02/16/06 Senate passes Odessa aquifer bill

Washington Ag February 16, 2006 A bill to ease water relinquishment rules for the Odessa aquifer region was passed by the state Senate this week minutes after the Columbia River management plan passed the upper chamber. Prime sponsor of the targeted relinquishment legislation, Republican Mark Shoesler, called it a piece of the overall water management puzzle. Schoesler: "The Odessa aquifer didn't receive water from the Columbia Basin Project as was intended. Well permits were given and we have an extreme declining aquifer both for municipal exempt wells and for agriculture. This is a "time out" from our state's "use it or lose it" policy that we've worked on it. It has a specific sunset date, a report back to the legislature, and it is just one small step forward in conservation in this region as we move forward on the overall policy of the previous bill." The measure includes a broad list of ways water use in the Odessa aquifer area can be conserved or foregone for an extended period of time without losing the ability to later use the water. Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 6151 was sent to the House of Representatives for its consideration. I'm Bob Hoff.