GRAND COULEE, Wash. – In preparation for the 2025 irrigation season, the Bureau of Reclamation initiated the main canal operation startup at Banks Lakes, pumping water from the John W. Keys III Pump-Generating Plant into the north end of Banks Lake on Feb. 22, 2025, concluding on Feb. 24. Water is pumped from Lake Roosevelt behind Grand Coulee Dam to maintain Banks Lake elevations for Columbia Basin Project irrigation activities.
On March 1, the Banks Lake main canal will supply water to Billy Clapp Reservoir. The Billy Clapp Reservoir/Pinto Dam outlet works is slated for operation on March 5 and the Potholes Reservoir/O’Sullivan Dam outlet works on March 2. The Columbia Basin Project canal infrastructure is closed to public entry for public safety and operational purposes.
Recreationalists on Banks Lake and Potholes Reservoir should be aware that operational activities may lead to a rapid change in conditions without obvious warning signs, and operational fill and spill activities may not be readily apparent to the casual observer. Additionally, these activities may cause ice conditions to deteriorate rapidly.
