[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6205072,"mediaKeyId","3777015-f139832b9d044ce5e554552e65b70d9f","parentId",3777015,"title","Irrigation districts report record-low reservoirs, call for emergency and resiliency funding","audioSeconds",1884,"startMs",1094000,"endMs",2978000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777015-f139832b9d044ce5e554552e65b70d9f&start=1094&end=2978","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777015-f139832b9d044ce5e554552e65b70d9f/thumbnail_1094000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6205072/Washington/Irrigation-districts-report-record-low-reservoirs-call-for-emergency-and-resiliency-funding","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6205072-bfaf669651114ad65f592883ffa9f21e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770835505&Signature=hcyVzZWY~aiyy2BuaCLoErD73dw28TYWQry-CXB--LMFXyVL-WrOOTXtfmwucj0F2WYon8Kejt2sJgKVSLsM4Jes57BJOmmiMqBRce2IINOArZwp-QMYcQZkk-7Jd8yq2xDoQWXlLv4~XJKdKYElzOBAp76FvEj7-XHx1q6VyWQIqA1gp5kH1bdlminBcTxayOFRd6idQwVx-8OBzQ~hzUdb1YzAWsL0bomXVVU1SD1mKSbbcX1RcvD5~-X~4gM1NdQJ1b7O9fskl~rYKvOiGSPqwFFnOhr1tcBx11tdd5kPK3eaLTJ62LUSVhAIXyoCaT2zPKVfG5Dj05bfX4McdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought","date","2025-06-11T00:00:00Z","article","Saige Park, policy director for Rosa Irrigation District, told the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought that the district is facing one of the lowest water years on record and urged continued emergency and resiliency funding.

Park said Rosa serves roughly 72,000 irrigated acres via about 450 miles of canals and estimated total crop value in the district at about $1.5 billion. Park said the district has piped more than 300 miles of canals since 1983 and spent about $85 million on conservation programs, roughly $50 million of that from ROSA funding. For the current year the district set aside about $3.4 million for drought response; Park said roughly 75% of that amount is already obligated.

Park described a water-supply forecast that has declined through the spring and summer; as of the most recent mid-month outlook she reported the district’s available supply at about 43% of a typical year and said reservoir storage was the lowest on record since 1971. To stretch available water the district implemented a 10-day shutdown in May that yielded an estimated 10,000 acre-feet for later use, practiced pump-backs that recover roughly 2,000 acre-feet annually, and leased about 8,600 acre-feet. Park said roughly 8,000 acres of orchard and vineyard crops were removed this spring—about 2,400 acres more than the previous year—and growers are prioritizing higher‑value crops and pooling water among neighbors.

Urban, representing the Kittitas Reclamation District, described parallel impacts on the Kittitas Valley and detailed long-running conservation projects tied to the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. He said Kittitas has saved about 9,450 acre-feet through piping and efficiency projects through 2024 and has installed about 30 remote telemetry (SCADA) stations to reduce spills and better control deliveries. Urban outlined the Springwood reservoir feasibility effort — a proposed on‑valley storage site that would provide a block of water for spring outmigration of juvenile fish and later-season flows — and said feasibility work is assessing options including a potential low-head hydropower component (work is considering a roughly 10 megawatt generation facility as one option).

Both presenters said lower flows and higher river temperatures are stressing fish and increasing disease, dissolved-oxygen problems and predation. Park and Urban thanked Department of Ecology staff for cost‑share assistance on water leases and urged improvements to rapid application and payment processes for emergency lease programs. Park also urged funding for fish-protection pulses later in the season and referenced the Washington Climate Resilience Strategy as supporting ongoing drought‑resiliency funding; she noted legislation in 2023 recommended ongoing funding but said the current biennium did not allocate those dollars.

Committee members asked technical questions about canal sealing and whether reduced seepage changes groundwater recharge patterns. Urban answered that managers are monitoring groundwater and working on managed aquifer recharge projects to place conserved surface water in alluvial aquifers where it will provide downstream benefits and help temperature and habitat objectives.

No committee votes or funding commitments were taken at the meeting; the presentations were informational and members thanked the presenters for the technical updates and expressed continued interest in funding and integrated‑plan projects.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought - 6/11/2025 1:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Representatives of Rosa Irrigation District and Kittitas Reclamation District told the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought that reservoir storage and forecasts are well below normal, detailing conservation measures, crop impacts and requests for emergency and ongoing drought resiliency funding.","taxTitle","Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought, Joint, Work Groups & Task Forces, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20569,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6205077,"Committee elects new chair and vice chair for Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought",589,331000,920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777015-f139832b9d044ce5e554552e65b70d9f&start=331&end=920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777015-f139832b9d044ce5e554552e65b70d9f/thumbnail_331000.jpg","/articles/6205077/Washington/Committee-elects-new-chair-and-vice-chair-for-Joint-Legislative-Committee-on-Water-Supply-During-Drought","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6205077-08c53e64ad2e1df97b11f71e1accaa07/orig.mp4?Expires=1770835505&Signature=huVRJBfLT0KVwx6TRl5vr0pZk30s1edjQFkcGmA7b26NpUiOfnSVbLFxAxDT4QWAwixl1sjrkWtSvsLdVOYPa3vFJ4GnOAItcYvUuUPBvbW65fhjvx-ePV6m4lDv1aRZdwUuqU9ecKEnsvNVaXvRwfAGteoTtq7OsHnuYt0BVtsZPDMLnaPKzfs6DElxOjerZLqMpquFAjk1NDz1Yq6EiFWRBbkVTYhiD~iUB7P-MfJQ3jfx1CyN2McnuJTmFHuKw8WqpukTBOVXB7P9ww2vdYULjeNwMREgCiHLgWaRiBZBHJnu8nCDoK-qA60nZc8NJbuIH88txXRMSg64VmCBqw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Members of the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought elected a senate member as chair and Representative Christine Reeves as vice chair during a 2025 virtual meeting, with the committee recording unanimous support for both positions.

The election followed a brief caucus among members to resolve customary rotation between the chambers. Committee members discussed a prior informal arrangement that alternates leadership between a Senate Democrat and a House Republican; after caucus, senators nominated and the committee voted to seat Senator Mazzell as chair. Representative Christine Reeves was nominated and elected vice chair.

Committee members debated the customary rotation before proceeding to nominations and the vote. Several members explained the convention as meant to balance representation between the Senate and the House; a staff member confirmed there is no statutory requirement prescribing chamber or party for the vice chair position. Members had about 10 minutes for caucus before returning to conduct the formal vote.

There were no other formal agenda actions tied to the election. After the vote, the outgoing chair asked to finish the current agenda before transferring day-to-day leadership; the committee agreed to proceed with the scheduled presentations.

The committee will continue regular business under its newly elected leaders; no committee-level policy decisions or funding commitments were made during the leadership vote.","Members of the Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought unanimously elected a senate member as committee chair and Representative Christine Reeves as vice chair at a 2025 virtual meeting.","actionData","errors"]

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Irrigation districts report record-low reservoirs, call for emergency and resiliency funding

Committee elects new chair and vice chair for Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought