17,639 acres getting river water

After a nearly 10-year effort, the Board of Directors of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District adopted a resolution to allocate the first 17,639 acres of new Columbia Basin Project water to replace ground water permits in the declining Odessa Subarea aquifer.

The Board’s resolution designated water for an initial pump station and pipeline system which would serve about 10,000 acres of eligible deep-well irrigated lands south of Interstate 90, utilizing new East Low Canal delivery capacity created as a result of more than $35 million in state and federal investments in Weber Coulee siphons and canal expansion. The Board’s action clears the way for staff to continue working with landowners to finalize design, water-service contracts and construction financing.

The Board also reserved water for about 7,700 acres from new water supplies for deep-well irrigators whose eligible lands may not be served immediately by District delivery systems. This would be similar to acres currently served on the east side of East Low Canal, where farmers take delivery of project water at the East Low Canal and convey it through individual pump systems. The District will use their list of eligible landowners, who have previously requested contracts, to offer this water supply.

The process of providing project water to replace deep wells started in 2005 and required extensive environmental impact review, Endangered Species Act consultation and a new secondary water-right from the Lake Roosevelt storage-right reserved for Project completion.

The Bureau of Reclamation partnered with the Department of Ecology Office of Columbia River to complete the Odessa Subarea Special Study which identified a Preferred Alternative in the Record of Decision that expands East Low Canal capacity and adds a series of pump stations and pipeline systems to deliver water to eligible farms. East District contracts with Reclamation to operate and maintain the project irrigation systems within its service area and will deliver water for implementing the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program.

The 2013 legislature provided funds to start the work on the East Low Canal in the capital budget. Using a $26 million grant from the Office of Columbia River, the East District widened the first 13 miles of the canal during the last construction season and plans to complete the final 31 miles this winter. In addition to excavation to widen the canal, the project also includes five siphon barrels, several county road bridge modifications and radial gate installations.