Kittitas Reclamation District
General KRD Questions
1. Why am I getting a bill from KRD/what is it for?
Your property is located within the boundaries of the Kittitas Reclamation District and classified as irrigable by the Bureau of Reclamation. The assessment is for the operation and maintenance of the KRD distribution system, original construction debt retirement (CDR) and KRD's percentage of the Bureau of Reclamation operation and maintenance costs on the storage reservoir.
2. How is my bill determined?
The irrigable acreage, also known as assessed acreage, is determined by the legal description of your land and the soil maps of the district. Irrigable acres were classified by the Bureau of Reclamation as such in the 1920s. The KRD has 59,122 acres classified as irrigable within the service area of over 100,000 acres. A property can have fewer irrigable acres than county acres because they are water right acres, not real estate acres.
3. When will I receive the statement and when is payment due?
Assessment notices are mailed in February, with the first half payment due by April 30th, and the second half due no later than October 31st. If your bill is less than $50, no half payment will be accepted. Beginning in 2011, no second half statement will be mailed.
4. What if I do not pay the assessment.
In accordance to the RCW if the first half is paid by April 30th the remainder shall be due and payable by October 31st. If the first half assessment is not paid by April 30th the entire assessment becomes delinquent. All delinquent assessments shall bear interest at the rate of twelve percent per annum computed on a monthly basis from the date of delinquency until paid.
5. What if I do not pay the next year?
When an assessment becomes delinquent the interest continues to accrue at the rate 1% per month of delinquency until paid. The board policy states that no water will be delivered to lands delinquent from previous years. RCW provides that 36 calendar months from the date of delinquency foreclosure proceedings may begin.
6. I do not want my water or I cannot get the water to my land, why do I have to pay?
When KRD was organized the total irrigable acres were determined within the District’s boundary. KRD then provided turnouts at the highest feasible point on each 160 acres. Since that time many lands have been divided into smaller units. It is the responsibility of each landowner to get their water from KRD’s point of delivery to their property.
The costs of the District are based on all of the irrigable acres. Even if you choose not to use your water, you still have to pay for the "water right" that is pertinent to your irrigable acres.
In effect, you are paying for everything it takes to get water to the land, you are not paying for water.
7. Can I sell my water?
Your water allotment can be transferred to another assessed landowner in your ride on a yearly basis in accordance to district policies. Any monetary transaction is between landowners. If you want to permanently surrender your water entitlement, see our Land Reclassification Policy.
8. How can I get out of paying the assessment?
There are procedures for a payoff of the construction debt obligation on a per acre basis. The construction payoff is determined by the Bureau of Reclamation based on the location within the district and the balance remaining. The operation and maintenance costs are in perpetuity.
If you want to be removed from our assessment rolls and surrender your water entitlement, see our Land Reclassification Policy.
9. How are the assessment rates determined?
The assessment rates are set yearly by the board of directors. KRD is a not-for-profit entity. Your assessment is determined by the amount of money required to service the construction debt, Bureau of Reclamation O&M charges, projected annual district O&M expenses and future improvements on the 70 year old distribution system. Assessments are set based on the budget, an estimate of the money it will take to operate the district from January 1 through December 31 each year. KRD’s 2011 O&M budget is $2.96 million.
10. When are the board meetings?
The KRD is a municipal corporation operating under title 87 revised code of Washington with the board of directors of the Kittitas Reclamation District meeting the first Tuesday of each month at the district office.
11. Who can attend the meetings?
District board meetings are open and public. Landowners are welcome and encouraged to attend.
12. I have creek water rights, does the KRD manage this water too?
The KRD does not manage creek water.
13. What is my creek water allotment?
That information should have been made available to you at the time you purchased the property.
Write to:
Washington State Dept. of Ecology
15 West Yakima Avenue Suite 200
Yakima WA, 98902
You may also find out about your water rights at the Kittitas County Auditors Office, 205 West Fifth, Room 105. Call 509-962-7504.
14. Are both creek water and KRD water available to my property using the same distribution system?
Sometimes distribution systems are combined, however, KRD does not manage creek water.
Lawn and Garden Pump Permits
1. Can anyone get a pump permit?
NO. Permits will only be authorized if you meet the following criteria:
You have to be an assessed landowner.*
You can only apply water to KRD classified lands.*
You can not have any other practicable means of getting KRD water.
2. Do I have to meter my pump?
YES. All water taken from KRD laterals must be metered. The meter should have a totaling device so we can keep track of your use.
3. Does KRD help with the cost of the pump or installation?
NO. You are responsible for all cost of materials and labor to install a pump. KRD is only responsible for the delivery of water to classified ground at the highest practicable point on each 160 acre parcel. It is the responsibility of each landowner to address the need for additional turnouts as lands are subdivided.
4. Can I put my pump anywhere in the KRD lateral?
NO. We will work with you to pick the best location to address both yours and KRD’s requirements. We realize each situation will be unique. The installation must take into consideration the flow characteristics of the lateral and our ability to perform maintenance on the lateral over time. Another consideration is the accessibility of your pump so that the ditch rider can record your usage.
5. How do I design a pump take out?
We have a model of a pump take out at the KRD office. KRD does not do engineering to determine the actual size of pump or plumbing to meet individual needs. Your should contact a professional service to design your unique situation.
6. Where do I buy the parts for a pump turnout?
Our model is made from PVC which is readily available from several local sources. We picked PVC to keep costs as low as possible. You can use what ever material you might have on hand, cmp or steel would work as well.
* If you have a creek water right on lands adjacent to a KRD lateral that runs creek water, please call us to discuss this unique situation.
Reclamation Reform Act
Who must file RRA forms?
Any landholder within the Kittitas Reclamation District or any other district who has a repayment contract with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, whose landholdings exceed the reporting threshold for that particular district. The reporting threshold for lands within the KRD is 240 acres. This includes owned as well as leased lands, or any combination thereof.
When must I file?
Landholders must file RRA forms on an annual basis before water is delivered to their owned and/or leased lands. If landholdings change after the submittal of a RRA form, a new form must be completed and filed within 60 days of change.
What constitutes a landholding change?
Landholders who hold land directly must submit a RRA form on an annual basis. They must also submit a new RRA form within 60 days of any change to information provided on previously submitted RRA forms. Some examples of what constitutes changes that require submittal of a new, basic RRA form are:
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Change in the number of acres owned or leased or a change in the specific parcels owned and/or leased.
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Change in the effective date or term (length) of the lease.
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Change in who is the lessor or lessee.
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Change in the identity of the landholder (i.e., change in marital status or death of a landholder).
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Change in the number of part owners or beneficiaries or the percentage of the legal entities holding attributed to any part owner or beneficiary.
What constitutes a lease?
A lease is a contract by which one party gives to another the USE AND POSSESSION of land for a specified time and for agreed upon payments and by which the lessee assumes the economic risk in the operation and management of the leased land. The Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 requires that all leases of land receiving irrigation water MUST BE IN WRITING. Leases are not required to be on file at the district office, however, they must be available for inspection by the Bureau of Reclamation if requested.
Who must sign the RRA forms?
The landholder whose landholdings is being declared must sign the RRA form. In the case of married couples, BOTH SPOUSES MUST SIGN THE RRA FORM, EVEN IF THE LAND IS NOT HELD JOINTLY. Both signatures are required because this RRA form is a declaration that all irrigable and irrigation acreage of both spouses (and any dependents) has been identified. However, a spousal signature authorization form may be used to authorize one spouse to sign for the couple.
In the case of a multiple ownership, an appointed representative may sign if he/she has been authorized IN WRITING to sign on behalf of the entity. A copy of such documents must be filed with each district in which RRA forms are submitted. If no one has been authorized to sign for the entity, all members of the entity must sing the RRA form. Trustees must sign RRA forms submitted for Trusts.