ECBID BOARD AND STAFF ALONG WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, PARTNERS, AND LANDOWNERS MEET TO CELEBRATE COMPLETION OF EL 86.4 IRRIGATION SYSTEM

East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) board and staff, elected officials, landowners, and partners met on May 5, 2025 to celebrate the completion of EL 86.4 irrigation system. The new system allows for access of 5,426 acres of water from deep well irrigation to be converted to Columbia River surface water and the implementation of the system has also eliminated the need for the usage of sixteen wells. Annually, this will conserve approximately 5.3 billion gallons, 16,143 acre feet, of water in the Odessa Subarea Aquifer. It is the second system installed in the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP) and was paid for through $32.8 million in appropriations funding included in the 2023 Capital Budget by the Washington State Legislature. The appropriations funding was allocated for the design and construction of eligible delivery systems within OGWRP to provide irrigation to defined acres within the Odessa Subarea Special Study. Construction started in May of 2024 and the system’s first deliveries were made on April 1, 2025.