Cascade Water Alliance issued its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Lake Tapps Reservoir Water Rights and Supply Project and will be accepting comments through March 15.

In February 2008, Cascade’s board of directors approved the purchase of the Lake Tapps reservoir, including the White River Hydroelectric Project facilities and three municipal water rights applications from Puget Sound Energy. On Dec. 18, 2009, the purchase and sale was completed and Cascade became owner of the project.

Cascade is requesting approval by the Washington State Department of Ecology to operate the project. The three basic elements are:

• Cascade will divert water from the White River into the Lake Tapps Reservoir and later withdraw the water for municipal use;

• Cascade agrees 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 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.

Copies of the draft EIS can be obtained online at www.cascadewater.org and are available at the public libraries in Bonney Lake and Sumner.

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

Cascade Water Alliance is a nonprofit corporation comprised of the cities of Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah and Tukwila; the Covington Water District; the Sammamish Plateau Water and Sewer District; and the Skyway Water and Sewer District. The organization’s goal is to provide water to almost 400,000 residents and more than 22,000 businesses.

For more information visit www.cascadewater.org.