Congressman Doc Hastings

Serving Central Washington

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Water

Central Washingtonians know that clean, available water is vitally important to our farmers, communities and to our entire economy.  Water is the lifeblood of our region.

That’s why I got the federal government to begin exploring the extent of the Odessa Subaquifer depletion Columbia Basin and start finding solutions. 

I also wrote a law to study water storage solutions for the Yakima Basin.  Many years of study and discussion have led to real, measurable improvements in the conservation and management of the Basin’s water supply.  Yet, since the Yakima Project’s five reservoirs were completed in the 1930’s, no new water storage has been built.  Increased water storage is vital to the future of the region’s economy.

As the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees the Bureau of Reclamation, I’m committed to developing solutions for the Yakima and Columbia Basin’s water needs.