Washington Water Needs:
A Focus on Regional Impacts
Columbia Basin Project
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Since 1964
Nonprofit
Support development of Columbia Basin Project
Protect water rights
Promote benefits of Project
Who, What, Why?
• United States Bureau of Reclamation project
• Conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use of
habitation or cultivation
• 1933
• President Roosevelt Decision: Funds Appropriated
• Build Grand Coulee Dam
• 1935, 1943
• Authorized by Congress
• Renamed, reauthorized
Columbia Basin
Project: WHAT?
Grand Coulee Dam
Construction
• Conversion of wasteland into land suitable for use
of habitation or cultivation
• Multi-Purpose Benefits
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Power
Flood Control
Municipal & Industrial Uses
Irrigation
Fish/Wildlife
Recreation
Columbia Basin
Project: WHY?
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Power
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Flood Control
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Central Washington agriculture
Recreation
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Moses Lake, Othello, Warden, Bruce, Pasco, Connell, Quincy, Ephrata
Irrigation
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Portland, OR
Municipal & Industrial Uses
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Pacific Northwest, Canada
Lake Roosevelt, Banks Lake, Moses Lake, Potholes Reservoir
Fish/Wildlife
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Habitat
Columbia Basin
Project: BENEFITS
• Largest hydroelectric facility in US
• $950 million: Power generated annually
• 1,029,000 acres
• Roughly 2x size of Delaware!!
• $1.5 Billion: Irrigated crop production value
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3 million recreational visits annually
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$50 million
Over 140 lakes, ponds, reservoirs
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Compared to 35 lakes before development
Columbia Basin
Project: IMPACT
Columbia Basin
Project: IRRIGATION
12 pumps lift water from
Lake Roosevelt to Banks
Lake for irrigation
storage
Main Canal downstream of Pinto Dam
• 1,029,000 authorized acres
• Grant, Adams, Franklin,
Lincoln, Douglas counties
• 671,000 irrigated = 65%
• 3 Irrigation districts
• 300 miles: main canals
• 2,000 miles: laterals
• 3,500 miles: drains/wasteways
• 2% of Columbia River flow
CBP Irrigation: STATS
Water = Crop Diversity = $1.5 Billion
Peas (seed)
Alfalfa
Wheat
Sweet Corn (Fresh)
Corn (feed)
Spearmint
Apples (fresh)
Peaches
Apples (processed)
Beans (seed)
Potatoes-(late and early) Carrots
Hay (Other)
Nursery
Timothy Hay
Carrots (seed)
Beans-Dry
Buckwheat
Sweet Corn (Processed) Onion (seed)
Pasture
Radish (seed)
Grapes (wine)
Triticale
Grapes (juice)
Mustard Seed
Peas (green)
Pears
Grass (seed)
Watermelon
Corn- (seed)
Coriander (seed)
Silage
Nectarines
Asparagus
Oats
Alfalfa (seed)
Sod
Cherries (fresh)
Sunflowers (seed)
Cherries (processed)
Sugar beet seed
Onions –Dry
Squash
Peppermint
Sugar beets
Beans (Processing)
Cantaloupe
Barley
Apricots
Sudan grass
Clover-seed
Berries
Pumpkins
Prunes
Collard (seed)
Turnip (seed)
Dill (seed)
Flower Seed
Sugar Snap Peas
Sunflowers
Ginseng
Artichokes
Flowers
Asparagus Root
Fruit tree stock
Sorghum
Pumpkin (seed)
Plums
Oat Hay
Canola (seed)
Garbanzo Beans
(Chickpeas)
Lima Beans
Onions (green)
Sweet Corn (seed)
Parsley (seed)
Primrose Oil
Kale (seed)
Soy Beans
Walnuts
Tomatoes
Hay (new seeding)
Kohlrabi (seed)
Barley (seed)
Echinacea
Cat nip
Beans (fresh)
Canola
Leek (seed)
Cantaloupe
Kale, Endive
Herbs - Fever Few,
Burdock
Cabbage (seed)
Per Acre--Irrigated
Per Acre--Dry Land
• Adams County: $1,559
• Adams County: $223
• Franklin County: $1,750 • Franklin County: $300
• Grant County: $900
• Grant County: $204
CBP Irrigated Ag:
PROPERTY TAX VALUE
• 1,029,000 authorized acres
• 65% developed—irrigated
• Intended to be phased project
• 70+ years
• All principal features completed except
• East Low and East High canals
• Authorities: US Bureau of Reclamation, Washington
State Department of Ecology, Irrigation Districts
Columbia Basin Project:
DEVELOPMENT
• In 1960s and 70s Ecology grants permits to dig
wells
• Water source: Odessa Aquifer
• Not recharging
• Threat: Water users will run out of water!
Columbia Basin Project:
CRISIS LOOMING
• Decrease use of groundwater!
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Infrastructure upgrades
Lake Roosevelt storage releases
Coordinated Conservation Plan
Odessa Subarea Special Study
Columbia Basin Project:
AVERTING CRISIS
Odessa
Subarea
Special
Study
Area
within
CBP
• Ecology and Reclamation partner
• Replace groundwater with surface water
• Additional water supplies
• Expanded water transport systems
• Final Environmental Impact Statement released in
2012
• Record of Decision signed in 2013
Odessa Subarea Special
Study
• Replace 70,000 acres now irrigated by well water
• Criteria for eligibility:
• Hold a ground water permit/cert. within Odessa
Subarea
• Land must be within current CBP boundary
• Land must be suitable for irrigation
• Landowner must be able to enter into a contract with
irrigation district
Odessa Subarea Special
Study: Action
•Who are involved with OGWRP?
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East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID)
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United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
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Contract with District to provide water
Operate certain delivery system infrastructure
Department of Ecology (DOE)
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Contract with Landowners
Design, build, operate & maintain delivery systems
Administer ground water law, issue Secondary Use permit
Funding for studies and infrastructure
Odessa Ground Water Irrigation Landowners
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Choose to accept surface water supply from CBP
•How to deliver OGWRP Water?
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Optimize existing East Low Canal infrastructure
• Earthwork, siphons, bridges, wasteways and gates
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Design pumping stations on ELC and pipeline systems
to deep well farmlands
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Enter into Contracts
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Financing Construction
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Build Systems / Deliver Water
Next Steps
Thank you!
Questions?