Wednesday, Sep 12 2012 3:43PM

In an attempt to solve water source problems for those living in rural parts of Washington, federal, state and local officials convened on September 10 to discuss potential solutions.

The Yakima Herald-Republic reports State Department of Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant met with county commissioners from Yakima, Benton and Kittitas counties, the Yakama Nation and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to devise a plan to utilize available groundwater in rural areas around the Yakima River Basin. One thing they are trying to avoid disrupting is senior water rights, which have been around for more than a century.

According to the news source, officials are researching other management plans used throughout Washington related to improving water conservation, aquifer storage and animal habitats.

The need for expanded water access stems from a survey that revealed groundwater pumping is negatively affecting water users who legally have rights to groundwater from the basin for fishing and irrigation.

"You are aware we have some obligations to protect instream flows and honor irrigation contracts," Dawn Wiedmeier, deputy manager of the Bureau of Reclamation, said at the meeting, according to the paper. "To the degree those rights are being shorted by groundwater use, our interest is to work with the parties to see if we can get that resolved."

For further information, check out this source: The Yakima-Herald