CSRIA Review of Odessa Subarea Gives Decision-Makers Better Understanding of Water Supply Alternatives

RITZVILLE, Wash., Jan. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Responding to requests by local and state officials to bring some clarity to the complex Odessa Subarea groundwater issue, Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association (CSRIA) economists and engineers on Jan. 4th presented a compelling review of two surface water alternatives that could serve the Subarea:

1)  an approach that would require relatively large state-federal investments over time but serve Subareas north and south of 1-90 (about 70,000 acres);

2)  an approach that would be principally paid for by private irrigators, relying on initial state capital funding, and serve large portions of the Subarea above 1-90 (about 75,000 acres).

CSRIA President Ron Reimann told Adams County Commissioners and state water resources managers, "The Review points toward immediate actions we can take today to serve portions of the Subarea lands, while larger-scale investment measures can be pursued over time."

Using well-honed economic tools for water project analyses, the CSRIA economists determined that the more costly north and south of 1-90 alternative will conservatively yield higher benefits than costs, but it will need extensive retrofits to the Columbia Basin Project's East-Low Canal. The private irrigator-State project, north of 1-90, is less capital intensive, could be developed in a short timeframe, and the work on the "north project" would integrate key water delivery components with the future "south project."

Critical to the review conclusions, the CSRIA technical team revealed how use of more efficient on-farm water application methods would allow for more surface water coverage, while not overtaxing the existing water delivery system and future project development actions.

Review economists determined that the "north project" could be developed for less than $4,500 per acre, the private irrigators could repay the up-front capital costs, and the state would secure about $244 million annually in household income from the irrigation project. In combination, the "north-south" projects would generate as much as $440 million annually in household income. Project construction would yield about 1,650 jobs for the State during the 2013-2015 timeframe and push more than $250 million through the local and state economy.

Reimann described the review "as offering decision-makers with a clear picture of how to proceed with Odessa Subarea surface water alternatives. Now local and state leaders must act."

For more information, contact Darryll Olsen of CSRIA at 509-783-1623 or [email protected]. To view the Executive Summary of the review, please go to the following link: https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B-xN73ylnN7jYTM1Y2QyNmUtNDA0YS00NzA1LTk5NDgtODQ3NjJmMzEyZDc0.

About CSRIA (http://www.csria.org)

The Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association has become a leader in promoting water conservation and water efficiency in the Pacific Northwest. CSRIA's membership includes row crop, vineyard, orchard and livestock operations and we irrigate about 250,000 acres of prime agricultural lands in Washington State and primarily consist of operations along the Columbia-Snake River system, relying almost exclusively on private investment to build and operate highly efficient, state-of-the-art river pump stations and water distribution systems. Additionally, many municipalities and port districts are members of CSRIA. In economic terms, CSRIA members annually generate about $475-600 million in state and local income by purchasing goods and services from numerous economic sectors, ranging from paper products and food packaging to financial, legal and marketing services.

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SOURCE Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association