Forecast Looks At Columbia Basin Water Availability Report examines water supply & demand over next 20 years Changing climate, crop needs and population growth are among key factors influencing when water will be available and where water will be needed in Washington’s Columbia River Basin. That’s according to a new report being prepared by the Washington Water Research Center at Washington State University, in cooperation with the Washington Department of Ecology. Every five years, Ecology’s Office of Columbia River looks forward 20 years to examine how these variables affect communities, farms and fish. The office is finalizing work on the 2021 edition of the Columbia Basin Long-Term Water Supply and Demand Forecast with WSU.