Drought Areas data description: This data layer is derived from copying the designated WRIAs. WRIAs data description: Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIA) for Washington State at 1:24,000 scale. WRIAs were formalized under WAC 173-500-040 and authorized under the Water Resources Act of 1971, RCW 90.54. Ecology was given the responsibility for the development and management of these administrative and planning boundaries. These boundaries represent the administrative under pinning of this agency's business activities. The original WRIA boundary agreements and judgments were reached jointly by Washington's natural resource agencies (Ecology, Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife) in 1970.