Description/Purpose
People with a valid water right permit, certificate, or claim may request authorization from Ecology to change certain elements of their water right. An applicant may choose to contract with a county Water Conservancy Board (if one exists in their county), or contract with Ecology to use a Cost Reimbursement Contractor to process their water right change applications. Ecology reviews these draft decisions and issues the permit, if approved.
Triggers and activities which would require this permit
A change to the place of use, adding or changing a point of diversion or withdrawal, or a change to the purpose of use of an existing water right.
Explanation/Description of costs/fees, including statutory, regulatory, or other legal authority for fees
There is a minimum $50 application fee. Any additional fees will depend on the amount of water the applicant is proposing to use and will need to be paid upfront to consider the application complete. The fee to change, transfer, or amend an existing water-right certificate or claim is fifty cents per one-hundredth cfs of water. The fee to change a storage water right is $1 for each acre-foot of water. The maximum fee for changing an existing water right or water-storage project is $12,500. For a change, transfer, or amendment involving a single project operating under more than one water right, only one examination fee and one certificate fee are required. This includes related secondary diversion rights or the consolidation of multiple water rights. Fees are non-refundable, so do not send additional fees until you are notified of the amount. Ecology will bill you any additional amount owed. Once billed, you will have 60 days to pay, or we will reject your application. Individual County Water Conservancy Boards set their own fees.
PRE-APPLICATION
Before you spend money and effort to prepare a water right application, we strongly encourage you to engage in a pre-application consultation with our staff. We want to understand your water supply needs and give you our perspective on risks, opportunities, and alternatives. Pre-application is not required but highly recommended.
If you choose a pre-application consultation meeting, we can learn more about your proposed project and inform you of issues related to the decision on your application, such as:
- Water availability.
- The status of pending applications.
- Anticipated processing timelines.
- Application requirements, fees, and information needs.
- Water resource regulations specific to your location.
- Alternatives.
- Qualifications for priority processing.
- Cost reimbursement options.
- Ecology contacts.
PRE-APPLICATION PROCESS INSTRUCTIONS
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Download and complete the
Water Right Pre-Application Consultation Form.
Do your best to complete all sections of the form and we will discuss any incomplete sections at the meeting.
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E-mail the completed form to the appropriate regional office address on the form. If you cannot e-mail the completed form, please mail it to the appropriate regional office.
https://ecology.wa.gov/Regulations-Permits/Permits-certifications/Water-right-permits
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Wait for Ecology to contact you. Our goal is to contact you within five business days to confirm receipt of your pre-application request. We will schedule a meeting or phone call to discuss your water supply needs.
You can invite any professional staff (e.g., engineers, hydrogeologists, or attorneys) to answer technical questions Ecology staff may have.