As the Columbia Basin Project (CBP) is the largest Reclamation project in the nation, full development of the authorized 1,029,000 acres was intended to be phased and take multiple decades. Decades since ground breaking on the CBP, it is often asked what it would take...
Tell us about yourself! My name is Jon Erickson, and I am the Development Coordinator of the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District (ECBID) where I have worked since 2019. I grew up in Warden and lived in the Columbia Basin until I left for Alaska in...
The Columbia Basin Sustainable Water Coalition, a group of water purveyors and other municipal and small community water systems stakeholders, was formed in 2018 to address domestic Columbia Basin groundwater supply issues and create locally-driven recommendations that influence water delivery methods and policy for long-term...
In 2021, the League was awarded a Simplot Foundation grant to increase stakeholder engagement by promoting understanding of and generating support for the Columbia Basin Project. The award represented a significant milestone in a continued journey responding to outcomes of a 2019 stakeholder survey. In 2019,...
The Columbia River Policy Advisory Group (CBPAG) at their June 2nd meeting received a presentation on the 2023-2025 Capital Budget Development from Melissa Downs, Office of Columbia River Financial and Projects Section Manager. The development of the biennial Capital Budget, which is the primary source...
The League’s March trip to Washington D.C. along with quarter one and quarter two developments in the political arena set the stage for a number of advocacy opportunities leveraged in recent months. First, an annual appropriations request was submitted. But, for FY23, strategic collaboration with...
The Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program (OGWRP) is an aquifer rescue mission that ultimately benefits the residents of multiple communities at risk of losing their livelihood to a declining aquifer. In March 2022, $765,000 in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act was secured via...
A small delegation led by the League returned to Washington DC on March 24th and 25th, after a two-year COVID-induced break. A return to a pre-COVID meeting regime made it possible to schedule in-person meetings in Congressional and Executive Branch offices to communicate League priorities. The...
The Columbia Basin Development League announced that Sara Higgins has been promoted to Executive Director. Vicky Scharlau, who served as Executive Director will continue in an advisory role. Higgins, who has served as Assistant Director since 2011 has 20 years of experience in nonprofit management...
By: Roger Sonnichsen, Secretary-Manager, Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District As the West Canal started to fill on March 16th, Quincy-Columbia Basin Irrigation District began gearing up for the 2022 irrigation season. Given current job climate where the market is highly competitive, resulting in staffing changes along with...