Flow Restoration and Protection
To improve the economic vitality and biological health of Washington’s communities and watersheds using voluntary, market-based approaches to enhance stream flows.
"While WRC keeps their focus on water, they understand what it takes to succeed in ranching. They’re trying to find what’s best for everybody. WRC earned my respect."
Charlie Lehman | Rancher | Methow Valley
Working in partnership with many stakeholders, WRC brings funding sources and technical expertise to strategic locations where improving flows of clean, cold water will result in cost-effective improvements to some of Washington’s most important habitats.
WRC’s partners include: private water right holders, irrigation districts, land trusts, Conservation Districts, tribal entities, state and federal entities, watershed planning units, and others.
WRC develops projects and incentive-based solutions to low stream flows that are individually tailored and beneficial for both the water right holder and for instream flows.
WRC’s focus is on improving streamflows for listed fish species. To do this, WRC engages on a wide variety of projects, including:
- Water right donations, purchases, and leases to the Trust Water Rights Program for instream flow
- Drought Year Leasing Programs
- Point of diversion Changes
- Surface to Groundwater changes
- Diversion Reduction Agreements
- On-farm efficiencies
- Reverse Water Right Auctions
- Conveyance system irrigation efficiencies
- Water Banks
WRC facilitates the transfer of water rights to the Washington State Trust Water Rights Program, which provides protection from Washington’s five year “use it or lose it” relinquishment law, and also protects stream flows for endangered fish.
Download WRC’s FAQ about the Washington State Trust Water Rights Program »
“Investing in rivers to improve their quality costs pennies on the dollar compared to waiting until we reach a crisis. That’s the kind of common sense conservation that WRC brings to our communities.”
Rob Masonis | VP for Western Conservation | Trout Unlimited
Check out the “Project Snapshot” links to the left to learn about some of our successes throughout Washington!
Water Rights Assessment and Mitigation
To provide legal and scientific expertise in managing water rights for the benefit of local economies and ecosystems.
“Their expertise in water markets and policy makes WRC a key partner in public and private sector efforts to better manage Washington’s streams and rivers.”
Jay Manning | Director | Washington Department of Ecology
A leader in the area of water right due diligence, WRC researches and documents the history and status of water rights associated with public and private lands in Washington. In cases where water users desire to change their water rights, WRC can design and facilitate approaches to offset potential impacts in positive ways. WRC uses its expertise to determine the extent and validity of water rights, to help water right holders make informed decisions about how to ensure their rights are protected now and into the future.
Education
To increase the public’s awareness about how water law and water rights affect their land, their communities and the quality of life in Washington.
“Water law can be overwhelmingly frustrating for a typical farmer like me, especially when problems arise. WRC came to my rescue.”
Russ Griffith | Landowner | Entiat Valley
WRC helps stakeholders understand the legal and ecological complexities of water, so they can make informed and often time-sensitive decisions about their water rights.
WRC’s main publication, “Landowner’s Guide to Washington Water Rights” is a useful resource for gaining a better understanding of:
- The foundations of Washington’s water laws
- What a water right is, and the key concepts of a water right
- Establishing, keeping, and metering a water right
- Changing or transferring water rights
- Putting a water right in the Washington State Trust Water Rights Program
- Determining the extent and validity of a water right
- Cooperative, market-based water conservation opportunities that balance the water needs of fish, farms, and people
- Protection of water rights from relinquishment by the state
- Improving instream flows and protecting endangered fish species
“The Landowner’s Guide to Washington Water Rights is the most comprehensive and user-friendly handbook providing the basics on water rights that I have seen to date in the state.”
Nancy Aldrich | City of Richland
Download a pdf of the guide, or contact our office and we’ll send you a hard copy!
WRC also organizes and facilitates water right and water conservation workshops, often in partnership with conservation districts, to help water right holders better understand water rights, relinquishment protection, conservation, and the efficiency and metering programs supported by Washington’s conservation districts.
Policy
To seek practical, streamlined water polices that can enhance and sustain Washington’s communities and ecosystems.
Existing rules can be complicated, challenging, and, at times, overwhelming to navigate. WRC works through this maze to find solutions. Where outdated policies limit the flexibility needed for achieving positive results on the ground, WRC aims to modernize the legal context and to facilitate non-regulatory approaches that bring people together around strategies of multiple-use.
Water for Washington coalition
The Water for Washington coalition, a partnership of three organizations – American Rivers, Washington Rivers Conservancy, and the Washington Environmental Council – is committed to the protection and conservation of Washington’s waters and to finding collaborative water management solutions that meet instream and out-of-stream needs. The coalition works cooperatively identify solutions to the state’s outdated, complex and unsustainable water management system for the benefit of fish, farms and communities.
- Download the Water For Washington Briefing Paper, “Climate change: less snow, less water. How will we adapt?” »
- Visit the Water for Washington website »
- Visit the Resources page for links to American Rivers and Washington Environmental Council
