Bill > SB5261

This bill modifies existing Washington state water rights laws to allow for the issuance of water right permits for small-scale, nonconsumptive hydropower uses in water resource inventory areas where minimum instream flows are not being met. Specifically, the Department of Ecology can now issue a water right permit for a hydropower project if: the water is diverted and returned to the same stream reach, the power generation capacity is less than 25 kilowatts, the Department of Fish and Wildlife determines there would be no net detrimental impact to aquatic resources, and the department has consulted with federally recognized Indian tribes with treaty fishing rights in the area. The bill also clarifies the state's broader water management principles, emphasizing the protection of environmental values, the importance of water conservation, and the need to balance various water uses such as domestic, agricultural, industrial, and hydroelectric power production. The changes aim to provide more flexibility in water rights permitting while still maintaining protections for fish, wildlife, and tribal interests.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5261&Year=2025&Initiative=false