Ecology is directed to aggressively pursue development of water supplies to benefit both instream and out-of-stream water uses through implementation of the Columbia River Basin Water Management Program.

Newly reorganized as the Office of Columbia River, this program will implement this legislation through storage, conservation and voluntary regional water management agreements.

OVERVIEW: Learn more about why the Columbia River Program was established and what we are working to achieve.
 

PROJECT FUNDING: Ecology runs an annual grant program for the Columbia River Basin Water Management Program.

LAKE ROOSEVELT INCREMENTAL STORAGE RELEASES: 132,500 acre-feet of water available to supply water to the Odessa, for municipalities, drought and improved fisheries.  Trust Water Applications

INSTREAM BENEFITS: Low stream flows threaten salmon and steelhead populations. Ecology is working to secure more water for fish survival.
 

ODESSA STUDY: Ecology is partnering with the Bureau of Reclamation to study how farms currently served by a declining groundwater aquifer can be supplied with water from the Columbia River.

ECOLOGY/CSRIA VRA:   Ecology and the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association (CSRIA) have signed a Voluntary Regional Agreement (VRA). 

COLUMBIA RIVER POLICY ADVISORY GROUP: The Columbia River Policy Advisory Group (PAG) helps Ecology identify and evaluate policy issues.

POTHOLES SUPPLEMENTAL FEED ROUTE: Ecology and the Bureau of Reclamation are working together to move additional water to Potholes Reservoir.

YAKIMA RIVER BASIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: OCR, the US Bureau of Reclamation, other federal and state agencies, tribes, local governments, environmental organizations, and water users are working together to address water supply issues in the Yakima River Basin

STORAGE OPTIONS:   Learn more about the  June 2007 evaluation of  storage opportunities in the Columbia River Basin.