With drought conditions in the Northwest over the past several months, water tables fell to record levels and rivers were running dry. This water crisis has challenged us to examine better policies to deal with the supply and consumer demand of fresh water and to develop better conservation incentives.

Water pollution and impacts of development continue to damage waterways, create poor habitat for fish, and diminish traditional methods of capturing and restoring water supplies. In Washington and other Western states, many aquifers now hold less than half their original volume.

The Sierra Club and other environmental groups have harshly criticized Governor Locke’s water policy and warn that approved legislation making it easier for large users to withdraw water from streams will harm fish and present water rights. From nuclear and mine wastes to salmon extinction, the future looks grave for Washington’s waterways.

In an email to the KRCC, Rep. Phil Rockefeller stated, “this year the legislature passed a trio of water bills, to promote greater certainty in use of water rights, as well as improved conservation of the resource. Among the bills, the one most relevant to municipalities is HB 1338, which clarifies existing water rights that many holders will be able to “grow into” as future growth occurs.”

But, can the legislature grow or manufacture new water?

On Oct. 15, in Silverdale, Western Washington Indian Tribes completed a two-day meeting concerning state water law and the water situation. The tribes remain united in opposition to recent legislative actions that fail to protect water resources for fish and other tribal rights. The tribes are developing a comprehensive strategy involving litigation, state and federal legislation, public information and political action to challenge recent negative actions of the legislature concerning water rights.

In a letter to elected officials and area stakeholders, Kitsap Peninsula Watershed Planning Unit’s chair, Patrick V. Mus, wrote, “How we manage our water resources has significant implications for the long-term economic and environmental well-being of our community. Our ability to continue economic development partly depends upon getting future water rights. The well being of salmon and other aquatic species depends upon having enough water flowing in our streams. All residents, businesses, fish and wildlife need an adequate supply of clean water.”

Several jurisdictions from around the Kitsap Peninsula have joined in a state-sponsored “Watershed Planning” effort, also known as ESHB2514 or WRIA (Water Resource Inventory Area) planning involving 30 jurisdictions and stakeholder groups. In monthly meetings, they have conducted background studies in preparation for developing a watershed plan. This will be written during the next 12 to 16 months and presented to the counties (Kitsap, Pierce, Mason, and King) for approval by April 2005. This fall they will be conducting a series of workshops throughout the region to solicit public input.

For more information on watershed data for WRIA 15, the Kitsap Peninsula Watershed, Phase II, Level I Assessments produced by Golder Associates Inc. are available at: www.kitsappeninsulawatershed.org/

In order to understand the water supply in this region, one must first know how our water budget, or hydrologic cycle works. The traditional method of expressing the hydrologic cycle is through a water balance of the primary elements of the hydrologic cycle. To help in explaining this phenomena and how water rights are allocated, Art Schick, Water Resources Manager for the Suquamish tribe Port Madison Indian Reservation (PMIR), provided the following summary:

“On the Kitsap Peninsula precipitation is the only hydrologic input. Precipitation is easy to measure, and is seen, experienced, and understood by most of us. The remaining variables are not readily seen, and consequently are less understood.

National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration cooperative meteorological stations having 50 years or more records were used in conjunction with computer modeling to develop the average annual precipitation. There are monthly averages shown by sub-area in the Assessment. Seasonally, the area receives 83 percent of the annual precipitation from November to April and only 7.6 percent during June, July, and August. One Acre-Foot equals twelve inches of precipitation on one acre, or 43,560 cubic feet, or 325,829 gallons.

Evapotranspiration estimates the amount of precipitation that is intercepted and transpired (breathed) by plants and evaporated from soil and other surfaces. Evapotranspiration has been measured in studies and varies with temperature, humidity, type of groundcover, and human caused changes to the landscape. Golder used a combination of computer programs to arrive at estimated evapotranspiration.

Evapotranspiration estimates the amount of precipitation that is intercepted and transpired (breathed) by plants and evaporated from soil and other surfaces. Evapotranspiration has been measured in studies and varies with temperature, humidity, type of groundcover, and human caused changes to the landscape. Golder used a combination of computer programs to arrive at estimated evapotranspiration.

Runoff is the portion of precipitation that flows off the surface of the watershed into Puget Sound. Some authors consider runoff to be the total outflow; others separate the discussion into storm runoff and baseflow. Golder used a 20 percent of precipitation runoff figure that was accepted by earlier reports and was based on USGS studies.

Aquifer Recharge is accomplished by that portion of precipitation that soaks into the ground after evapotranspiration and runoff have occurred. Some authors consider everything that soaks into the ground surface as recharge. Others deduct the water that soaks in shallowly and is picked up by plant roots and transpired or emerges into nearby streams as part of the runoff.

In Golder’s assessment, recharge is that portion of precipitation remaining after evapotranspiration and runoff is removed. The 13.8 inches of annual recharge shown in the Assessment is estimated to have passed the root zone and is reaching the shallow aquifer. Only a portion of the shallow aquifer reaches the lower aquifer and only a portion of that aquifer reaches the level below that. Precipitation that is recharged to groundwater and is not taken up by plants, discharged to streams, or pumped from wells is eventually discharged to Puget Sound.

“Allocated Water Rights include permits and certificates administratively-issued by the Washington Department of Ecology (DOE), along with water right claims registered under four different periods and varying rules. The groundwater allocations for the Poulsbo Sub-Area are presently 44 percent of the estimated recharge. The groundwater allocation for the Kingston Sub-Area stands at 391 percent of the estimated recharge. Allocated water rights do not include exempt wells, Tribal Water Rights are not included in the Golder Assessment, and PMIR water rights are not registered with the DOE.

Actual Water use is calculated by Golder using a combination of census data, water purveyor records, and assumptions that all persons not served by a purveyor are served by exempt wells. Commercial and industrial use is not quantified in the Golder assessment, but is estimated to be less than one percent over the entire WRIA. Estimated 2000 actual water use is 10 percent of recharge in the Poulsbo Sub-Area, and seven percent of recharge in the Kingston Sub-Area,” Schick added.

Therefore, according to information by Golder Associates Inc on the www.kitsappeninsulawatershed.org web site under Technical Reports, and existing/future water rights allocations, the Kingston Sub-Area of the Kitsap WRIA Inventory Area is currently 775 percent over-allocated. That is akin to selling the same product almost eight times over again!

The potential for granting of water rights for Well #7 or other new wells in the area are further complicated by the broad influence of water withdrawal from deep aquifers on surface streams and shallow aquifers already fully or over allocated. Aquifer recharge is estimated at 11,738 acre feet per year, with current groundwater rights in the 31.7 square mile sub-area total 91,027 acre feet per year.

The Grovers Creek basin is closed by DOE to further withdrawal of water due to earlier and current withdrawal effects on that stream (see WAC 173-515-040(2). Well #7 would tap an aquifer extending onto or influencing shallower aquifers on the Port Madison Indian Reservation, and Grovers Creek, a salmon bearing stream.

Adverse impacts to senior federally reserved water rights on the Reservation would also preclude award of water rights covering Well #7.

Using a supply and demand market-based analysis, our expenditures for water do not reflect the true value of this finite source. At what cost to the future? We can only impress upon managers, local government, and our legislators to see the value in achieving water conservation, providing incentives, and meeting these critical water challenges.