Thursday, Dec 20 2012 9:27PM
A new proposal in Washington would help three counties protect their water supply.
New legislation in Washington would free up $2 million in the state's budget to purchase senior water rights for future use, according to the Yakima Herald.
The proposal, which has garnered local and state support, would allow the state Department of Ecology to purchase water banks, which would be turned over to Kittitas, Yakima and Benton counties. These counties would then be permitted to determine how much to sell the water for, which would generate revenue for additional water purchases, the news source explained.
"This is an attempt to make sure there's an adequate water supply for the next 25 years," said Yakima County Commissioner Mike Leita. "What we are discussing is how that water will be acquired by people needing domestic water."
Despite a seemingly abundant supply of water through the Western region of the U.S., many river basins and local water sources are at risk of drying up. Additionally, water rights disputes have cropped up among towns, environmentalists, irrigators, farmers and Native Americans. While some have turned to lawsuits to settle these disputes, many states are relying on water-sharing agreements or imposing new laws to restrict water usage in certain areas.
For more information, check out this resource: The Yakima Herald