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February 5, 2024

Best in State: Gold Award
Successful Fulfillment of Owner/Client Needs

Photo from ACEC Washington
Landau’s Eric Weber watches water fill the farm’s south holding pond.

Landau Associates

Project: New 1,600-acre irrigation groundwater right
Client: Benchmark Farms

Benchmark Farms, an agricultural producer in Grant County, faced the challenge of securing a new water right to introduce irrigation to its High Hill farm, a rarity in a region where water resources are already fully allocated.

Landau Associates took on the project, assisting Benchmark Farms in the complex process of obtaining a new unmitigated water right from the Department of Ecology. Landau’s team leveraged detailed hydrogeological data, including historical records and aquifer testing, to build a comprehensive understanding of the region’s groundwater availability and flow conditions. Their knowledge allowed them to secure a unique groundwater right without the need for mitigation, permitting the withdrawal of 10,000 gallons per minute and 5,600 acre-feet per year, a remarkable achievement in an area where water rights are scarce. This is likely the largest unmitigated groundwater right issued in eastern Washington in decades.

Landau’s data analysis and strong technical foundation proved essential in navigating the challenging permitting process. The project’s success highlights the importance of data-driven understanding in engineering and design, emphasizing the significance of human interpretation and expertise in a world increasingly reliant on artificial intelligence and automation.

The economic, social and sustainable benefits of the new water right extend beyond Benchmark Farms, contributing to the region’s agricultural landscape and providing high-quality, organic food crops to consumers.


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