In Yakima and Kittitas counties, many camps and cabins that rely on surface water are often shut off during the driest months. This is because the demand for water in the Yakima Basin is frequently greater than the amount available.

While this has been a normal occurrence for some camp and cabin owners in the past, you can help prevent it at your property in the future.

For a limited time, we're offering a program to help you obtain senior mitigation water to offset your use and reduce the chance of your water being restricted. So far, we've worked with about 640 camps and cabins to complete this process and secure their water supplies.

to see if you qualify to receive a permit and mitigation. We're here to help you understand your options.

This program will end on June 30, 2027. Available mitigation will be limited and more expensive after that. Future unauthorized water use could be shut off and may be subject to compliance follow-up to protect senior water rights. Taking advantage of this program now is the best way to ensure you can legally use water this summer and beyond.

Permits needed to use water

To avoid being shut off, all surface water used at camps and cabins must be authorized through a water right permit, even if the use is seasonal or your cabin is on a U.S. Forest Service lease.

Camps and cabins must also have senior mitigation to access water during shortages. Shortages happen nearly every summer, though increasing droughts mean these shortages will happen more often and for longer.

We want to help you obtain or protect your legal water supply. to find out if your water use is authorized. If not, we'll walk you through the process of getting a water right permit so your water use is legal and mitigated.

Mitigate your water use to avoid shutoffs

If you already have a water right but have not yet obtained mitigation, you can purchase it to offset the amount of water you'll use.

We're offering significantly lower rates for mitigation than anywhere else. Once the program ends, there will be limited options for affordable mitigation.

If you aren't certain whether you have mitigation, call us to make sure. This is one of the best and last opportunities to protect your water supply from future shutoffs or avoid potential penalties for illegal use.

Mitigation for a single rustic cabin may cost as little as $40. Your total costs depend on the amount of water used, with mitigation at $3,643 per ac-ft of water. That $3,643 per ac-ft covers what Ecology spent to buy the water right for mitigation. Other fees include:

• Storage fee: $22 per ac-ft multiplied by years left in storage contract
• Contract fee: $350
• Report of examination for new water right (if required): $500

To learn more about the program and how to calculate mitigation, visit our website or contact:

Andrea Reyes
Cost reimbursement coordinator
[email protected]
509-406-6426

Water right restrictions during drought

Under state law, water right holders with the oldest (senior) water rights in the basin have the legal right to withdraw all their allowed water before anyone with a newer (junior) right. Junior users can only access water after senior and proratable users receive all of theirs. Though these restrictions happen during droughts, they also happen frequently during non-drought years as a normal part of water management in the basin.

Your camp or cabin has a junior water right if the priority date on the permit is after May 10, 1905. That means your water is at risk of being shut off whenever there are water shortages. If you aren't sure what your priority date is, contact us and we'll help you find out.

Drought restrictions on surface water rights can change day to day. If you rely on a surface water right, check our website for current restrictions or look up your water right through our interactive map.