Joint Legislative Committee on Water Supply During Drought
Event Log
Ron Muzzall — Addressed as 'Senator' in the discussion of Black Rock.
Ron Muzzall — Addressed by name as the senator offering confidence to the speaker.
Karen Bumbacco — Karen Bumbacco introduces herself as the Deputy State Climatologist at the University of Washington and begins her presentation on drought conditions and winter outlook.
Tom Dent — The chair recognizes Representative Tom Dent as the first questioner, and Dent follows up with a question about local microclimate differences and the fourth warmest year on record in the context of the discussion on warmer years.
Tom Dent — Invited to offer comments or wisdom.
Tom Dent — Invited to spend time in Moses Lake to learn how to live on less water.
Alex Ybarra — Representative Alex Ybarra thanks the chair and raises questions about drought conditions in Central Washington and the Columbia Basin, contrasting irrigated areas with the Yakima Basin and asking for more detail on how reduced hydropower relates to the broader drought discussion.
Alex Ybarra — Identified as the member asking for clarification about the drought threshold.
Rhea — Rhea is introduced as the next presenter from the Department of Ecology and identified as the department’s water resource program manager.
Rhea — The speaker transitions the presentation to Rhea, indicating she will cover the Yakima Basin issues and state actions, and then confirms that Rhea is next to speak.
Rea Burns — Introduced herself as the Water Resources Program Manager at the Department of Ecology.
Caroline Melor — Caroline Melor is introduced as the statewide drought lead and co-presenter, with the speakers noting that she will be tag-teaming on the presentation.
Caroline — Takes over to explain the state's drought declaration process.
Caroline — Caroline is thanked and is about to hand the presentation back to Rhea.
Caroline — The speaker says Caroline will address lessons learned about project demand and statutory thresholds.
Caroline — Referenced as having already discussed the drought context.
Caroline — Will speak next about what to expect next year.
HB1138 — HB 1138 is referenced as the measure/statute supporting emergency response funding once a drought declaration is issued.
Kristine Reeves — Rep. Reeves is recognized by the chair and asks follow-up questions about the funding cuts, including how much money was cut and what the implications are. She then continues by summarizing the witness’s point and asking which federal agencies are affected, noting that she is new to the committee and trying to understand the federal connections.
Kristine Reeves — Rep. Kristine Reeves first indicated she would take her questions offline, then asked whether drought insurance exists for the state or for local/municipal partners. A later reference in the discussion pointed back to Reeves’s question about insurance options, confirming the same topic thread.
Judy Warnick — Judy Warnick is called on and asks a series of related questions about drought funding: whether the chart represents the full list of drought funding allocations, how much of the funding is actually going to agriculture, and whether any balance remains in the drought fund. The discussion stays focused on drought funding and related allocation details.
Judy Warnick — Judy Warnick is directly addressed during a water-policy discussion that includes drought funding, future precipitation patterns, and a follow-up question asking her to recall the name of a reservoir proposal.
Ria — The speaker asks Ria if she has anything to add.
Ria — Was thanked and identified as the person who had just spoken.
Ria — Referenced as having already noted the issue of preparedness interest from applicants.
Ria — Referenced as having noted the Yakima Basin drought outlook.
Ria — Her Yakima-related point was referenced in the discussion of fish and ecosystems.
Ria — Thanked for the presentation and invited to answer questions.
Ria — Thanked for the presentation and released from questions.
Carolyn — Thanked for the presentation and invited to answer questions.
Carolina — Thanked for the presentation and released from questions.
Mike Chapman — Mike Chapman is repeatedly referenced as the next speaker in the discussion, and the exchange continues into a direct address to him while the committee is still talking about water-supply issues, including conditions on the dry side of the Olympics.
Karen — Thanked for the presentation on warming trends and snowpack reduction.
Karen — Referenced as having already discussed the drought context.
Karen — Karen’s earlier remarks on drought conditions, La Niña, climatology, and future vulnerabilities were repeatedly referenced as the discussion built on her explanation of current and future drought patterns.
Ron Muzzall — The speaker thanks Chair Ron Muzzall and the committee, then notes that some committee members, including those present in 2021, would remember how drought conditions worsened that year.
Ron Muzzall — Speaker appears to address the chair as 'Senator Wazal,' which is likely a transcription error for Chair Ron Muzzall.
Ron Muzzall — Addressed as Chair.
Karen — Karen is introduced as the Washington Deputy State Climatologist and is about to speak.
Karen — Karen concludes her presentation on the winter outlook and uncertainty in temperatures, is thanked for the in-depth briefing, and then is asked how the committee is able to make climate projections extending into the 2080s and what basis supports such a long-range forecast.