The fees specified in this section shall be collected by the department in advance of the requested action.

(1) For the examination of an application for a permit to appropriate water, a minimum fee of fifty dollars must be remitted with the application. For an amount of water exceeding one-half cubic foot per second, the examination fee shall be assessed at the rate of one dollar per one-hundredth cubic foot per second. In no case will the examination fee be less than fifty dollars or more than twenty-five thousand dollars. No fee is required under this subsection (1) for an application filed by a party to a cost-reimbursement agreement made under RCW 90.03.265.

(2) For the examination of an application to store water, a fee of two dollars for each acre foot of storage proposed shall be charged, but a minimum fee of fifty dollars must be remitted with the application. In no case will the examination fee for a storage project be less than fifty dollars or more than twenty-five thousand dollars. No fee is required under this subsection (2) for an application filed by a party to a cost-reimbursement agreement made under RCW 90.03.265.

(3)(a) For the examination of an application to transfer, change, or amend a water right certificate, permit, or claim as authorized by RCW 90.44.100, 90.44.105, or 90.03.380, a minimum fee of fifty dollars must be remitted with the application. For an application for change involving an amount of water exceeding one cubic foot per second, the total examination fee shall be assessed at the rate of fifty cents per one-hundredth cubic foot per second. For an application for change of a storage water right, the total examination fee shall be assessed at the rate of one dollar for each acre foot of water involved in the change. The fee shall be based on the amount of water subject to change as proposed in the application, not on the total amount of water reflected in the water right certificate, permit, or claim. In no case will the examination fee charged for a change application be less than fifty dollars or more than twelve thousand five hundred dollars.

(b) The examination fee for a temporary or seasonal change under RCW 90.03.390 is fifty dollars and must be remitted with the application.

(c) No fee is required under this subsection (3) for:

(i) An application to process a change relating to donation of a trust water right to the state;

(ii) An application to process a change when the department otherwise acquires a trust water right for purposes of improving instream flows or for other public purposes;

(iii) An application filed with a water conservancy board according to chapter 90.80 RCW or for the review of a water conservancy board’s record of decision submitted to the department according to chapter 90.80 RCW; or

(iv) An application filed by a party to a cost-reimbursement agreement made under RCW 90.03.265.

(d) For a change, transfer, or amendment involving a single project operating under more than one water right, including related secondary diversion rights, or involving the consolidation of multiple water rights, only one examination fee and one certificate fee are required to be paid.

(4) The fifty-dollar minimum fee payable with the application shall be a credit to the total amount whenever the examination fee totals more than fifty dollars under the schedule specified in subsections (1) through (3) of this section and in such case the further fee due shall be the total computed amount, less the amount previously paid. Within five working days from receipt of an application, the department shall notify the applicant by registered mail of any additional fees due under subsections (1) through (3) of this section.

(5) The fees specified in subsections (1) through (3) of this section do not apply to any filings for emergency withdrawal authorizations or temporary drought-related water right changes authorized under RCW 43.83B.410 that are received by the department while a drought condition order issued under RCW 43.83B.405 is in effect.

(6) For applying for each extension of time for beginning construction work under a permit to appropriate water, for completion of construction work, or for completing application of water to a beneficial use, a fee of fifty dollars is required. These fees also apply to similar extensions of time requested under a change or transfer authorization.

(7) For the inspection of any hydraulic works to insure safety to life and property, a fee based on the actual cost of the inspection, including the expense incident thereto, is required except as follows: (a) For any hydraulic works less than ten years old, that the department examined and approved the construction plans and specifications as to its safety when required under RCW 90.03.350, there shall be no fee charged; or (b) for any hydraulic works more than ten years old, but less than twenty years old, that the department examined and approved the construction plans and specifications as to its safety when required under RCW 90.03.350, the fee charged shall not exceed the fee for a significant hazard dam.

(8) For the examination of plans and specifications as to safety of controlling works for storage of ten acre feet or more of water, a minimum fee of ten dollars, or a fee equal to the actual cost, is required.

(9) For recording an assignment either of a permit to appropriate water or of an application for such a permit, a fee of fifty dollars is required.

(10) For preparing and issuing all water right certificates, a fee of fifty dollars is required.

(11) For filing and recording a formal protest against granting any application, a fee of fifty dollars is required. No fee is required to submit a comment, by mail or otherwise, regarding an application.

(12) For filing an application to amend a water right claim filed under chapter 90.14 RCW, a fee of fifty dollars is required.

(13) An application or request for an action as provided for under this section is incomplete unless accompanied by the fee or the minimum fee. If no fee or an amount less than the minimum fee accompanies an application or other request for an action as provided under this section, the department shall return the application or request to the applicant with advice as to the fee that must be remitted with the application or request for it to be accepted for processing. If additional fees are due, the department shall provide timely notification by certified mail with return receipt requested to the applicant. No action may be taken by the department until the fee is paid in full. Failure to remit fees within sixty days of the department’s notification is grounds for rejecting the application or request or canceling the permit. Cash shall not be accepted. Fees must be paid by check or money order and are nonrefundable.

(14) For purposes of calculating fees for groundwater filings, one cubic foot per second shall be regarded as equivalent to four hundred fifty gallons per minute.

(15) Eighty percent of the fees collected by the department under this section shall be deposited in the state general fund. Twenty percent of the fees collected by the department under this section shall be deposited in the water rights tracking system account established in RCW 90.14.240.

(16) Except for the fees relating to the inspection of hydraulic works and the examination of plans and specifications of controlling works provided for in subsections (7) and (8) of this section, nothing in this section is intended to grant authority to the department to amend the fees in this section by adoption of rules or otherwise.

Findings—Intent—2005 c 412: “The legislature finds that the fees associated with various actions of the department of ecology relating to the processing and administration of water rights are outdated and are insufficient even to recover the cost of handling the funds submitted. The legislature also finds that water right processing fees are currently collected at three different stages of the water rights process and that reducing the number of instances of fee collection to two stages of the process would increase efficiency and reduce administrative costs. The legislature further finds that several current statutory fees are archaic or are otherwise covered by other general statutes, including the state’s public disclosure laws. The legislature therefore intends to update and modernize the fee schedule associated with water right-related actions of the department of ecology.” [ 2005 c 412 § 1.]

Findings—1993 c 495: “The legislature finds that a water right confers significant economic benefits to the water right holder. The fees associated with acquiring a water right have not changed significantly since 1917. Water rights applicants pay less than two percent of the costs of the administration of the water rights program. The legislature finds that, since water rights are of significant value, water rights applicants should contribute more to the cost of administration of the water rights program.

The legislature also finds that an abrupt increase in water rights fees could be disruptive to water rights holders and applicants. The legislature further finds that water rights applicants have a right to know that the water rights program is being administered efficiently and that the fees charged for various services relate directly to the cost of providing those services.

Therefore, the legislature creates a task force to review the water rights program, to make recommendations for streamlining the application process and increasing the overall efficiency and accountability of the administration of the program, and to return to the legislature with a proposal for a fee schedule where the fee levels relate clearly to the cost of services provided.” [ 1993 c 495 § 1.]

Reviser’s note: 1993 c 495 § 3 created a water rights task force that expired June 30, 1994.

Purpose—Short title—Construction—Rules—Severability—Captions—1987 c 109: See notes following RCW 43.21B.001.