Waning water source subject of meetings
GRANT COUNTY - Two government agencies are holding joint meetings in Coulee Dam on Wednesday and in Moses Lake on Thursday to detail options about replacing the area's waning groundwater with surface water.
The problem stems from the declining underground water source, or aquifer, in the Odessa subarea. The subarea includes Grant, Adams, Franklin, Lincoln and Walla Walla counties.
"The ability of farmers to irrigate their crops is at risk," according to a meeting notice. "Well-drilling costs and pumping water from this depth have resulted in expensive power costs and water quality concerns such as high water temperatures and high sodium concentrations."
Alternatives to be presented at the meeting involve completing the unfinished Columbia Basin Irrigation Project.
Construction likely won't happen immediately, as an alternative hasn't been chosen, Activity Manager with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Ellen Berggren verified. Congressional funding can't be requested until then, she added.
Berggren said the bureau and the state Department of Ecology are starting the process to develop an Environmental Impact Statement.
One proposed alternative to be discussed is extending the East Low Canal south of Interstate 90 and building a new East High canal system north of I-90. The estimated cost is between $1.9 billion and $4.4 billion.
Another option is extending the current East Low Canal south of I-90 for an estimated cost of between $380 million and $2.3 billion.
Another listed option is to do nothing, which costs nothing.
She said the agencies want people to attend the meetings to ensure the scoping process is done properly.
A regional economic impact study done by Washington State University shows about $630 million in regional sales, 3,600 jobs and $211 million in regional income would be lost if potato processing production was stopped in the region.
The Wednesday meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Town of Coulee Dam's Town Hall, 300 Lincoln Ave., Coulee Dam.
Thursday's meeting is from 7 to 9 p.m. at Big Bend Community College's Advanced Technologies Education Center, 7611 Boilling St. N.E., Moses Lake.
Written comments can be submitted through Sept. 19 to be included in the scoping summary document.
The mailing address for written comments is: Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regional Office, Attn: Ellen Berggren, activity manager, 1150 N. Curtis Rd., Suite 100, Boise, ID 83706.
E-mailed comments can be sent to StudyManager@pn.usbr.gov.