Lake Roosevelt water rights
We are making new water rights available for municipal, domestic, and industrial uses based on a program that releases water stored in Lake Roosevelt behind Grand Coulee Dam. New diversions from the river are available from the Canadian border south to Bonneville Dam, or from wells within a mile of either side of that stretch of the Columbia River.
Water rights sought for wells outside of the one-mile corridor may also qualify if applicants can show that the proposed well will draw from an aquifer that is in continuity with the river.
Lake Roosevelt water rights are fee-based and rely on a water service contract to reimburse the state's costs for developing the water supply.
Lake Roosevelt water for cities and industry
We're tapping into water already stored behind Grand Coulee Dam in Lake Roosevelt based on a 132,500 acre feet storage right (1938) managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Of that, 25,000 acre feet of new water is available for application by cities and industry. The balance of water is providing relief to farmers in the Odessa subarea, augmenting streamflows, and supporting interruptible water rights in times of drought.
Application processing
We process applications based on the priority date, qualifying purposes of use, and reasonable quantities deemed necessary to complete a proposed project.
Successful applicants must enter into a water service contract with us to receive the water. Annual cost of the water is $35 per acre foot per year. This reimburses the state for the amount the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation charges for the water.
All permits are provisioned to require the water user to install a fish screen at all surface water diversions, meter, and report all water use, and may include other provisions as necessary.
Related links
- Final supplemental environmental statement (FEIS) for the Lake Roosevelt incremental storage releases program
- Addendum to the FEIS
- Sample Lake Roosevelt water service contract for water right holders
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water service contract with the state of Washington
- Office of Columbia River
Contact information
Tyler Roberts
Office of Columbia River
Tyler.Roberts@ecy.wa.gov
(509) 457-7141