Presenter Philip Womble, UW. Photo credit: Tom Ring
Distributional Impacts of Climate Change in Water Allocation by Phillip Womble, University of Washington
Philip Womble, an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington’s Evans School, offered a personal and wide‑ranging reflection on equity in Western water allocation systems, beginning with the foundational question: Do we have an equitable water allocation system in the western U.S.? His talk traced the origins and intentions of prior appropriation, noting that while the system helped break up early land monopolies, it also created lasting inequities, particularly for Tribes whose senior reserved rights often remain “paper water” rather than “wet water,”. Womble highlighted that more than 80 percent of fresh surface water withdrawals in the West are managed by irrigation organizations, drawing from USDA data shown in his presentation. He explored how climate‑driven shifts in hydrographs may redistribute risk amongst water rights holders, including emerging research suggesting junior water‑right holders could benefit from narrower flow distributions, though without adequate storage their vulnerability remains high. Womble closed by examining water markets and adaptive allocation models, including proportional rights systems used in Australia, as potential tools for navigating a future defined by more severe droughts, more intense floods, and increasingly complex questions of equity.
Presenter Jonathon Loos, Department of Ecology. Photo credit: Tom Ring
Flood Resilience and Investment Impact to Infrastructure Systems by Jonathon Loos, Department of Ecology
Jonathon Loos, Floodplain Policy Lead at the Washington Department of Ecology, presented a data‑rich overview of how Washington’s flood resilience system is being tested by increasingly severe and complex flood hazards. He began by characterizing the state’s dynamic flood landscape, noting that flooding is Washington’s most frequent and costly natural hazard, with an 80 percent chance that ten or more floods will occur statewide each year. Loos walked through the December 2025 atmospheric river sequence, a three‑week cascade of storms that pushed 33 rivers above flood stage, produced flood‑of‑record conditions in the Skagit, Snohomish, and Cedar watersheds, and led to 100,000 evacuations and roughly $182 million in public infrastructure damage. Washington ultimately recorded the nation’s highest insured flood losses for 2026, according to FEMA data. Loos highlighted how more than a decade of state investment in integrated floodplain management through Floodplains by Design helped reduce damage, improve emergency response, and avert losses, with projects such as levee setbacks, floodplain reconnection, and long‑standing buyouts performing as designed. He also emphasized the gaps exposed by the disaster, including outdated hazard maps, limited emergency relocation resources, and a $664 million funding shortfall for needed floodplain projects, underscoring the urgency of strengthening Washington’s resilience strategy moving forward.
Presenter Erin Ericson, Snoqualmie Valley Watershed Improvement District. Photo credit: Tom Ring
Resilient Salmon Initiative, Erin Ericson, Snoqualmie Valley Watershed Improvement District
Erin Ericson, Executive Director of the Snoqualmie Valley Watershed Improvement District, described how hydrologic change is reshaping planning across the Snoqualmie Valley’s working floodplain, which supports farms, fish habitat, and critical transportation corridors. She outlined the collaborative Fish‑Farm‑Flood (FFF) process, which produced 42 recommended actions to balance agricultural production, salmon recovery, and flood risk reduction, including Fish 3, a low‑flow assessment now underway with the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe. Ericson highlighted recent findings showing that climate change has dramatically reduced late‑summer flows in the Snoqualmie River, with August flows decreasing by 47 percent compared to pre‑2015 conditions, far exceeding municipal or agricultural impacts. She emphasized the importance of multi‑benefit water storage solutions identified through Farm 1, such as groundwater injection, ponds, wetlands, stormwater retrofits, and floodplain reconnection, noting that large dam options were intentionally excluded. Ericson also pointed to new statewide requirements under House Bill 1181, which now mandate climate resilience in local comprehensive plans, and shared recent work by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe and Kindred Hydro exploring managed aquifer recharge as a tool for drought resilience and ecological benefit. Her presentation underscored the need for prevention, mitigation, and adaptation strategies that strengthen community resilience across Snohomish River Basin.
Presenter Dani Gelardi, WA Department of Agriculture. Photo credit: Tom Ring
Water Supply in the Context of Washington's Agricultural Viability by Dani Gelardi, WA Department of Agriculture
Dani Gelardi, Director of Climate and Conservation at the Washington State Department of Agriculture, brought forward the voices and lived experiences of Washington farmers as she outlined how climate change is reshaping agricultural viability across the state. Her presentation drew from WSDA’s Agricultural Viability work and the Washington State Agricultural Viability Report as well as the Climate Resilient Plan for Washington Agriculture, highlighting survey results that show producers facing rising production costs, increasing climate‑driven losses, and mounting pressure to adapt. Gelardi illustrated recent climate impacts with examples from 2021, including drought‑driven 40 percent wheat yield reductions, shellfish mortality during extreme heat, spikes in heat‑related illness claims, wildfire damage, and livestock losses from flooding. She shared farmer‑reported mitigation strategies, ranging from irrigation upgrades to crop diversification, and noted that while conservation districts offer irrigation efficiency programs, the full scale of opportunity remains unclear. Survey responses emphasized the need for investment in irrigation infrastructure, improvements to water rights, and incentives for on‑farm technology. Gelardi closed by underscoring that with strategic focus, strong partnerships, and sustained funding, Washington agriculture can remain resilient, even as farmers continue to shoulder the front‑line impacts of a changing climate.
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