A Huge, Heartfelt Thank You and Best Wishes to OCR Director Tom Tebb
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OCR Director Tebb (right) with Representative Dent (left) at the May 20, 2024
groundbreaking ceremony for the EL 86.4.
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Tom Tebb, Director of the Department of Ecology’s Office of Columbia River (OCR) has announced his retirement, effective February 28, 2025. Tom has been a steadfast leader and advocate for the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Project (OGWRP) and other critical initiatives. Tom's vision and dedication have left an enduring legacy for communities, agriculture, and the environment in Washington State.
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"It truly has been an honor and privilege to serve as Ecology’s second Director of the Office of Columbia River since its founding in 2006. One of the job’s primary responsibilities is the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Project. I am very proud of the progress we have made together the last ten years in building out the East Low Canal infrastructure, acquiring the necessary replacement water for 87,700 acres and issuance of a secondary water right for OGWRP to serve those acres and seeing Columbia River replacement water irrigate farmland in the Odessa. But there is much more to do, and I am sure my successor and the greater OGWRP community will continue this important work for our State."
- Tom Tebb, Director, Office of Columbia River
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Tom’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping the future of water management in Washington, and his contributions will be felt for generations to come. Please join us in thanking Tom for his service and wishing him the very best in his well-earned retirement.
The new OCR Director has been recruited and will be announced later this week.
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OCR’s OGWRP Budget Starts Strong Going into the 2025 Legislative Session
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State Legislators, ECBID board members and staff, and Office of Columbia River leadership during the Nov. 2023 signing of the OCR-ECBID OGWRP grant for the EL 80.6, 84.7, and 86.4.
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OGWRP partners and landowners are eagerly awaiting the start of the 2025 Legislative session that begins on January 13th. Gratefully, the Governor’s budget for the Department of Ecology’s Office of Columbia River includes $25 million for the OGWRP. OGWRP partners and landowners have already begun working closely with our legislators to try and help ensure this funding level is maintained – if not increased.
We anticipate the House and Senate will release their budgets for the state's operating, capital, and transportation funds in mid-to-late March.
State funding and support for the OGWRP has been tremendous. In 2023, the Washington State Legislature passed a Capital Budget which included a record $32.8 million in appropriations for the OGWRP. OGWRP partners were able to leverage the state’s investments of $46 million from the current and previous bienniums nearly dollar for dollar over the last three years through securing $49.4 million from NRCS for portions of the OGWRP public systems and on-farm buildouts.
Additional information on the state's and other partners' financial contributions for the OGWRP can be found here.
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EL 22.1 Has Reached 100% Design
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On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, IRZ Engineering finalized and submitted the 100% design package for EL 22.1 to the Bureau of Reclamation for approval.
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EL 22.1 (Courtesy of IRZ Engineering)
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ECBID Has Completed the 100% Engineering Designs for the EL 80.6 and EL 84.7 Public Works Portion
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The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) has made significant progress on the engineering designs for EL 80.6 and EL 84.7. The 100% design package for Lateral 80.6 was received on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, and is currently under review by the Bureau of Reclamation. The first round of comments on the 100% designs for EL 84.7 has been completed. The designs will be accepted once all feedback has been addressed.
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Columbia Basin Conservation District
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The CBCD OGWRP team is working with NRCS-WA to finalize RCPP landowner contracts for the EL 86.4 in order for the private, on-farm systems to be constructed this winter and receive surface-water irrigation in Spring 2025.
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CBCD, ECBID, and NRCS-WA are finalizing agreements for the EL 80.6 and 84.7 RCPPs that were awarded in 2023. CBCD will be working with landowners of EL 80.6 and EL 84.7 to prepare and begin construction of the landowner extensions throughout 2025.
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CBCD received feedback from NRCS regarding our 2024 RCPP proposals that were not funded for the EL 11.8 and 22.1. CBCD is working with partners and landowners to prepare for the next RCPP opening - the timing of which is not known.
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East Columbia Basin Irrigation District
The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) Board and staff are working to analyze the projected OGWRP acreage allocation requests and need additional information. The attached form is for landowners and/or representatives who are requesting remaining acreage allocation(s). This information is needed whether you completed a survey in (September/October) or not.
If you are requesting an OGWRP acreage allocation, we ask that you complete this form and return it to the District no later than 5 PM on January 17, 2025. Acreage Allocation Request Forms can be found here.
Completed forms may be emailed to: olinden@ecbid.org or mailed with the associated processing fee to the District at:
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East Columbia Basin Irrigation District
55 N. 8th Avenue
Othello, WA 99344
If you would like a copy of this form mailed to you, please contact olinden@ecbid.org.
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Bureau of Reclamation
- EL 11.8 - IRZ continues to work on 90% designs.
- EL 22.1 - Reclamation currently reviewing 100% design package.
- EL 80.6 - Reclamation currently reviewing 100% design package.
- EL 84.7 - All parties currently working through the 100% design acceptance process.
- EL 86.4 - Construction is still ongoing.
- Radial Gates - Testing occurred on December 10, 2024. Working through the acceptance and transfer process.
- PL-566 - Continued coordination with all partners on technical aspects.
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Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Natural Resources Conservation Service will provide updates on the OGWRP as they become available.
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Department of Ecology - Office of the Columbia River
See the above message from Tom Tebb, Director of the Office of Columbia River regarding his service and retirement.
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Columbia Basin Development League
Federal Snapshot
FY25 Appropriations
On December 20, the U.S. House and Senate passed a second Continuing Resolution through March 14. This extension prevented a government shutdown and allows members of the 119th Congress to vote on committee assignments, leadership positions, and come to an agreement on the appropriations bill. Current appropriations language aims to make the construction of the Adams County bridges over the East Low Canal more competitive in the Bridge Replacement Program, so the outcome of FY 25 appropriations is important to OGWRP.
Farm Bill Extension
The Farm Bill has been extended for a year as part of a legislative package that extended government funding through March 14. In recent years, Farm Bill programs like the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) have been a source of significant funding for the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program (OGWRP).
Preparing for the 2025 State Legislative Session
Budget updates
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) statess that there was between a $12-14 billion state budget shortfall that they will have to make up for as planning commences for the upcoming biennium.
The Governor’s budget for Ecology’s Office of Columbia River over the next Biennium is $55 million, short $2 million from OCR’s request. $25 million is included for the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program.
Legislative Session Dates:
The session will start on January 13, 2025, and will last 105 days with the last day scheduled to be April 27, 2025. CBDL will be in Olympia advocating for OGWRP at the end of January.
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