Washington launches "Water Future" initiative, pledges statewide roundtables and year-end recommendations

Casey Sixkiller, director of the Washington State Department of Ecology, opened a statewide launch of "Washington's Water Future," saying the initiative will convene regional roundtables this summer and bring recommendations to Governor Bob Ferguson by the end of the year. "Washington is a water state," Sixkiller said, framing the effort as a response to shifting snowpack and more frequent droughts.

In a prerecorded message, Governor Bob Ferguson called climate change "here" and noted the state recently declared a drought for the fourth consecutive year, urging a coordinated approach across local governments, tribes, agriculture and utilities. "We need secure water supplies so we can grow our economy, support our agriculture industry, protect only fish runs, and preserve tribal resources," Ferguson said in the video.

The launch gathered…