Join us to learn about the draft results of the 2021 Columbia River Basin Long-Term Water Supply & Demand Forecast!
The Washington Department of Ecology in conjunction with Washington State University is preparing the 2021 Columbia River Basin Long-Term Supply and Demand Forecast.
As part of the process we’re getting ready to share the report with stakeholders who rely on water supplies in Eastern Washington. Comments on the report will begin June 2 and run through July 2, with online meetings planned for June 8 and June 17. Today we’re inviting you to put this on your calendars and to pre-register for one of the meetings (see details below).
Issued every five years, the Long-Term Water Supply and Demand Forecast provides a generalized, system-wide assessment of how future environmental and economic conditions are likely to change water supply and demand by the 2040s across Washington’s Columbia River Basin. Changes are evaluated for four spatial layers: the entire Columbia River basin, Eastern Washington’s watersheds, Eastern Washington’s aquifers, and Washington’s Columbia River mainstem.
The Washington Water Research Center at Washington State University leads this effort in close collaboration with Ecology’s Office of Columbia River. The Forecast results inform water supply planning efforts, and help OCR strategically fund water supply projects by improving understanding of where additional water supply is most critical for meeting water needs, now and in the future.
Register at https://ecology.wa.gov/2021Forecast to join us at one of two upcoming virtual meetings to learn about the preliminary Forecast results and comment on the draft report:
- 2:30-5:30 pm, Tuesday, June 8
- 8:30-11:30 am, Thursday, June 17
If you can’t attend a meeting, you will still be able to review the draft report and comment once the draft Forecast is released on June 2. When it is ready, the draft Forecast will be available at https://ecology.wa.gov/2021Forecast. The website will also include links and contact information for commenting.
If you have further questions, please contact Jennifer Stephens at jennifer.stephens@ecy.wa.gov or (509) 575-2396.
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