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Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association
Water Policy Issues and Actions for 2023
DATE : January 2023 TO :
WA State Gov . Jay Inslee ; Governor ’ s Office Policy Staff Comm . Hilary Franz , WA State Dept . of Natural Resources WA State Legislators and County Commissioners
SUBJECT : Water Policy and Actions in 2023 , a Turning Point for the Future . ______________________________________________________________________
The year 2023 will not enlist complacency , but prod decision makers and elected officials to answer for water policy / management decisions “ stayed ” from past years and to confront real-time questions that could overwhelm imprudent management . It will be a turning point year for affirming future changes to Columbia-Snake River operations and state water policy .
Lower Snake River ( LSR ) Hydro Project Operations : �
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Gov . Jay Inslee ’ s and Sen . Patty Murray ’ s “ yes , no ” answer to the LSR dam breaching question shall test the patience of an army of dam breaching advocates , consisting of state / federal agency , university , and Tribal fish scientists , along with key environmental group representatives . Court directives shall be reengaged to push forward dam breaching momentum .
Per Sen . Murray ’ s request , the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service ( FMCS ) shall conduct a “ no business as usual ,” review of implementation measures to bring to decision makers and the Court . Through limited , stakeholder consultations , the 4-dam breaching and 2-dam drawdown scenarios shall receive more focused attention .
WA State Water Policy / Law : �
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The past 3-4 years have displayed a remarkable inability of the Water Resources Program ( Ecology ) to implement the most important water policy features to optimize water right use , much less engage in 21 st Century management . Both irrigation and municipal water right holders shall reject the current agency leadership , and leadership structure .
Water right holders , and county Water Conservancy Boards , shall not accept the status quo . New municipal and Columbia River water right legislation shall be advanced .
The need to systemically reform the WRP shall begin ; the Program , with its obsessed legal counsel , is ill-suited to meet the challenges of future water resources management .
Western U . S . Demands on WA Irrigated Agriculture and Water Policy : �
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Climate change impacts in the Western U . S . shall reduce large blocks of irrigated acreage in several regions by 2025 , due to declining surface and groundwater supplies .
The future of the U . S . Irrigated Agriculture Industry resides in the Columbia River Basin Region , and shall depend on effectively optimizing existing water rights to meet growing irrigation , food processing , and community demand . This is a first priority need .
CSRIA , 3030 W . Clearwater , Ste . 205-A , Kennewick , WA 99336 Contact : 509-783-1623 , CSRIA . org , or dolsenecon @ aol . com