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Clean, flowing waters. Healthy ecosystems.Empowered communities.Equitable water management.This is the Washington we envision.

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We work to ensure the equitable and sustainable management of our most precious resource: water.  Our vision for the future is that Washington State will have clean and abundant waters to support healthy communities, thriving ecosystems, and resilience in the face of climate change.

CELP places tribal treaty rights at the center of our work. We recognize all of Washington’s First People and their ancestral ties to our landscape and waterways and the lives they support.

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Center for Environmental Law & Policy

Center for Environmental Law & Policy

Clean, Flowing Waters for the West

Water Resource Area 26 – The Cowlitz Watershed is defined as the area that drains to the Cowlitz River as well as the Kalama River drainage. Annual precipitation ranges from 40-120 inches per year, with most of this coming in winter months when demand is the lowest. During the summer, human demand is high but there is little available water. Most water rights in the Cowlitz were assigned over 100 years ago, leaving little to no water left for new water rights. This watershed is one of the most intensely farmed areas in the western Washington, but Tacoma Power holds senior rights to maintain its reservoir levels in Riffe and Mayfield Lakes. The watershed does have some Surface Water Source Limitations to protect streamflows for salmon, but we can still expect to have difficulties maintaining streamflows in the future due to climate change. (Info: Washington Department of Ecology). ... See MoreSee Less
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Fast fashion has finally gotten some buzz as people realize the connection between cheap trending clothing and the horrible work and environmental conditions it results in around the world. However, we still need to have conversations about the environmental impact of everyday items like the production process for jeans. From the water needed to grow the cotton to the final rinsing of the fabric, the water cost of jeans is approximately 1000 gallons, with 92% of that just going to irrigating the cotton plants. Organic cotton uses less water because it is mainly grown with rainwater, but that could change as climate change impacts precipitation. There are also non-water-related costs—the carbon footprint, waste, and energy consumption per pair are high. So, what should we do?For people who can, buying organic cotton dyed with fewer chemicals should be the preference. Otherwise, we need to be attentive to buying only what we need, purchasing styles that will last, and washing each pair less. Keep in mind that Martha Stewart suggests only washing your jeans every 10 wears—that saves water, too! Read more: www.makefashionbetter.com/blog/the-environmental-impact-of-the-denim-industry. ... See MoreSee Less
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The theme of World Water Day 2024 is ‘Water for Peace’.When we cooperate on water, we create a positive ripple effect – fostering harmony, generating prosperity and building resilience to shared challenges.We must act upon the realization that water is not only a resource to be used and competed over – it is a human right, intrinsic to every aspect of life.This World Water Day, we all need to unite around water and use water for peace, laying the foundations of a more stable and prosperous tomorrow.Check out more about World Water Day at www.un.org/en/observances/water-day ... See MoreSee Less
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WRIA 40 is defined as the area that drains north and east of the Columbia River from south of Wenatchee to Richland,. It's located in parts of Chelan, Kittitasm Yakima, and Benton counties. Much of central Washington receives less than 20 inches of rainfall annually. Of course, most of this precipitation comes during the winter. During the summer, naturally low streams depend on groundwater, which means there’s little availability when human demand is the highest.All water rights in the area were given 100 years ago meaning that most of the water that does exist is already legally spoken for (appropriated). The demand for water from growing communities and agriculture has caused declining streamflows which impact fish, habitats, and stream health. Adding in climate change makes the water availability in WRIA 40 even more concerning. ... See MoreSee Less
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