Congresswoman Schrier Secures Authorization for Lake Chelan Water Reservoir Project

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, the United States House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA), biennial legislation that authorizes water resource activities of the Army Corps of Engineers. Thanks to the advocacy of Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08), the bill included authorization for the design and construction of a water reservoir in the city of Chelan for wildfire preparedness and water supply. The bill is now headed to the Senate and then the President's desk.

"I've heard directly from local officials and my constituents in the Lake Chelan area on how impactful a water reservoir for the east side of town would be," said Congresswoman Schrier. "The reservoir would provide a critical, dependable source in case of a wildfire and serve as a water supply for future development in the area while reducing water infrastructure costs. I'm incredibly proud to have pushed for the authorization of this project and will continue to advocate for crucial infrastructure projects throughout the Eighth District."

"We are incredibly thankful for the support of Representative Schrier, Senator Murray, and Senator Cantwell," said City of Chelan Mayor, Erin McCardle. "Their efforts have been pivotal to realizing the inclusion of the East Chelan Water Reservoir project in the bill."

The current water system of Chelan relies on booster pump stations to distribute water over increasing elevation and distance all from Lake Chelan. This poses serious risks as a failure of these pump stations, such as from a power outage, could disrupt water distribution to the east side for both emergency firefighting and daily life. The proposed water reservoir will address this vulnerability and assist in mitigating future wildfire risks associated with the unique geographical and infrastructure challenges of the city. This reservoir would also help allow for further development in East Chelan.

The authorization secured in WRDA is a prerequisite for future funding administered by the Army Corps of Engineers' Environmental Infrastructure program - without this authorization, the project could not receive federal funding through this program. For the past year, Congresswoman Schrier advocated for the inclusion of an authorization to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure multiple times, submitting this as a priority of hers, sending a letter of support, and testifying during the committee's Members' Day Hearing. Congresswoman Schrier's letter can be found here. She will now fight to get this project funded.