Cascade Water Alliance has issued its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Tapps Reservoir Water Rights and Supply Project.

It will take comments on the DEIS through March 15, 2010.

In February 2008, Cascade’s Board of Directors approved the purchase of the Lake Tapps Reservoir, including the White River Hydroelectric Project facilities, three municipal water rights applications, a pre-code water right claim, and a change/transfer application from Puget Sound Energy. With the completion of the purchase and sale on Dec. 18, 2009, Cascade became owner of the project.

Cascade is asking the Washington State Department of Ecology for approval to operate the project. The three basic elements of the project’s operation are:

• Cascade will divert water from the White River into the Lake Tapps Reservoir, store water in, and withdraw water from the reservoir for municipal water supply purposes;

• Cascade will operate the project in a manner to provide enhanced flows in the White River consistent with the 2008 White River Management Agreement with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe; and

• Cascade will store water and maintain the levels of the Lake Tapps Reservoir to support recreation consistent with a 2009 agreement between Cascade Water Alliance and the Lake Tapps community.

The DEIS examines proposed actions and a no-action alternative. Copies can be obtained online at www.cascadewater.org or by purchasing a compact disc for $5 or a printed copy for $200 at Cascade Water Alliance, 11400 SE 8th St., Suite 330, Bellevue, WA 98040.

Copies are also available at the following King County Library System branches (Redmond, Bellevue, Issaquah, Tukwila, Covington and Auburn,) the Pierce County Library System branches (Bonney Lake and Sumner) and at the University of Washington’s Suzzallo Library.

Comments on the Draft EIS should be postmarked or e-mailed on or before March 15, 2010. Written comments should be addressed to: Michael Gagliardo, Director of Planning, Cascade Water Alliance, 11400 SE 8th St., Suite 440, Bellevue, WA 98004, or to contact@cascadewater.org

Cascade Water Alliance is a non-profit corporation, comprised of the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah and Tukwila, and Covington Water District, the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District and Skyway Water and Sewer District. Its goal is to provide safe, clean and reliable water to its almost 400,000 residents and more than 22,000 businesses.

For more information, visit www.cascadewater.org.