What decision has the Department of Ecology made regarding Lake Tapps?
On June 30, 2003, the Ecology Department granted three new interrelated water rights (3.0MB pdf)” to Puget Sound Energy (PSE) that allow the utility to continue diverting water from the White River and store it in the Lake Tapps reservoir. The water rights gave PSE new authority to maintain the lake as a public water-supply reservoir, and withdraw a portion of the water – up to 64.5 million gallons a day – from Lake Tapps as long as it is intended for public supply use. Under the water-right agreement, there is a 50-year timeframe for the project; PSE has until 2053 to put all the water to beneficial use.
