Oroville-Tonasket Irrigation District (OTID), located in north-central Washington State, enjoys senior water supplies from its sources in Lake Osoyoos and the Okanagan River. However, the region has undergone droughts in recent years, resulting in curtailment for junior water rights. In order to make use of its currently available water right and help those without reliable water supply, OTID – with technical and regulatory support from Aspect - set up a water bank that can lease a portion of its unused water to interested customers in the Okanogan River basin, and downstream along the mainstem Columbia River.
Water banking is a relatively newer concept to Washington state and this is the first time this model has been tried in the Upper Columbia Basin, which reaches the Canadian border. In this interview with OTID Secretary-Manager Jay O’Brien and the national magazine Irrigation Leader, Jay speaks about the inspiration for the district’s water banking system, how it works, and how the same concept can benefit other irrigation districts across the region.
Read the article here: http://irrigationleadermagazine.com/