Announcements

Notice of Mid-Term Vacancy

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (January 6, 2025) – The Kittitas County Conservation District (KCCD) announces an opportunity to contribute to conservation and your community by serving on the KCCD Board of Supervisors. This opening is in addition to the 2025 expiring positions on the Board of Supervisors. One of the appointed Board positions has a mid-term vacancy due to the passing of that Board member. 

• Individuals interested in the mid-term appointed position must apply to the Washington State Conservation Commission no later than February 20, 2025. More information and application instruction are available here. 

The successful applicant for the remainder of this position would begin serving immediately after selection by the Washington State Conservation Commission in March 2025 through May 2026, expiration date for the three-year term.
Supervisors are public officials who direct the activities of the conservation district and serve without compensation. The Board is made up of five members, three of which are elected locally while the other two are appointed by the Washington State Conservation Commission. Two of the three elected positions and one of the two appointment positions must be landowners/operators. 
The KCCD is a political sub-division of the state with an 80-year history of serving the landowners, land managers and the general public in Kittitas County. The Board of Supervisors completes long range and annual plans that direct natural resource priorities and activities. The Board meets at least monthly, to implement both plans and direct a staff of eight. 
Interested candidates may contact KCCD for assistance in applying for the position. Please contact Anna Lael, District Manager, at anna.lael@kccd.net or 509-925-3352 ext. 7.
To be printed in Daily Record’s January 7 and the January 21, 2025 editions and Northern Kittitas County Tribune’s January 9, 2025 edition.

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November 22, 2024, Application Due Date Announced for RCPP Cost Share Program

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (October 18, 2024) – The Kittitas County Conservation District will accept applications starting October 21, 2024, until November 22, 2024 for the “Upper Yakima River Water Supply and Fish Habitat Improvements” Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project. This RCPP project includes lands in Kittitas County and prioritizes farm and ranch operators on-farm and delivery irrigation practices and habitat practices to improve water use efficiency, water quality and fish habitat availability.
The project can provide financial and technical assistance with on-farm irrigation system improvements, and riparian and instream habitat. The RCPP funding is provided by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through land management contracts with farmers and ranchers. The contract  payment rate pays for a portion of the cost of the contracted conservation practices implemented by the farmer or rancher. 
The District is accepting applications immediately. Interested farmers, ranchers or landowners should contact the District at 509-925-3352 or 2211 W Dolarway Road, Ellensburg. Interested parties must meet all requirements of the USDA NRCS. Each applicant must establish themselves as a USDA customer and complete all Farm Service Agency (FSA) eligibility requirements to participate in the program. For more information about those requirements, contact the local USDA Service Center field office at 2211 W Dolarway Road, Suite 6, Ellensburg or 509-925-8585 ext. 115.
RCPP funding is limited, and applications will be subject to a ranking system. This is the first  annual sign-up in Kittitas County occurring as part of the Upper Yakima River Water Supply and Fish Habitat Improvements project. The project was one of 81 high priority projects across the country that was approved for more than $1 billion in funding through the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program solicitation for fiscal year 2023. For more information, visit the project webpage.
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