Water Rights
Department of Ecology Water Rights Map—Use this tool to look up your property to see whether there is a water right.
Assessing your Water Right—Property owners may want to verify a water right prior to purchasing land, or water users may seek to change or transfer an existing right.
Water Availability in your Watershed/WRIA—This is the Washington State Department of Ecology webpage that offers a great overview to water rights, the pending State Supreme Court Case (Hirst Decision), FAQs for landowners wanting to build new wells, etc.
Quilcene-Snow Watershed Focus Sheet (WRIA 17)—This information provides a starting point for potential water users in determining the best strategies for securing water for a future project or proposal in this area.
What counts as a permit-exempt use of groundwater?
You need a water right permit or certificate from Ecology before withdrawing groundwater, but there are four exceptions for small uses:
Providing water for livestock (no gallon per day limit)
Watering a non-commercial lawn or garden one-half acre in size or less (no gallon per day limit, however limited to reasonable use)
Providing water for a single home or groups of homes (limited to 5,000 gallons per day)
Providing water for industrial purposes, including irrigation (limited to 5,000 gallons per day but no acre limit)
Although these permit-exempt uses don’t require a water right permit, you are still subject to state water law.
