Welcome to Skagit County

June 7th, 2006

SKAGIT COUNTY, ECOLOGY, AND U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY INITIATE SKAGIT BASIN GROUNDWATER STUDY

MOUNT VERNON, WA. – The Skagit County Commissioners and the Washington Department of Ecology announced today that a contract has been signed with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to investigate groundwater hydrology in the Skagit River Basin. The groundwater study is necessary to resolve scientific uncertainty about groundwater in Skagit County, including where wells will have limited or no impact on surface water flows. The groundwater study was part of a settlement agreement reached between Skagit County and Ecology regarding Ecology’s regulation of water use in the Skagit River Basin.
“We are committed to ensuring that our instream flow rule in the Skagit Basin is based on good science, and this study will improve our knowledge of the Skagit Basin so that the Skagit instream flow rule can be properly implemented,” said Joe Stohr, Special Assistant to the Director of Ecology.
The U.S. Geological Survey is the nation’s leading water resource research agency, and pioneered techniques for researching complex groundwater systems. USGS will provide 50% of the funding necessary for the study, which will be the first comprehensive study of the groundwater hydrology of the lower Skagit River Basin.
Skagit County Commissioner Administrator Gary Rowe explained the study as follows:
“The settlement with Ecology allows us to move forward with instream flow protections in the Skagit Basin. This study will provide information to support future permitting decisions, and to help us properly manage Skagit County’s water resources.”
“Rather than continuing costly litigation over water resource issues, we believe it is time to implement water resource polices that balance competing demands for water in the Skagit Basin. USGS will be an important partner with the County and Ecology, and has provided funding to ensure that our permitting decisions are based on solid science.”
The USGS study is one component of the implementation efforts by Skagit County and Ecology to implement the new Skagit River Instream Flow rule, adopted by Ecology on May 15, 2006.