The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) Board of Directors past and present received the Perseverance Award at the annual Columbia Basin Development League (CBDL) conference on November 13, 2025.
The ECBID Board of Directors was selected specifically for their unwavering perseverance of the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP). The OGWRP is a regional effort that is building the necessary infrastructure for farmers to exchange valid state-issued Odessa groundwater rights for promised Columbia Basin Project water. This effort, first conceived over 75 years ago, will allow these fertile lands to continue to produce food that feeds families around the corner, and around the world.
President Duaine Anderson accepted the award on behalf of the current Board members, as well as those who have previously served. In his acceptance speech he thanked the ECBID staff for “their continuous efforts to deliver reliable irrigation water to landowners at a sustainable cost.” The District has completed two OGWRP delivery systems and currently has an additional two systems under construction.
Jon Erickson, President of the League introduced the award with these remarks: Established in 2012 due to what the League saw at the time as a repeating need for perseverance in the face of the complexities of the Columbia Basin Project, perseverance is the ability to carry on until you complete the task regardless of how hard it may seem. Recipients of the Perseverance Award demonstrate the ability to fight on no matter the odds, and League membership is not required to be a recipient.
The ECBID Board of Directors is comprised of 5 individuals from 5 different districts within its boundary. These individuals are tasked with the development and oversight of the District’s policy making. This may sound like an easy job, but these individuals, some of whom have sat in their position for many years, are faced with challenges and have to make hard decisions regarding their constituents and the District as a whole. Decisions that may not always align with their own personal interests, decisions that may not be popular amongst the crowd, decisions that might spark lengthy discussions or multiple meetings as well as just those plain ‘ol day to day decisions, like approving the minutes. These folks have demonstrated a commitment to the District, to the Columbia Basin Project and to their constituents and they have shown up through pandemics, inclement weather, during peak farming season, etc. It is a real pleasure to recognize these individualize with this award, it is well deserved.
