Recycled water use in King County: Navigating water rights with innovative solutions

Many agricultural lands in King County lack access to irrigation water or do not have sufficient water to meet the farm’s needs. Access to a stable water source significantly influences how farmland can be used. Irrigation improves crop yields, allows for more diverse crops, and can generate higher revenues for farmers.

To more accurately understand the scope of water needs in King County, the King County Agricultural Program will begin a County-wide agricultural water needs assessment in 2019. There is not enough current information to determine how much water is needed for King County farms to successfully produce crops. The water needs assessment will be important for managing and conserving water in King County.

Meanwhile, King County is exploring innovative solutions in the Sammamish Valley to provide increased access to irrigation. One solution is using recycled water on farmland, which is called out as a priority action in King County’s Local Food initiative.Continue readingRecycled water use in King County: Navigating water rights with innovative solutions

Let’s get growing: One million trees by 2020

As someone who has lived her whole life in the Evergreen State, I have always had a strong affinity for the trees that define our landscape and so much of our lives. As a kid I remember being amazed that you could determine the age of a tree by counting its rings. As a college student learning about our Native American history and the first settlers, I was struck by photographs of enormous Douglas firs that grew right up to the edge of the water, like giants protecting the shoreline.Continue readingLet’s get growing: One million trees by 2020