Restoring Manastash Creek

After six years of negotiations, farmers, environmentalists, tribal staff, state agencies and others signed an agreement to restore Manastash Creek, as well as provide the water needed by local farmers. A big part of this story is how far the negotiators have come – when the process began, on farms outside Ellensburg the tension was palpable. The potential of a looming lawsuit was real. Yet, the desire to get to better place was felt by all. And over time the adversaries put down their guard, sat down to talk, and slowly built trust. We were able to come together and see the greater vision for successful water management – a revitalized Manastash Creek and preservation of important water resources for Manastash water users.