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Commissioners ratify purchase agreements to acquire water rights from Suncadia; larger acquisition contingent on state funding
Summary
Kittitas County approved two purchase-and-sale agreements with Suncadia Resort LLC to acquire in-stream and seasonal water rights: a smaller acquisition funded from local water resources funds (~$84,000) and a larger acquisition (~$2.3 million) that depends on a Washington state budget proviso grant.
Kittitas County commissioners ratified two purchase-and-sale agreements to acquire water rights from Suncadia Resort LLC, county staff said.
Arden Thomas, Water Resources Manager, told the board the first agreement covers purchase of Big Creek summer water and First Creek winter water with local funding from the county’s Water Resources Fund (403). That smaller transaction is on the order of about $84,000 and was budgeted in 2025, Thomas said.
The second agreement covers a larger acquisition of Suwak/First Creek and Tiana Way summer water. Thomas said the larger purchase is more suitable for a state-funded acquisition created by a Washington state budget proviso intended to help counties secure water rights to keep water in-stream. That larger purchase is approximately $2.3 million and is contingent on the county successfully securing the state grant and meeting associated requirements.
Thomas asked the commissioners to ratify signatures executed previously in open session as a contingency of moving the transactions forward. The board approved the ratification as part of its consent agenda vote.
County staff said the two purchases were structured separately because the larger acquisition requires a one-third in-stream flow dedication required by the grant program and because the larger volume better fits the state funding criteria. The smaller purchase uses local funds and does not depend on the state award.
