Latest news with #ColumbiaBasinProject
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lake water improvement may not affect housing
May 9—MOSES LAKE — Owners of homes along the shore of Moses Lake may see an improvement in the view from their docks after treatment the water received last summer. "Last summer, the lake saw a major breakthrough in water quality and for the first time in recent memory: the Rocky Ford Arm made it through the entire recreational season without a single harmful algae bloom advisory," representatives of the water treatment company SePRO wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. The improvement was as a result of a treatment SePRO did to reduce the phosphorus in the water that feeds blue-green algae, said Ryan Van Goethem, a limnologist with SePR and the lead for the Moses Lake project. The treatment reduced the growth of algae in the project area within a couple of weeks by about 30%, he said. "The goal of this project is to reduce how much phosphorus is in the lake," Van Goethem said. "We did a treatment to the lake sediments in the upper part of the lake called Rocky Ford Arm. We treated about 2000 acres of the sediment to prevent phosphorus release from the sediment in the lake during the summer." Anybody who's lived in Moses Lake for any amount of time has discovered that our lake is a little different from mountain lakes like Chelan or Coeur d'Alene. Our lake is susceptible to blue-green algae, which both discolors the lake and can cause health problems for people and animals. That can affect the waterfront homes with yards sloping down into the lake. "I would have to think that if we had Lake Chelan water quality, we'd have much higher waterfront pricing," said Moses Lake real estate agent Alan Heroux. "Moses Lake is what it is; it's never been a clear body of water." Nonetheless, waterfront property is some of the most desirable, and thus highest-priced, land on the market, he said. "Average pricing for waterfronts is in the $800,000 range for active listings right now," he said. "So waterfront is by far most expensive property." Moses Lake, being part pf the Columbia Basin Project, is diluted somewhat by irrigation water coming in from Crab Creek to the east, Van Goethem said. The northwestern part of the lake is fed by Rocky Ford Creek and while there's some mixing with the irrigation water, it tends not to be flushed out as thoroughly. "What we found was, with the water that came into the lake last year, if we weren't doing this project and there was no treatment, the algae levels would have been twice as high," Van Goethem said. While the improvement in quality may make the water safer, Heroux said the draw of Moses Lake isn't based on its natural beauty so much as that it's a part of the community. "Moses Lake is what it is," he said. "If you can clean it up, that'd be cool, but we're not going to change what we locals do with the lake. We're still going to recreate. We're still going to play on it. We still love to live on it." That means lots on the lake aren't going to be driven up by people moving to the area specifically for the lake and pricing out local residents, he added. "A local market has to depend on the local people to be able to afford homes in that market," Heroux said. "It's when forces from outside come in and artificially drive up the market that things get crazy."
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ECBID's Bischoff promoted to deputy assistant manager of operations and maintenance
Mar. 27—OTHELLO — The East Columbia Basin Irrigation District has announced the promotion of Bobby Bischoff to deputy assistant manager of operations and maintenance. A veteran of the ECBID with 15 years of service, Bischoff previously held the role of special projects administrator. "I'm grateful for this opportunity and excited to take on a new role that supports the district and its landowners," Bischoff said. "I've learned a lot in my time at ECBID, and I look forward to continuing my learning and serving in an expanded capacity." Born in Moses Lake and a graduate of Big Bend Community College, Bischoff began his journey with the ECBID as a temporary canal maintenance worker shortly after graduating high school. Over the years, he steadily ascended through the ranks, taking on roles such as ditch rider, relief rider and eventually transitioning to Othello as an assistant watermaster. His commitment and work ethic earned him the position of Othello watermaster before he ultimately served as special projects administrator, according to a statement from the district. The new role, deputy assistant manager of operations and maintenance, has been established to allow for increased leadership within the ECBID's operational team. In his new position, Bischoff aims to manage various projects while closely collaborating with John McCourtie, the veteran operations and maintenance assistant manager. Craig Simpson, the district secretary-manager, praised Bischoff's promotion as beneficial for both the ECBID and its stakeholders in a statement "Bobby has shown tremendous initiative and thoughtfulness, bringing a strong work ethic to the table. I have no doubt that he will thrive in this position," Simpson wrote in a statement. The ECBID is the largest irrigation district in the state, authorized to irrigate about 472,000 acres of cropland. Currently, the district has around 169,000 acres developed and managed by approximately 4,500 landowners under the federal Columbia Basin Project. The ECBID works to deliver a reliable water supply critical for the local agricultural economy that produces food for both domestic and international markets, according to a statement from the district. "Working at ECBID has been transformative for me," he said. "As a kid, I didn't realize how crucial the canals are until I began working with them. They represent a vital support system for agriculture and the entire community." As for his specific goals in the new role, Bischoff expressed a commitment to maintaining productive relationships with landowners and ensuring the operation of the irrigation infrastructure remains efficient. His approach involves continuing to foster open communication with stakeholders and addressing the expectations set by the seasoned leadership he is succeeding. "Continuing the relationships that John McCourtie has built over the years will be vital in my new role," Bischoff said. "We need to maintain the infrastructure and ensure it meets the needs of our landowners." Bischoff underscored that the work at ECBID significantly impacts the local economy. "We deliver a sustainable water supply for all landowners, which in turn supports the crops grown here," he said. The challenges in Bischoff's new position are considerable, with aging infrastructure being a primary concern. "It's a cliché term now, but it's real," he said. "The systems were built in the 1950s, and we must maintain and operate them effectively to deliver water daily during the irrigation season without interruptions." In addition to his operational goals, Bischoff is excited about upcoming projects at ECBID, including the EL 864 project, which aims to add another 5450 acres to the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program. Bischoff said the new canal is 7.45 miles long. The district aims for initial water delivery by April 1 and is planning an opening ceremony for this expansion. "We have a lot of projects on the docket, and I look forward to sharing them with everyone," Bischoff said.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Bridge and two Adams Co. roads scheduled for work in 2025
Feb. 26—RITZVILLE — Sections of two Adams County roads were closed on an emergency basis following wet and windy weather. Others are subject to closure as spring approaches. The section of Longmeier Road between Franz and Lee roads was closed, along with Lauer Road from Franz to Harder roads. Public Works Director Todd O'Brien told Adams County Commissioners Tuesday that some roads will not be passable while the ground is thawing but not dry. A map of road closures is available on the public works website. Bigger projects are planned once the weather warms up enough for construction. Adams County Engineer Scott Yaeger said one project started last fall and is still ongoing. Construction — or in this case, reconstruction — began in October 2024 on a section of Lind-Hatton Road. Yaeger said in an earlier interview that the section under construction is about five miles north of State Route 26 between South Damon Road and Phillips Road to the BNSF railroad crossing. The section of road under construction was closed over the winter. The work did stop over the winter; it's scheduled to start in March 2025, with the entire project taking through June 2026, Yaeger wrote in response to an email from the Columbia Basin Herald. The cost for that section of the rebuild is about $3.12 million. Major work is planned on Schoonover Road about eight miles west of Ritzville. Among other places, it links Ritzville and Odessa. The first phase is scheduled to start in late June and be completed by October. "This is a reconstruction that is widening (the road), with a new subbase and surfacing with asphalt, drainage facilities and safety rail where needed," Yaeger said. The project cost is about $3.13 million. Adams County officials will start work in late October on the bridge at Sackman Road near Othello. It's part of a much larger project to rebuild bridges in Adams County to allow widening of the East Low Canal. Yaeger said the work will start once the canal is drained for the winter and should be completed by spring 2026. Cost is about $4.8 million. The new bridge will span the canal without piers in the water, instead being supported by abutments, called girders, anchored to the shore. The abutment and the bridge deck will be precast and assembled onsite. The bridge deck is made of precast panels which will be installed separately and then joined with concrete and a tie system. Rebuilding bridges along the canal is part of the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Project, which involves Adams and Grant counties, the Columbia Basin Development League, other organizations and federal and state agencies. Sara Higgins, CBDL president, said in an earlier interview that the goal is to end the reliance on groundwater wells for irrigation in the Odessa region of the Columbia Basin Project. Irrigators in that section have been using groundwater wells since the 1960s when the development of the overall project stopped, which has put pressure on the underlying aquifer. The project involves widening two bridges in Grant County and six in Adams County. The remaining five bridges in Adams County are along the canal northwest of Othello on Providence Road, Booker Road, Herman Road, Foley Road and Cunningham Road.
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Word of firings at Grand Coulee Dam remains uncertain
Feb. 21—COULEE DAM, Wash. — Rumors are swirling in the towns around the country's largest hydroelectric dam that employees are being quietly laid off amid the recent slashing of the federal workforce. Workers at the Grand Coulee Dam Visitor Center referred questions to the Bureau of Reclamation's general email for press inquiries. Reclamation did not immediately respond. Municipal officials and residents from Grand Coulee, Coulee Dam, Electric City and Elmer City on Friday reported either not knowing anything or hearsay that a handful of employees had been fired. The Star newspaper in Grand Coulee reported it is looking into tips about the firings from employees. "So far, those affected may be in the tens, not hundreds, but the process seems to be in full bloom," the Star wrote in an article Wednesday. Of Reclamation's 6,000 employees, about 550 work at the dam, according to a 2017 article by Cory Dunlap, training administrator for the bureau's Grand Coulee Power Office. The critical infrastructure manages water levels of Lake Roosevelt flowing into the Columbia River, generates 6,800 megawatts of electricity for eight western states and Canada, and provides irrigation for the Columbia Basin Project. James Hanlon's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is funded in part by Report for America and by members of the Spokane community. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor.
