The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) has begun to deliver water on the EL 86.4 system, the second irrigation system completed for the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP). The first system, the EL 47.5, was completed in 2021.
The EL 86.4 has converted 5,426 acres from deep well irrigation to Columbia River surface water. This shift has eliminated the use of 16 wells; effectively conserving 16,143 acre-feet (5.3 billion gallons) of water annually in the Odessa Subarea Aquifer.
Construction on the system began in May 2024 and the first deliveries were made on April 1, 2025. The project is a result of funding included in the 2023 Capital Budget by the Washington State Legislature. The $32.8M in appropriations was allocated to assist in the design and construction of eligible delivery systems in the OGWRP to provide irrigation water to the acreage located within the Odessa Subarea Special Study. Of the eligible systems included in the funding package, the EL 86.4 system is the first to begin construction and will reduce the current normalized cost to landowners.
The state’s investments in the EL 86.4 system were leveraged to secure an additional $6M from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for construction of the on-farm infrastructure needed to connect to the public system.
The District hosted a celebratory groundbreaking ceremony last May, which was attended by landowners, key partners, elected officials, ECBID Directors and staff. During that event, Washington State Representative Tom Dent remarked: “This is a significant milestone for this region, our landowners, and our food system.”
“Completion of the EL 86.4 has been a major focus for the District for years, as well as many partners, elected officials, and landowners. It marks a tremendous step forward for the OGWRP and our region and we are pleased to celebrate this system coming online,” explained ECBID Secretary-Manager Craig Simpson.
The ECBID will host a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 5 from 1:00-2:30 pm for invited guests, partners, elected officials, landowners, and ECBID staff.
OGWRP is a regional effort to implement the Odessa Subarea Special Study FEIS (2012), which is building the necessary infrastructure for farmers to exchange valid, state-issued Odessa groundwater rights for Columbia Basin Project water. Since 2004, the State of Washington has invested more than $126 million, and the Bureau of Reclamation more than $45 million, in the development and early implementation of the OGWRP. The ECBID has also sold $16.8 million of landowner-funded municipal bonds to fund the construction of OGWRP delivery facilities and NRCS has committed $49.4 million in the OGWRP since 2022. The current OGWRP Watershed Planning Project is building on these significant contributions.
