Skagit basin water availability

Mitigation programs

We worked with local partners to develop and administer regional mitigation options for the basin.

Skagit River Basin Mitigation Program 

In 2020, we purchased a permanent supply of water from Seattle City Light to provide a legal and reliable water supply for hundreds of existing homes and businesses with legally uncertain water supplies. Also implemented in 2020, we developed the Skagit River Basin Mitigation Program, which provides water for limited new domestic uses in Skagit County.

• Find out more about the Skagit River Basin Mitigation Program 

• Skagit River Basin Mitigation Program Accounting Report

Big Lake Water Association domestic water mitigation program

The Big Lake program was developed in 2018 and provides a legal right to water for homes north of Big Lake, along Nookachamps Creek (a tributary of the Skagit River). We are jointly operating the program with Skagit County.

• Map of area served (PDF)
• Focus on: Skagit Basin’s Big Lake Water Bank
• Big Lake Mitigation Program Accounting Report

Options for new uses

Water availability varies by location. Depending on your location, and your water needs, there are several ways to potentially secure water for a new water use in the Skagit River basin:

• Connect to a public water supply.
• Mitigate the impact on instream flows from new uses.
  • We have several approved mitigation programs that benefit landowners seeking to build homes in the Skagit Basin, as described above.
• Store water in a cistern. You can collect and store rainwater for potable purposes. For more information on rainwater collection consult with:
  • Skagit County Planning and Development Services at 360-416-1320.
  • Snohomish County Planning and Development Services at 425-388-3311.
• Drill a well in a location that has no impact on the river.
  • We have identified a groundwater availability zone near Bayview. In this area, groundwater drains into saltwater, so small domestic withdrawals have no effect on the river.
  • This water availability area applies only to new domestic uses. See the water availability zone map (PDF) or Skagit County’s interactive map. Contact Skagit County Planning and Development Services at 360-416-1320 for more information.
• Change or transfer an existing water right.
  • Water rights are property rights that can be changed or transferred. During the change application process a valid water right may be transferred to a new location and used so long as there is no new or different impact on a stream. Schedule a pre-application meeting to discuss the process with our staff.