YAKIMA, Wash. – A significant water infrastructure project is set to impact Grant, Adams, and Lincoln counties in central Washington. The Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program has planned the largest irrigation system in the area, receiving nearly $40 million in funding from the recent passing of the state capital budget.
Craig Simpson, Secretary Manager for the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, highlighted the importance of this project. He explained the dual focus on municipal and agricultural needs due to declining aquifer levels. “There’s kind of a municipal and agricultural component to it that both are impacted by the decline in the aquifer,” he said.
The EL-22.1 Water Infrastructure Plan aims to provide surface water to deep-well irrigators and farmers in the Odessa Aquifer Subarea near Moses Lake.
“It’s a huge area. It’s got a number of small communities that are in that area that their sole supply of domestic water is the aquifer,” Simpson added.
Simpson further explained the project’s goal to replace groundwater withdrawals with a surface water supply from the Columbia River.
“We’re replacing a groundwater withdrawal with a surface water supply from the Columbia River as part of the Columbia Basin project’s delivery facilities,” he stated.
Despite the funding, Simpson noted the need for additional resources.
“It’s a great amount of money, but it is not sufficient to build the system. So there’s still a lot tens of millions of dollars that needs to come up to build the system,” he said.
Next Monday, a celebration will take place for a new system completed this year.
