OLYMPIA – Following the end of the 2019 legislative session, Rep. Debra Lekanoff, D-Bow, was appointed co-chair to the Joint Legislative Task Force on Water Supply.
The task force is charged with reviewing surface water and groundwater needs and allocation for agricultural uses, household uses and instream flows that support fish habitat. Climate change could make water temperature and availability worse for fish.
“Water is critical to the Skagit Valley area. It is one of the only places that still supports all six species of native salmon,” said Lekanoff. “We need to balance how we address the impact of climate change on our natural resources and agricultural economy.”
Lekanoff hopes to bring collaboration to the table, and help set aside long-standing differences to reach the shared goals of keeping Skagit a beautiful place to live, work and raise a family, protecting natural resources and respecting tribal treaty rights.