Larry Mattson is the new director of the Office of the Columbia River.

Mattson took over as the new director of the office, which is under the Washington Department of Ecology, in February. He replaces Tom Tebb, who retired after nearly 10 years as director and more than 30 years with Ecology.

The office addresses current and future water needs in the Columbia Basin, including fish, farms and communities.

“I had a feeling drought was going to be a big issue, and it has become that,” he said

Mattson considers helping Odessa Subarea farms that draw from wells replace their water with river water “as fast as we can,” and providing drought relief to the Yakima Basin “as soon as we can,” for the coming growing season, as top priorities.

The bigger picture in the Yakima Basin is storage, he said.

“We want to work with the farmers and irrigation districts to conserve water,” he said. “And when they are successful, we need a place to store it.”

Some conserved water must go back in-stream to benefit fish and habitat, and some must be set aside for farm usage, he said.

‘Sticky issues’

Mattson said he was attracted to “the geography of it all,” as the office oversees at least four different subbasins: The Odessa Subarea, the Yakima Subbasin, the Icicle Basin near Leavenworth and Wenatchee, and the Walla Walla Basin.

“Each one of those basins has unique challenges, political environment, you name it,” he said.

The office functions within a  “political arena, a socio-economic, technical, capital project” with multiple factors at play.

“I’ve got a political bone in my body,” Mattson said, noting he was on the Yakima City Council 25 years ago.

Prior to joining Ecology, he was executive director of the Yakima Valley Conference of Governments. In that role, he enjoyed working with the board to resolve the county’s “sticky issues.”

“They tend to be harder to solve, but also, it’s very rewarding when you can reach a durable solution together,” he said.

Snake River dams

Public comment ended March 1 for a draft study between the office and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on the four lower Snake River dams.

“Beyond that, no, I don’t have a position,” Mattson said.

Family ties

Mattson’s great-grandparents helped to short plat and develop the Moses Lake, Wash. area. His grandfather raised potatoes in Othello, Wash.

“I have a real affinity for the Columbia Basin,” Mattson said, tracing his affection to visiting the area while growing up in the Renton/Bellevue area, and attending Washington State University and Central Washington University. He now resides in Yakima. “I love this part of the state.”

Message to farmers

Mattson’s new role has renewed his appreciation for the hard work Washington farmers put in every day.

“What’s impressed me so far has been the collaboration,” he said. “I know that it’s not always easy working with state agencies.”

The office and Ecology always try to work collaboratively with stakeholders, he said.

“Within the Columbia Basin, obviously ag is a huge player,” he said. “The market value of our agricultural products is in the billions of dollars.”

It’s close to $5 billion in the Yakima Basin, and about $12 billion in the greater Columbia Basin, he said.

“That’s an industry we need to work with, protect and enhance where we can,” he said. “The degree of past collaboration and success on projects is something I’m looking forward to continuing with my team.”