BILL REQ. #:  Z-0705.1 

READ FIRST TIME 02/11/09.   

     AN ACT Relating to improving the effectiveness of water bank authorization and exchange provisions; amending RCW 90.42.100, 90.42.040, and 90.42.080; adding new sections to chapter 90.42 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 90.03 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that many watershed groups and programs, including but not limited to many watershed planning units operating under chapter 90.82 RCW, have proposed or considered the establishment of water banks to meet vital instream and out-of-stream needs within a watershed or region. The legislature also finds that water banks and exchanges can: Provide critical tools to make water supplies available when and where needed during times of drought; improve stream flows and preserve instream values during fish critical periods; reduce water transaction costs, time, and risk to purchasers; facilitate fair and efficient reallocation of water from one beneficial use to another; provide banked water supplies to offset impacts related to future development and the issuance of new water rights; and facilitate water agreements that protect upstream community values while retaining flexibility to meet critical downstream water needs in times of scarcity. The legislature therefore declares that the intent of this act is to provide clear authority for water banks throughout the state, to improve the effectiveness of water bank and exchange provisions, and to use the interlocal cooperation act to establish watershed management partnerships for water banking purposes.

Sec. 2   RCW 90.42.100 and 2003 c 144 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The department is hereby authorized to use the trust water rights program ((in the Yakima river basin)) for water banking purposes statewide.
     (2) Water banking may be used for one or more of the following purposes:
     (a) To authorize the use of trust water rights to mitigate for water resource impacts, future water supply needs, or any beneficial use under chapter 90.03, 90.44, or 90.54 RCW, consistent with any terms and conditions established by the transferor, except that within the Yakima river basin return flows from water rights authorized in whole or in part for any purpose shall remain available as part of the Yakima basin's total water supply available and to satisfy existing rights for other downstream uses and users;
     (b) To document transfers of water rights to and from the trust water rights program; and
     (c) To provide a source of water rights the department can make available to third parties on a temporary or permanent basis for any beneficial use under chapter 90.03, 90.44, or 90.54 RCW.
     (3) The department shall not use water banking to:
     (a) Cause detriment or injury to existing rights;
     (b) Issue temporary water rights or portions thereof for new potable uses requiring an adequate and reliable water supply under RCW 19.27.097;
     (c) Administer federal project water rights, including federal storage rights; or
     (d) Allow carryover of stored water in the Yakima basin from one water year to another water year if it would negatively impact the total water supply available.
     (4) Nothing in this section may be interpreted or administered in a manner that precludes the use of the department's existing authority to process trust water rights applications under this chapter or to process water right applications under chapter 90.03 or 90.44 RCW.
     (5) For purposes of this section and RCW 90.42.135, "total water supply available" shall be defined as provided in the 1945 consent decree between the United States and water users in the Yakima river basin, and consistent with later interpretation by state and federal courts.

Sec. 3   RCW 90.42.040 and 2002 c 329 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) All trust water rights acquired by the state shall be placed in the state trust water rights program to be managed by the department. Trust water rights acquired by the state shall be held or authorized for use by the department for instream flows, irrigation, municipal, or other beneficial uses consistent with applicable regional plans for pilot planning areas, or to resolve critical water supply problems. The state may acquire a groundwater right to be placed in the state trust water rights program. To the extent practicable and subject to legislative appropriation, trust water rights acquired in an area with an approved watershed plan developed under chapter 90.82 RCW shall be consistent with that plan if the plan calls for such acquisition.
     (2) The department shall issue a water right certificate in the name of the state of Washington for each permanent trust water right conveyed to the state indicating the quantity of water transferred to trust, the reach or reaches of the stream((, the quantity)) or the body of public groundwater that constitutes the place of use of the trust water right, and the use or uses to which it may be applied. A superseding certificate shall be issued that specifies the amount of water the water right holder would continue to be entitled to as a result of the water conservation project. The superseding certificate shall retain the same priority date as the original right. For nonpermanent conveyances, the department shall issue certificates or such other instruments as are necessary to reflect the changes in purpose or place of use or point of diversion or withdrawal.
     (3) A trust water right retains the same priority date as the water right from which it originated, but as between ((them)) the two rights, the trust right shall be deemed to be inferior in priority unless otherwise specified by an agreement between the state and the party holding the original right.
     (4) Exercise of a trust water right may be authorized only if the department first determines that neither water rights existing at the time the trust water right is established, nor the public interest will be impaired. If impairment becomes apparent during the time a trust water right is being exercised, the department shall cease or modify the use of the trust water right to eliminate the impairment. A trust water right acquired by the state and held or authorized for beneficial use by the department is considered to be exercised as long as it is in the trust water rights program. For the purposes of RCW 90.03.380(1) and 90.42.080(9), the consumptive quantity of a trust water right acquired by the state and held or authorized for use by the department is equal to the consumptive quantity of the right prior to transfer into the trust water rights program.
     (5) Before any trust water right is created or modified, the department shall, at a minimum, require that a notice be published in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county or counties in which the storage, diversion, and use are to be made, and in other newspapers as the department determines is necessary, once a week for two consecutive weeks. At the same time the department shall send a notice containing pertinent information to all appropriate state agencies, potentially affected local governments and federally recognized tribal governments, and other interested parties.
     (6) RCW 90.14.140 through 90.14.230 have no applicability to trust water rights held by the department under this chapter or exercised under this section.
     (7) RCW 90.03.380 has no applicability to trust water rights acquired by the state through the funding of water conservation projects.
     (8) ((Subsections (4) and (5) of this section do not apply to a trust water right resulting from a donation for instream flows described in RCW 90.42.080(1)(b) or to a trust water right leased under RCW 90.42.080(8) if the period of the lease does not exceed five years. However, the department shall provide the notice described in subsection (5) of this section the first time the trust water right resulting from the donation is exercised.
     (9))) Where a portion of an existing water right that is acquired or donated to the trust water rights program will assist in achieving established instream flows, the department shall process the change or amendment of the existing right without conducting a review of the extent and validity of the portion of the water right that will remain with the water right holder.

Sec. 4   RCW 90.42.080 and 2002 c 329 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1)(a) The state may acquire all or portions of existing surface water or groundwater rights, by purchase, gift, or other appropriate means other than by condemnation, from any person or entity or combination of persons or entities. Once acquired, such rights are trust water rights. A water right acquired by the state that is expressly conditioned to limit its use to instream purposes shall be administered as a trust water right in compliance with that condition.
     (b) If the holder of a right to surface water ((from a body of water)) or groundwater chooses to donate all or a portion of the person's water right to the trust water system to assist in providing instream flows or to preserve surface water or groundwater resources on a temporary or permanent basis, the department shall accept the donation on such terms as the person may prescribe as long as the donation satisfies the requirements of subsection (4) of this section and the other applicable requirements of this chapter and the terms prescribed are relevant and material to protecting any interest in the water right retained by the donor. Once accepted, such rights are trust water rights within the conditions prescribed by the donor.
     (2) The department may enter into leases, contracts, or such other arrangements with other persons or entities as appropriate, to ensure that trust water rights acquired in accordance with this chapter may be exercised to the fullest possible extent.
     (3) Trust water rights may be acquired by the state on a temporary or permanent basis.
     (4) Except as provided in subsection (10) of this section, a water right donated under subsection (1)(b) of this section shall not exceed the extent to which the water right was exercised during the five years before the donation nor may the total of any portion of the water right remaining with the donor plus the donated portion of the water right exceed the extent to which the water right was exercised during the five years before the donation. A water right holder who believes his or her water right has been impaired by a trust water right donated under subsection (1)(b) of this section may request that the department review the impairment claim. If the department determines that ((exercising the)) a trust water right resulting from ((the)) a donation ((or exercising a portion of that trust water right donated)) under subsection (1)(b) of this section is impairing existing water rights in violation of RCW 90.42.070, the trust water right shall be altered by the department to eliminate the impairment. Any decision of the department to alter or not to alter a trust water right donated under subsection (1)(b) of this section is appealable to the pollution control hearings board under RCW 43.21B.230. A donated water right's status as a trust water right under this subsection is not evidence of the validity or quantity of the water right.
     (5) The provisions of RCW 90.03.380 and 90.03.390 do not apply to donations for instream flows described in subsection (1)(b) of this section, but do apply to other transfers of water rights under this section except that the consumptive quantity of a trust water right acquired by the state and held or authorized for use by the department is equal to the consumptive quantity of the right prior to transfer into the trust water rights program.
     (6) No funds may be expended for the purchase of water rights by the state pursuant to this section unless specifically appropriated for this purpose by the legislature.
     (7) Any water right conveyed to the trust water right system as a gift that is expressly conditioned to limit its use to instream purposes shall be managed by the department for public purposes to ensure that it qualifies as a gift that is deductible for federal income taxation purposes for the person or entity conveying the water right.
     (8) Except as provided in subsection (10) of this section, if the department acquires a trust water right by lease, the amount of the trust water right shall not exceed the extent to which the water right was exercised during the five years before the acquisition was made nor may the total of any portion of the water right remaining with the original water right holder plus the portion of the water right leased by the department exceed the extent to which the water right was exercised during the five years before the acquisition. A water right holder who believes his or her water right has been impaired by a trust water right leased under this subsection may request that the department review the impairment claim. If the department determines that ((exercising the)) a trust water right resulting from the leasing ((or exercising of a portion)) of that trust water right leased under this subsection is impairing existing water rights in violation of RCW 90.42.070, the trust water right shall be altered by the department to eliminate the impairment. Any decision of the department to alter or not to alter a trust water right leased under this subsection is appealable to the pollution control hearings board under RCW 43.21B.230. The department's leasing of a trust water right under this subsection is not evidence of the validity or quantity of the water right.
     (9) For a water right donated to or acquired by the trust water rights program on a temporary basis, the full quantity of water diverted or withdrawn to exercise the right before the donation or acquisition shall be placed in the trust water rights program and shall revert to the donor or person from whom it was acquired when the trust period ends. For a trust water right acquired by the state and held or authorized for use by the department, the consumptive quantity of the right when it reverts to the donor or person from whom it was acquired is equal to the consumptive quantity of the right prior to transfer into the trust water rights program.
     (10) For water rights donated or leased under subsection (4) or (8) of this section where nonuse of the water right is excused under RCW 90.14.140, and where the nonuse occurred in the five years preceding the donation or lease, the department shall calculate the amount of water to be acquired by looking at the extent to which the right was exercised during the most recent five-year period preceding the date where excuse for nonuse under RCW 90.14.140 was established and remained in effect.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 90.42 RCW to read as follows:
     Costs incurred by the department associated with water service contracts with federal agencies may be recovered by the department from persons withdrawing water or credits for water associated with water banking purposes as a condition of the exercise of a water right supplied from a federal water project.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 90.03 RCW to read as follows:
     For purposes of calculating annual consumptive quantity as defined under RCW 90.03.380(1), if, within the most recent five-year period, the water right has been in the trust water rights program under chapter 90.38 or 90.42 RCW, or the nonuse of the water right has been excused from relinquishment under RCW 90.14.140, the department shall look to the most recent five-year period of continuous beneficial use preceding the date where the excuse for nonuse under RCW 90.14.140 was established and remained in effect.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   A new section is added to chapter 90.42 RCW to read as follows:
     The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.