The legislature recognizes that drought and water shortages can place a significant hardship on Washington communities, farms, and the natural environment. Rising temperatures due to climate change may cause water supply shortages to be more frequent and severe in the future. Therefore, the ability to respond to drought and water shortage emergencies is critical to the long-term prosperity of our state. It is the intent of the legislature to provide the department with the authority to effectively and efficiently take actions when a drought emergency occurs to alleviate hardship on water users and our natural environment.

The legislature also recognizes that effective emergency drought response is predicated on building resiliency and preparedness before water shortages occur. Therefore, it is also the intent of the legislature that the department assist water users by supporting measures to strengthen the resiliency and preparedness of water users to drought conditions in the long term.

Severability—1989 c 171: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1989 c 171 § 14.]