A map and graphic from the Columbia Basin Development League website showing the cities, canals and coverage areas of the Columbia Basin Project. The red highlights portion shows the Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District, the purple highlights the South Columbia Basin Irrigation District and the yellow section is the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District, including the Odessa Subarea.
File graphic
July 3, 2024
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Columbia Basin Project making headway through Odessa Groundwater program
CASHMERE — The Columbia Basin Project is making gradual progress toward completion with particularly significant accomplishments for the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program in the last six months or so, according to Columbia Basin Development League Executive Director Sara Higgins. “When we’re dealing with a project of this size, advancement is kind of like watching paint dry, but yes, there have been (developments),” she said. “There are a lot of exciting things happening right now.” There are more than 300 miles of main canals, about 2,000 miles of lateral canals and 3,500 miles of drains and wasteways in the irrigation project, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation website. The CBDL advocates for the operation of those waterways and for the project to continue “build-out.”