The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) has announced a potential minor delay in the filling of the East Low Canal.

The East Low Canal was initially scheduled to start filling March 20 with deliveries available starting March 25, 2024. Earlier this week, the Bureau of Reclamation performed routine seepage monitoring along the Main Canal below Pinto Dam and identified a location with higher- than-normal rates of flow. This situation has prompted the Bureau of Reclamation to dewater the Main Canal prior to irrigation startup to better understand the source of the seepage water and develop a plan to address it. This effort has caused a delay in the filling of the canal.

“The dewatering by the Bureau of Reclamation has caused an unexpected delay in season start dates for the three irrigation districts within the Columbia Basin Project. ECBID will provide employees to assist in the remediation effort so that we can deliver water to landowners as quickly as possible,” explained ECBID Secretary-Manager Craig Simpson.

ECBID leadership will release a status update on Monday, March 18.

Located in central Washington State, the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District is the largest district in the state, with authorization to irrigate 472,000 acres. Currently, 169,000 acres are developed and managed by 4,500 landowners within the federal Columbia Basin Project. Additionally, the District is involved in the development of 87,000 acres associated with OGWRP. The District provides a reliable supply of water that irrigates the cropland that produces food shipped domestically and internationally.