Securing Odessa replacement water
Workers inspect Lind Coulee Siphon, one of six new siphons needed to convey surface water to the Odessa Subarea.
One of our top priorities is to find alternatives to groundwater for agricultural users in the Odessa subarea aquifer, where the aquifer is steadily declining. Partnering with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, we have secured enough water to allow 90,000 acres of land to be switched from deep water wells to Columbia Basin project surface water. This project is outlined in the Bureau of Reclamation's Odessa subarea special study final environmental impact statement.
Delivering Odessa water
A number of infrastructure improvements are helping us deliver water to the Odessa subarea. In 2012, the Weber Siphon Project made it possible to move water from Lake Roosevelt to farms south of Interstate 90. Ecology, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District completed work in 2015 to widen the East Low Canal and install a new siphon and gate at Lind Coulee. The irrigation districts are building the infrastructure to deliver irrigation water to farmers now relying on groundwater wells.
According to a Washington State University regional economic impact study, the economic and environmental benefits of this work include:
- Preserving $630 million annually in regional potato production, processing, and sales.
- Protecting 3,600 jobs and $211 million in regional income.
- Reducing long-term and irretrievable impacts to the declining Odessa subarea aquifer.
Learn more about our Odessa groundwater replacement program.
Lake Roosevelt water for cities, farmers, & fish
Drip irrigation at a vineyard
We are focusing on projects that deliver water already stored behind Grand Coulee Dam in Lake Roosevelt based on a 132,500 acre feet storage right from 1938. This readily available water is supplying a portion of the replacement water (30,000 acre feet) for farmers drawing on the declining Odessa subarea aquifer. Also, new water (25,000 acre feet) is being made available for cities and industries with pending applications. At the same time, one-third of the total water supply is released (27,500 acre feet) for Columbia River flow enhancement. In times of drought, an additional 33,000 acre feet of stored water will be released so irrigation water rights won't be interrupted, along with 17,000 additional acre feet to help fish.
The economic and environmental benefits include:
- New water users pay a fee of $35 per acre foot of water per year to reimburse the taxpayer investment in the project.
- At full build-out, the project is estimated to add 35,000 jobs and $3 billion in economic value.
- Helping fish by adding 27,500 acre feet to Columbia River flows every year. In drought years, 17,000 additional acre feet will be added for flows.
Learn more about Lake Roosevelt water rights.
Sullivan Lake water for rural northern counties
Sullivan Lake in Pend Oreille County
A water right once used to generate power by the Pend Oreille Public Utility District for the City of Seattle is making 14,000 acre feet available from Lake Sullivan for water rights to rural communities in six Northeast Washington counties where water supply opportunities are scarce. Two-thirds of the water released will offset new wells or diversions for farms, cities, and towns in Douglas, Ferry, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, and Stevens counties, with the remainder released to enhance streams.
The economic and environmental benefits include:
- New water users pay $60 per acre foot of water for 25 years to offset water costs.
- Up to $1.4 billion total in new tax base at full allocation.
- 4,667 acre feet of water will enhance streamflows for fish.
Learn more about Lake Sullivan water rights.