One of the most important requirements to farm successfully in the Snoqualmie Valley is an available and dependable supply of irrigation water. Although the Valley is surrounded and often inundated with an abundance of water, the availability of that water for agriculture is limited to historic water rights that are publically documented.
No one knows for sure how many valid historic water rights exist in our Valley. What is known is that new water rights are not being issued, and those legitimate, existing water rights, if not utilized, can be relinquished.
The legislature of our state has enacted several ways in which an agricultural community can protect its water rights. But this requires action from a local community.
Wishing to initiate the conversation about how to protect local water rights, local farmers contacted both a local Hydrogeologist and the Washington Water Trust, a non-profit, non- regulatory organization that has worked with farming communities throughout our state. After some conversation, we have determined to hold a public community meeting to learn what historic water rights exist, and how we might effectively protect and preserve those rights.
This meeting will be held at the Carnation Public Library on January 31st from 5:30-7:30. Half- an-hour before the meeting begins (5:00-5:30), and half-an-hour after the meeting (7:30- 8:00), there will be time for one-on-one landowner consultations for those who have questions about the status of water rights on their properties. Any interested person is welcome and encouraged to attend.
Presenters at the meeting will be Amanda Cronin of the Washington Water Trust and Bob Pancoast (Carnation resident, Compass Geo hydrogeologist, and Executive Director of the East King County Regional Water Association). Following the presentations, a discussion of potential options for the agricultural community will be led by local farmers Andrew Stout (Full Circle) and Erick Haakenson (Jubilee Farm).
This meeting will also be attended by representatives of the King Conservation District (KCD) and King County.