In 2006, the Legislature tasked the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) to aggressively seek out new water supplies for both instream and out-of-stream uses. The same legislation set up the Columbia River Basin Development Account and authorized $200 million to fund it. Ecology created the Office of Columbia River (OCR) to use these funds to develop new water supplies using storage, conservation, and voluntary regional water management agreements.

The Columbia River Policy Advisory Group assists OCR with policy development. It is composed of representatives from federal, state, local, and tribal governments, business and environmental groups, and water users.

Statutory Directives

The legislature tasked OCR with six directives (Chapter 90.90 RCW):

• Find sources of water supply for pending water right applications. (RCW 90.90.020(3)(b)).
• Develop water sources for new municipal, domestic, industrial, and irrigation water needs within the Columbia River Basin (RCW 90.90.020(3)(d))
• Issue supply and demand reports. (RCW 90.90.040(3)).
• Secure alternatives to groundwater for agricultural users in the Odessa subarea aquifer. (RCW 90.90.020(3)(a)).
• Find a new uninterruptible supply of water for the holders of interruptible water rights on the Columbia river mainstem. (RCW 90.90.020(3)(c)).
• Develop water supplies for instream as well as out-of-stream uses.” (RCW 90.90.020(1)(a)(ii)).

Accomplishments

As of November 15, 2010, OCR has funded construction projects that are adding approximately 147,000 ac-ft of water to Eastern Washington’s water supply. Another 292,000 ac-ft of water will be made available in the near term. More water is under long-term development tied to future demand projections. OCR issued several water rights in 2010 for both instream and out-of-stream benefit, and will launch a larger permitting effort in 2011.

More Information

• OCR at a Glance
• OCR Newsletter: "Jobs, Food, and Fish"
• Vision, Mission, Goals and Objectives (pdf)
• Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
• Projects and Funding
• News Releases
• Columbia River Mainstem Water Resources Information System
• E-mail Lists - Sign up for:
  • OCR E-mail list to receive and updates from the Office of Columbia River
  • Yakima Basin Plan E-mail list to get the latest info about the Yakima Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
• Contacts

Statute, Rule, and History

• Chapter 90.90 RCW Columbia River Basin Water Supply
• WAC 173-563 Instream resources protection program for the main stem Columbia river in Washington state
• Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 2860
• Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 6874
• Second Substitute House Bill 1803 (Pump Exchanges, Cost Recovery)
• 2002-05 Columbia River Initiative Archive

Additional Resources

• National Academies of Science Report on Managing the Columbia River
• Water Supply Project Overview 2008
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Reports & Documents
• 2008 FCRPS BiOp
• Columbia River Photos (Bonneville Power Administration)

Columbia River near McNary Dam 2009 (photo by Wendy Valdez)