OTHELLO — A local irrigation district board was the recipient of an award from the Columbia Basin Development League designed to recognize people and organizations that find a way to overcome obstacles. Jon Erickson, CBDL board chair, said the East Columbia Basin Irrigation District directors exemplify the Perseverance Award.  

“(The award was designed to) recognize those people who were constantly jumping over hurdles,” Erickson said.  

The Perseverance Award was established in 2012, he said. Potential recipients are nominated by CBDL constituents, Erickson said, and evaluated by a committee. The committee then recommends a recipient to the CDBL board. The ECBID board was recognized for its continuing work on the Odessa Groundwater Replacement Program. 

The OGWRP’s goal is to switch farms in sections of Adams, Grant and Lincoln counties that rely on groundwater for irrigation over to surface water. To date, two irrigation systems have been completed and another two are under construction. 

The award was presented at the CDBL annual meeting in mid-November. 

Erickson is the ECBID development coordinator and said he had personal experience with the kind of decisions required of the irrigation district’s five-member board. It may sound like an easy job, he said, but it’s not.  

“These individuals, some of whom have sat in their position for many years, are faced with challenges and have to make hard decisions regarding their constituents and the district as a whole,” Erickson said when presenting the award. “Decisions may not always align with their own personal interests, decisions that may not be popular amongst the crowd, decisions that might spark lengthy discussions or multiple meetings, as well as those plain old day-to-day decisions like approving the minutes.” 

Irrigation board President Duaine Anderson accepted the award both past and present board members.  

Anderson expressed appreciation to ECBID staff for “their continuous efforts to deliver reliable irrigation water to landowners at a sustainable cost.”  

Erickson said in his opinion, the ECBID board has shown the kind of perseverance the award was designed to recognize. 

“A very deserving award for our board,” he said. “They make some tough decisions sometimes.” 

    Duaine Anderson, ECBID board president, thanks his staff for their hard work while accepting the Perseverance Award from the CBDL.