Washington Water Trust
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WWT'S MISSION IS TO PROTECT AND RESTORE WATER IN RIVERS AND STREAMS ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE. WASHINGTON WATER TRUST RESTORES AND PROTECTS WATER IN RIVERS AND STREAMS AND PROMOTES SUSTAINABLE FRESHWATER MANAGEMENT IN WASHINGTON, AND, MORE RECENTLY, IN STRATEGIC WATERSHEDS IN OREGON USING A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH. THE OUTCOME WE SEEK IS HEALTHY RIVER HABITAT THAT SUPPORTS FISH AND WILDLIFE, PUBLIC RECREATION AND A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
- Income
- $2.6 million
- Spending
- $3.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 75%
- Reserves
- 1.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 87%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 19
- Highest pay
- $134,287, program director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 38 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 14% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 38% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 32% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1575% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 43 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 83 out of 100. Higher than 29% of charities in its peer group (environment, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $2.7 million spent. SEE SCHEDULE OWWT KEEPS WATER IN STREAM THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON STATE USING A NUMBER OF STRATEGIES. WATER RIGHTS PROGRAM: WE LEASE AND BUY WATER FROM WATER RIGHTS HOLDERS, TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY TO LEAVE INSTREAM, TO IMPROVE AND PROTECT FLOWS, ESPECIALLY DURING PERIODS THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF IMPERILED SALMON AND STEELHEAD. WASHINGTON WATER TRUST ALSO WORKS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS WITH WATER RIGHTS HOLDERS WHO ARE LOOKING FOR A MORE COST-EFFECTIVE WAYS TO USE THEIR WATER. DRAWING FROM AN EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS, CONSERVATION DISTRICTS, IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, LAND TRUSTS, LANDOWNERS, LEGAL EXPERTS, HYDROGEOLOGISTS, STATE AGENCIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS WITH SOVEREIGN TRIBES, WASHINGTON WATER TRUST IS ABLE TO BRING TO THE TABLE BALANCED, MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL IDEAS THAT ARE PROVEN TO WORK.WATER RIGHTS ACQUISITION AND TRANSFERIN WASHINGTON, WATER RIGHTS REPRESENT LEGAL AUTHORITY GRANTED BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT FOR WATER RIGHT HOLDERS TO WITHDRAW SURFACE OR GROUND WATER FOR MULTIPLE USES. WATER RIGHTS IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF WATER WITHDRAWAL, HOW IT MAY BE USED, WHEN IT CAN BE DIVERTED, HOW MUCH CAN BE DIVERTED, AND ITS SENIORITY RELATIVE TO OTHER WATER RIGHT IN THE SAME WATERSHED. IF WATER IS EVER IN SHORT SUPPLY, AN INDIVIDUAL HOLDING A "SENIOR" WATER RIGHT MAY BE THE ONLY ONE ABLE TO DRAW WATER FROM THIS SOURCE. THE RIGHT TO USE WATER MAY BE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE USER TO ANOTHER, AND RIGHTS CAN BE BOUGHT AND SOLD. ACQUISITION IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR STREAMFLOW RESTORATION BECAUSE WATER RIGHTS MAY ALSO BE PURCHASED AND TRANSFERRED TO THE STATE TRUST WATER PROGRAM WHERE THEY CAN BE PROTECTED AGAINST WITHDRAWAL FOR FLOW RESTORATION. WASHINGTON WATER TRUST ENGAGES IN THE PURCHASE, LEASE, AND SALE OF SENIOR WATER RIGHTS IN PRIORITY BASINS AS A STRATEGY TO BENEFIT FLOW AND HABITAT. FOR MORE DETAIL ON WATER RIGHTS AND THE PROCESS OF ACQUISITION AND TRANSFER, SEE WASHINGTON WATER TRUST'S WEBSITE.WATER BANKINGWATER BANKING REPRESENTS A MANAGEMENT TOOL TO PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY TO WATER USERS. MANY REGIONS OF WASHINGTON HAVE POPULATIONS AND ASSOCIATED WATER USES THAT HAVE GROWN TO CAPACITY; THERE THE STATE MAY DETERMINE THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF OFFSETTING MITIGATION, NO NEW WATER RIGHTS CAN BE CREATED BECAUSE RIVERS AND AQUIFERS ARE BECOMING DANGEROUSLY LOW. NEW REQUESTS TO START USING WATER, E.G., TO PROVIDE FOR A NEWLY BUILT HOME, NEED TO MITIGATE FOR THIS USE BY FINDING AN EXISTING WATER RIGHT (OR USE) THAT CAN BE RETIRED. WATER BANKS OR EXCHANGES IN AREAS OF WATER SCARCITY, PROVIDE A MECHANISM TO BUY SENIOR WATER RIGHTS AND SELL THEM TO NEW WATER USERS THAT BOTH HELP PROTECT SURFACE WATER FLOWS IN RIVERS AND STREAMS AND PROVIDE FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. WASHINGTON WATER TRUST OPERATES THE DUNGENESS WATER EXCHANGE IN THE DUNGENESS WATERSHED. FOR MORE DETAIL, SEE WASHINGTON WATER TRUST'S WEBSITE.CONSULTATION: WATER MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES, RECYCLED WATER, AND WATER RIGHTS ASSESSMENTSWATER RIGHTS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES ARE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL, AND CRITICAL TO ECOLOGY AND THE ECONOMY. WASHINGTON WATER TRUST WORKS WITH WATER RIGHT HOLDERS, E.G., PROPERTY OWNERS, FARMERS, IRRIGATION DISTRICTS, AND LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS, TO PROVIDE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR WATER RIGHTS. DEVELOPING WATER MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES, INCLUDING THE USE OF RECYCLED WATER, MEANS WORKING WITH DIVERSE AND OFTEN COMPETING INTERESTS TO FIND SOLUTIONS THAT CAN WORK FOR ALL. SOLUTIONS MAY INCLUDE FINDING EFFICIENCIES IN HOW WATER IS USED, CHANGING WHERE WATER IS SOURCED, FINDING NEW WAYS TO STORE WATER AND CHANGING WHERE WATER IS SOURCED.EMERGENCY DROUGHT INITIATIVESDURING PERIODS OF DROUGHT WHICH ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON, THE IMPACTS ON THE STATE'S RIVERS AND STREAMS CAN BE DEVASTING. TO ADDRESS THESE CONDITIONS, WASHINGTON WATER TRUST ENGAGES IN DROUGHT PROGRAMS THAT KEEP WATER INSTREAM DURING HOT DRY SUMMER MONTHS. FOR EXAMPLE, WASHINGTON WATER TRUST HAS INSTITUTED A DRY YEAR LEASING PROGRAM IN THE DUNGENESS WATERSHED. UNDER THIS PROGRAM, WASHINGTON WATER TRUST NEGOTIATES SHORT TERM LEASES FROM WILLING IRRIGATORS AND AGREEMENTS UNDER WHICH IRRIGATION DISTRICTS JOINTLY AGREE TO STOP DIVERTING WATER DURING CRITICAL LOW FLOW PERIODS. THESE LEASES AND AGREEMENTS RESULT IN LOWER DIVERSIONS AND HIGHER INSTREAM FLOWS THAT BENEFIT THE WATERSHED AND SALMON AND STEELHEAD.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1999.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.