(1) Prior to the appropriation of funding for the construction of a water supply project proposed in the integrated plan with a cost of greater than one hundred million dollars, the state of Washington water research center shall review, evaluate, and prepare comments on the cost-benefit analysis prepared for the project by the department and the United States bureau of reclamation.

(2) To the greatest extent possible, the center must use information from existing studies, supplemented by primary research, to measure and evaluate each project's benefits and costs.

(3) The center must measure and report the economic benefits of each project subject to subsection (1) of this section, so that it is clear the extent to which an individual project is expected to result in increases in fish populations, increases in the reliability of irrigation water during severe drought years, and improvements in municipal and domestic water supply.

(4) The center may enter into agreements with other state universities and with private consultants as needed to accomplish the scope of work.

(5) The center may consult, as necessary, with the department of ecology and the Yakima river basin water enhancement project work group.

(6) No more than twelve percent of any appropriations provided for the implementation of this section may be retained for administrative overhead expenses.

(7) This section expires July 1, 2025.