that the certificate holder has complied with all requirements of the program. The department may terminate the authority of a certificate holder to participate in the program for one calendar year if the certificate holder fails to comply with the requirements of the program.

This section applies only in an area with a ground water area or subarea management program in effect on the effective date of this section. The provisions of section 2 of this act, RCW 90.03.380, and 90.44.100 apply to transfers, changes, and amendments to permits or rights for the beneficial use of ground water in any other area.