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).
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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.
The goal of this meeting is to share and gather information regarding climate impacts of the 2026 water year. December flooding, lack of winter snowpack, drought development, and the above average wildfire season will be topics of discussion.
This meeting will also offer the opportunity to learn from others about mitigation actions that were taken through group discussion.
Forecast experts will provide expectations for 2027, including discussion of what the very strong El Niño in the tropical Pacific means for the region.
An end-of-water year survey will be available soon for participants (and others) to record impacts and actions taken to minimize those impacts, which will also be discussed during the workshop. Both the survey and the workshop will help inform an annual PNW Water Year Impacts Assessment.