8009

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 8009
• Author: Natural Resources Law Center.
• Title: Restoring the Waters.
• USFW Year: 1997.
• USFW - Doc Type: Boulder, CO.
• Copyright Material: YES

^ Converting from an inefficient flood
irrigation system to a more efficient
sprinkler irrigation system on the 16
acres that will continue to be irrigated;
and
^ Eliminating the conveyance loss
associated with the leaky diversion
ditch.
This flow will prevent the creek from being
substantially dewatered in the late summer
and early fall.
Methow River Flows
The trust water right will also protect 0.18
cfs or 47.85 of/yr of water flow in the
Methow River from the mouth of Little
Boulder Creek to the confluence of the
Methow River with the Columbia River,
many miles downstream. Conveyance-loss
water from the original diversion ditch and
excess water applied to the irrigated
pasture lands by flood irrigation practices
were historically returned to the Methow
River immediately below the mouth of
Little Boulder Creek. Since these return
flows naturally rejoined the Methow River,
the only actual gain in flow to the Methow
River below this point is the gain created
by terminating irrigation on the 29 acres
-water historically lost through evapo-
transpiration by the crop. Therefore, while
the Liberty Bell trust water right in the
Methow River downstream to its
confluence with the Columbia River also
retains the 1894 priority date, it was
limited to 0.18 cfs.
The Liberty Bell trust water right provides
an incremental, though small, increase in
the amount of flow protected in the
Methow River as base flow or instream
flow. The Methow River is a beautiful
river with substantial public fishery and
recreational values. The river has mini-
mum flows established by state administra-
tive rules. But those Methow River
minimum flows have a 1976 priority.
Water rights senior to 1976 are not subject
to curtailment or regulation to maintain
those minimum flows. Thus, the 1894
trust water right has the effect of substan-
tially improving the priority of a portion of
the rivers instream flows.
As in the Oregon Water Trust examples,
the Liberty Bell transfer may mean the
difference between a dry creek and a
flowing creek in the late irrigation season.
For More Information Contact:
Stan Isley
Washington Department of Ecology
15 West Yakima Avenue, Suite 200
Yakima, WA 98902-3401
Phone: [phone]
[phone] x281
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
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