(1) If a county is the only county having lands comprising a water resource inventory area as defined in chapter 173-500 WAC, the county may elect to establish a water conservancy board for the water resource inventory area, rather than for the entire county.
(2) Counties having lands within a water resource inventory area may jointly petition the department for establishment of a water conservancy board for the water resource inventory area. Counties may jointly petition the department to establish boards serving multiple counties or one or more water resource inventory areas. For any of these multicounty options, the counties must reach their joint determination on the decision to file the petition, on the proposed bylaws, and on other matters relating to the establishment and operation of the board in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and chapter
39.34 RCW, the interlocal cooperation act. Each county must meet the requirements of RCW
90.80.020(2). The counties must jointly determine the sufficiency of a petition under RCW
90.80.020(3) and each county legislative authority must hold a hearing in its county.
(3) If establishment of a multicounty water conservancy board under any of the options provided in subsection (2) of this section is approved by the department, the counties must jointly appoint the board commissioners and jointly appoint members to fill vacancies as they occur, and may jointly appoint alternates in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and chapter
39.34 RCW.
(4) A board established for more than one county or for one or more water resource inventory areas has the same powers as other boards established under this chapter. The board has no jurisdiction outside the boundaries of the water resource inventory area or areas or the county or counties, as applicable, for which it has been established, except as provided in this chapter.
(5) The counties establishing a board for a multiple county area must designate a lead county for purposes of providing a single point of contact for communications with the department. The lead county shall forward the information required in RCW
90.80.030(1) for each county.