Washington State Department of Ecology’s Office of Columbia River (OCR) is developing a new uninterruptible supply of water for the holders of interruptible water rights (RCW 90.90.020(3)(c)). The Drought Insurance Program will provide an opportunity for interruptible water right holders to voluntarily obtain water through lease agreements in drought years.  OCR has already developed some supplies, including a contract with the Bureau of Reclamation for release of 33,000 acre-feet of water from Lake Roosevelt in the next drought, as well as purchasing some water rights and entering into option-lease agreements with others.  OCR is developing this program to ensure those supplies reach those that want it in the next drought year because the time period when a drought is declared (March 1st each year) and the beginning of the irrigation season or water use needs is short (typically in April each year).   

When water in the Columbia River is not sufficient to meet the needs of all water right holders, the Department of Ecology is required to curtail “junior” water users – those users with interruptible water rights issued after the 1980 Columbia River Instream Flow Rule (WAC 173-563).

Drought conditions are declared when the forecasted runoff as of March 1st each year is expected to be very low –– less than 60 million acre-feet of water measured at the Dalles Dam.  

2001 was the last time a drought on the Columbia River occurred and Ecology estimates drought frequency is approximately once every 20 years.  

Water users on the Columbia River and nearby tributaries and groundwater in close proximity to the Columbia River who have water rights that were issued by the State in or after 1980, when the Columbia River Instream Flow Rule (WAC 173-563) was established that requires a minimum level of water in the Columbia River for fish during drought.  

Interruptible water rights are identified by their instream flow provision on their water right document and generally have a priority date of 1980 or later. To find documents related to your water right, visit: https://ecology.wa.gov/regulations-permits/guidance-technical-assistance/water-rights-search.  

The Department of Ecology will notify affected water right holders to curtail water. If you did not secure an uninterruptible water supply in advance or at the time of drought, you will be required to: 1) Call into a 1-800 number each week during the drought to determine whether flow in the river will allow you to keep pumping or require you to cease pumping that week; 2) follow any other directives and reporting requirements set forth by the Department of Ecology. 

In the last drought, some users transferred other rights, leased rights, conserved water, or used other techniques to stretch their supplies.  To prepare for the next drought, Ecology’s Office of Columbia River is working on additional solutions that did not exist in 2001. Be sure to fill out the short survey here so that we can follow up with you. 

There are several steps you can take to better prepare for a Columbia River drought. A checklist is provided here.  

Yes, some water right holders have self-funded permanent senior water right transfers to their lands to avoid drought entirely.   Because water right transfers are complicated and costly, if you have a different proposal for your property, we encourage you to complete a preapplication process with the Department of Ecology to make sure you are successful. You can do so here.  OCR’s Columbia River Drought Insurance Program is just one tool that can be used.  However, because Columbia River droughts are thankfully relatively rare, OCR believes a short-term lease program is a good way to reduce that risk. 

Ecology supports an online water right web map called GWIS, which you can use to help gain additional information on your water rights and property. Click on the link below and enter your water right number, or turn on parcel or section layers and zoom into your property. The site also has a use tutorial if you have questions. https://appswr.ecology.wa.gov/waterrighttrackingsystem/WaterRights/Map/WaterResourcesExplorer.aspx