Ecology and Bureau of Reclamation ink agreement on water for Odessa subarea
Washington Ag Today August 3, 2011 With the impressive Weber Siphon construction project as a backdrop, Gov. Chris Gregoire yesterday celebrated regional partnerships and major milestones that are delivering water to the parched Odessa Subarea and communities up and down the river, while supporting stream flows for fish in the Columbia River. Gregoire: “It is an approach with new resources that will support an estimated 35-thousand new jobs and three billion dollars added to the state economy. Let me repeat that. Thirty-five thousand jobs and three billion dollars added to the state‘s economy in a time when we desperately need it. And we will provide the new water supplies to the Odessa area protecting nearly 800 jobs and 53-million dollars in income.” Through the new siphon, the Lake Roosevelt release program will deliver the first increment of new water to replace declining underground water to farmers in the Odessa area. It will be enough water for ten-thousand acres. Ecology and Reclamation are seeking additional water sources to provide more replacement water in the future. 
Joining the governor were U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Regional Director Karl Wirkus, state Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant, state Agriculture Director Dan Newhouse, regional irrigators, and state and local elected officials.
I’m Bob Hoff and that’s Washington Ag Today on Northwest Aginfo Net.
