Bureau looking at less water for Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is expected to reduce the amount of water it runs through Moses Lake to Potholes Reservoir this year, according to Chris Overland, the general manager of the Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District.

Overland said that last year, the bureau ran 113,120 acre feet of water through Moses Lake into Potholes, more than in 2018 or 2017, but significantly less than in prior years.

The Bureau of Reclamation manages Moses Lake as part of the overall Columbia Basin Project, and uses the lake to funnel water to Potholes Reservoir, which then goes to the irrigation system of the South Columbia Basin Irrigation district.

According to Overland, the bureau is reducing the amount of water it will run through Moses Lake because the level of water in Potholes Reservoir is high. The Bureau of Reclamation is expected to start diverting river water to the East High Canal, which feeds the eastern regions of the Columbia Basin Project and provides water for Moses Lake, on March 19.

In addition to irrigation, Columbia River water has been used to dilute the phosphorus levels in parts of Moses Lake. Dissolved phosphorus is the leading nutrient responsible for the blue-green algae blooms in the lake over the last two summers.

— Charles H. Featherstone