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Department of Ecology News Release - September 10, 2007
07-256
YAKIMA - The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) is making up to $4.3 million available this year for several water projects on the Columbia River.
In addition, the agency is seeking proposals from cities, irrigation companies, watershed groups and others for both large and small water-savings projects to fund during the next two years.
Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Legislature have authorized $200 million for developing new water supplies on the Columbia River in support of both economic and environmental values. The funds are a part of the state's landmark Columbia River legislation passed in 2006.
"We are moving forward with projects that are efficient and versatile - producing water for new, out-of-stream uses, while at the same time enhancing fish recovery, protecting stream flows, and the natural environment," said Jay Manning, Ecology director.
Projects Ecology is proposing to fund this year include:
Odessa Special Study - up to $1.5 million in funds from the Columbia River account has been earmarked to find efficient ways to deliver surface water to irrigators whose wells are drying up in the Odessa Subarea. Decades of groundwater pumping has led to the decline in the water table.
Potholes Supplemental Feed Route - Up to $1.5 million will be available to provide more efficient delivery of water to the Potholes Reservoir and in turn to South Columbia Basin Irrigation Districts. The feed route may also provide additional capacity to deliver water to the Odessa Subarea groundwater irrigators in the future and to support fish and wildlife enhancements.
Kennewick Aquifer Storage and Recovery Pilot - The city of Kennewick has proposed taking water from the Columbia River in the winter and store it underground in natural aquifers, thereby reducing withdrawals from the river in the summer. The pilot will help the state and municipalities learn more about aquifer storage and recovery projects, and establish protocols for implementing projects in the future. Up to $1 million has been set aside to assist with the study.
Similkameen Appraisal Study - The Okanogan Public Utility District is proposing to develop a storage facility at Shankers Bend on the Similkameen River. Up to $300,000 has been set aside to study whether a storage facility might be suitable for the site, located upstream from Enloe Dam.
Columbia Basin Project Conservation Alternatives - Some $30,000 is available to Columbia Basin irrigation districts to study conservation improvements that would support the Odessa Subarea.
Looking ahead, the agency is establishing criteria for a grant program designed to support water conservation projects throughout the Columbia Basin. Applications for water conservation and storage projects will be accepted and processed beginning in the fall with a pre-application period starting Oct. 1, 2007. Based on these applications, Ecology will recommend projects in the fall of 2008 for 2009 funding.
Water acquired from the projects will allow the department to issue new water permits and set aside water to enhance stream flows. Interested watersheds, irrigation districts, cities and other entities are encouraged to contact Al Josephy at (360) 407-6456.
More information on the Columbia River program is available online at www.ecy.wa.gov, click on the Managing Our Water icon.
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Media contact: Joye Redfield-Wilder, public information manager, (509) 575-2610
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
