Washington State Department of Ecology

Ecology home > Water Resources Home > Columbia River Program Home > 2008 Funded Projects


2008 Funding for Columbia River Projects

In 2006, the Legislature established the Columbia River Water Supply Development Account (Account) to fund water storage and conservation projects and studies.  Initially, as a grant program was being developed, Ecology provided continuing funding for projects that had started prior to the Columbia River legislation (such as studies evaluating off-channel storage on the Columbia River Mainstem, studies to supply the Odessa Subarea with surface water). Ecology also committed funding to emerging storage and conservation opportunities, such as a pilot aquifer storage project for the City of Kennewick, pre-appraisal of storage on the Similkameen River (Shanker's Bend) and a study evaluating opportunities for coordinated conservation among the three Columbia Basin Irrigation Districts. The grants will fund a variety of conservation and storage projects, including:

-  Conservation infrastructure (“pumps & pipes”)
-  Surface Storage
-  Aquifer Storage
-  Pump Exchange Projects
-  Feasibility Studies
-  Operations and Maintenance (annually funded)

All projects, large and small, will be given consideration.


2008 Funding Awards

The Department of Ecology is authorizing funding for eighteen water resources projects in the Columbia River Basin in 2008. Totaling $46.4 million, the funding will pay for studies and construction costs for water conservation and storage projects. Recipients were selected from among a large group of applicants. Each proposal was thoroughly investigated by Ecology staff over a period of months. To ensure awards are used efficiently, funding will be allocated in phases. Recipients will be required to meet set milestones before projects will move forward.


Economic & Environmental Benefits

These investments in our water infrastructure have the potential to provide the following benefits:

  • Construction projects could result in as much as 7,435 acre-feet (ac-ft) of additional water to enhance instream flows for fish and 1,449 ac-ft for out-of-stream uses like irrigation.

  • The feasibility studies being funded could yield millions of acre-feet of water for both instream and out of stream uses if constructed.

  • The $46.4 million in funding is expected to generate near term economic activity valued at $87 million.

  • The longer term value of permanent water may have a value of as much as $2.8 billion.
 

Grant Application Process

In October 2007, Ecology began accepting pre-applications for its first annual Columbia River Basin Water Management Grant Program. Those pre-applications that met the eligibility criteria were invited to submit a more detailed application in March 2008. After being reviewed by the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) and Policy Advisory Group (PAG) the selected projects will be submitted to the Governor and Legislature for funding.

 

Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.

Access Washington, Official State Government Web site Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology
Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Site Info 		Information for Ecology staff