Publication Summary

The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) was directed through the Columbia River Water Management Act (Engrossed Substitute House Bill (ESSHB) 2860) to aggressively pursue the development of water supplies to benefit both instream and out-of-stream uses. Ecology is currently in the process of developing a Columbia River Water Management Program (Management Program) to facilitate implementation of the legislation. The Management Program includes administration of the Columbia River Basin Water Supply Development Account which the legislation created to fund storage, conservation, and other projects to provide new water supplies for the Columbia River Basin. The legislation also authorizes Ecology to enter into Voluntary Regional Agreements (VRAs) to provide new water for out-of-stream use, streamline the application process, and protect instream flows. This Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is part of the development process for the Management Program. The EIS evaluates the potential impacts of the major components of the Management Program. It also evaluates potential impacts of early actions that will be implemented under the Management Program—additional drawdown of Lake Roosevelt to supply a variety of water uses in the project area, a supplemental feed route to Potholes Reservoir, and the VRA submitted by the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association.