Skagit River Basin Mitigation Program

We developed an interactive map that allows landowners to search for mitigation eligibility by parcel. To search, you will need the parcel number of the property. If you do not know the parcel number, it can be found on the Skagit County Property Search website. The mitigation program covers portions of Skagit County along the Middle Skagit River.

This map is intended to help landowners determine eligibility before applying to Ecology for a Proof of Mitigated Water Supply document or drilling a well. The county requires that landowners have a Proof of Mitigated Water Supply document before applying for a county building permit within this mitigation zone.

Conditions of water use

Securing a Proof of Mitigated Water Supply from Ecology is a first step toward receiving a county-issued building permit. However, other local regulations exist that may limit building on your property (e.g., various setback requirements, limitations on development within the floodway, requirements to hook up to an available public water supply, etc.). A Proof of Mitigated Water Supply does not guarantee approval of a building permit at the county level. It is also not available to landowners who may be served by a public water system or are seeking to establish a Group A water system. A Proof of Mitigated Water Supply document is only recognition of legal water availability for a single home using a groundwater permit-exempt well.

Once issued, the Proof of Mitigated Water Supply includes a number of conditions on the water use:

• The well must be located within the mitigation zone.
• Water use is limited to an annual average of 318 gallons per day for combined indoor and outdoor domestic use.
• A remote-read meter (i.e., cellular-based telemetry) must be installed on the well to report water use.
• The Proof of Mitigated Water Supply will be attached to the property and is non-transferable.
• Mitigation is only available for single domestic purposes.

Once approved, landowners may bring this document to Skagit County as proof of available water. You will be required to record the final document with the Skagit County Auditor at the time your county-issued building permit is issued.

How to apply

Landowners with parcels that are wholly or partially within the mitigation zone are eligible to apply to Ecology for a Proof of Mitigated Water Supply document.

There is no fee to apply for a Proof of Mitigated Water Supply document. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. If there is high demand, there may be a delay in our response to applications. Applications submitted for parcels outside of the mitigation zone or submitted without proper documentation, including proof of parcel ownership, will be rejected.

Follow instructions on the form to fill out and return a completed application.

• Application for Proof of Mitigated Water Supply

If you have questions about how to apply, please contact Water Resources Northwest Region Office at (206) 594-0193.