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 Ecology home | Water supply | Statewide conditions | Water Supply Availability Committee (WSAC)

Last revised: Nov. 1, 2024

                           

The Water Supply Availability Committee (WSAC) is a group of experts from state and federal agencies who evaluate statewide water supply conditions. Ecology convenes this group monthly. WSAC provides an important consultative and advisory role to Ecology related to current and forecasted water supply conditions and whether the hydrologic drought threshold has been met or is likely to be met: seventy-five percent of normal water supply within a geographic area (RCW 43.83B.405 and WAC 173-166-050).

If you would like to receive notices about WSAC meetings after they are posted to this page, subscribe to the Washington Water Supply Email list

WSAC's membership includes representatives from:

• Department of Ecology
• Office of Washington State Climatologist
• U.S. Geological Survey
• National Weather Service
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Bonneville Power Administration

If conditions warrant, WSAC can advise Ecology to convene the Executive Water Emergency Committee (EWEC), which is made of state agency leaders with a stake in water supplies. These leaders assess findings from WSAC and can recommend the governor direct Ecology to issue a drought advisory or an emergency drought declaration.

Helpful links
Drought Response main page: https://ecology.wa.gov/water-shorelines/water-supply/water-availability/statewide-conditions/drought-response
Drought Response grants webpage: https://ecology.wa.gov/about-us/payments-contracts-grants/grants-loans/find-a-grant-or-loan/drought-emergency-grants
Drought Response Grant Guidence: https://apps.ecology.wa.gov/publications/UIPages/documents/2411013.pdf

2024 Meetings

November 14

• November meeting video - full
• Presentation materials (Agenda, Ecology, OWSC, NCRS, USGS, NWS)

October 11

• October meeting video - full
• Presentation materials (Agenda, Ecology, OWSC, NCRS, USGS, NWS, BOR)

September 11

• September meeting video - full
• Presentation materials (Agenda, Ecology, OWSC, NCRS, USGS, NWS, BOR)

July 24

• July meeting video - full
• Presentation materials (Agenda, Ecology, OWSC, NWS, BOR)

June 26

• June meeting video - full
• June WSAC Agenda
• Presentation materials combined (Ecology, OWSC, NWS, BOR)

May 22

• May WSAC meeting video - full
• May WSAC Agenda
• Presentation materials combined (Ecology, OWSC, NWRFC, NRCS, USGS, BOR)

March 27

• March WSAC Agenda
• WSAC Intro Slides
• Office of the Washington State Climatologist Slides
• NRCS Slides
• USGS Streamflow Slides
• March 27 meeting video

February 28

• Presentations combined into one file (Ecology, OWSC, NWRFC, NRCS, BOR)
• USGS presentation (not present/included in video recording)
• Full video recording of meeting

January 24

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

2023 Meetings

August 18

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)
• Seattle Public Utilities - Water Supply Conditions

June 23

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

May 19

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

April 21

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

March 23

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

February 17

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)
• Index of Soil Saturation - NRCS (choose .html from list to view plot in browser)

January 20

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

2022 Meetings

November 19

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

July 22

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

April 8

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

March 18

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

February 18

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

January 14

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

2021 Meetings

December 3

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

October 15

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS, BOR)

August 13

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS)

July 23

Meeting materials:

• Presentations combined in one file (Ecology, NRCS, OWSC, NWS, USGS)

June 25

Meeting materials:

• Ecology includes meeting agenda 
• NRCS
• OWSC
• NWS
• USGS

2021 meeting information for January - May can be requested. If you need something immediately contact Chris Anderson, see below.

2020 Meetings

December 11

• Agenda
• Meeting materials:
• • NRCS
  • OWSC
  • NWS
  • USGS
  • USBR

August 7

• Meeting materials:
• • NRCS
  • OWSC
  • NWS
  • USGS
  • USBR

April 13

• Agenda
• Drought preparedness andf response - our new page with links to the new drought response law, Blog and our state drought contingency plan
• Meeting materials:
  • NRCS
  • OWSC
  • NWS
  • USGS
  • USBR

February 28

• Agenda
• Meeting materials:
  • NRCS
  • OWSC
  • NWS
  • USGS

January 24

• Agenda
• Meeting materials:
  • Ecology
  • NRCS
  • OWSC
  • NWS
  • USGS

 

Contacts

Caroline Mellor
Commitee Chair (acting), Water Resources Program
caroline.mellor@ecy.wa.gov