The following was published Nov. 15, 2009.

Yakima County's proposal to pipe water from the Columbia River to a reservoir in Selah Creek is certainly a bold move, coming less than a month before a water study group expects to stitch together a list of proposed actions for the next four decades.

Although Yakima County commissioners didn't have cost estimates available when they unveiled their proposal last week, they were wise to keep enhanced water storage high atop the agenda for those mapping out the Yakima River Basin's future.

What the commissioners need to do now is flesh out details for their project to pipe water from Priest Rapids across the Army's Yakima Training Center to an impoundment just east of where the Fred G. Redmon bridge on Interstate 82 crosses Selah Creek.

It is hoped with further details and a general cost estimate that the study group will begin to take the commissioners' proposal seriously.

The group, which has been meeting since June, is made up of representatives from fish agencies, the Yakama Nation, irrigation districts, conservation groups and state and local governments. Its mission is to reach an agreement on how to provide adequate irrigated water to agriculture, restore fish runs and assist future municipal growth. The group wants to agree on a broad approach by next month with additional details emerging next year and requests for state and federal funding by 2011.

Prior to last week's meeting when the commissioners made their presentation, the study group had only a few options for increased storage -- primarily enlarging Bumping Lake Reservoir. Expanding Bumping Lake has been bandied about for decades with little success due primarily to opposition from environmental groups. That opposition remains.

High costs eventually sidetracked the most ambitious option: Black Rock Reservoir. The proposed 1.6 million acre-foot reservoir east of Yakima would also have relied on water piped in from the Columbia River. However, the federal Bureau of Reclamation dropped Black Rock from consideration late last year after determining the reservoir's multi-billion-dollar cost far outweighed its benefits.

The commissioners' plan to pump in 500,000 acre-feet of water from the Columbia has much ground to cover in a very short time. Commissioners concede it will face a skeptical reception from environmental groups worried about its impact.

The Selah Creek proposal comes with benefits, too -- it would be located off-stream, would preserve critical flows in the Yakima River and would help water users who face rationing in drought conditions.

We know added storage is only one aspect of solving the complex issues with the Yakima River Basin. It's vitally important, though, that increased storage becomes linked with other solutions like better water conservation and improved fish habitat.

Thanks to the commissioners, that's the case.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Bob Crider, Spencer Hatton and Karen Troianello.