Thurston County has secured a $2. 4 million grant from the Washington State Department of Ecology to purchase approximately 800 acre-feet of water rights from the TransAlta Water Bank. The investment is aimed at protecting the Lower Skookumchuck and Chehalis rivers.
One acre-foot equals roughly 325,851 gallons of water — enough to supply two to three average households. The purchased water rights will be permanently dedicated back to the two rivers rather than used for development or other consumption.
The grant addresses a state requirement that new permit-exempt wells — private wells that don't require a water permit — offset their impact on local water supplies. Counties must show that new wells won't reduce river flows below acceptable levels. This purchase is designed to meet that requirement while supporting long-term river health in the region.
Separately, Thurston County also received a $489,000 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce, in partnership with the Thurston Conservation District, to support salmon recovery planning efforts in South Puget Sound.