KENNEWICK, Wash.-- On Friday, Governor Gregoire was at the Clover Island Inn, talking about how the new projects will affect the water in our region.

Gregoire signed a Voluntary Regional Agreement giving the Kennewick Irrigation District some new water rights over the Columbia River.

This means KID will be testing the possibility of changing its major water pump from the Yakima river to the Columbia.

The governor says this particular project will help protect our agriculture and will allow more water in the river for endangered salmon.

"This is amazing progress, more progress than has been made in 30 years, to bring new water, much needed water to economic development, to domestic supplies for our people," said Governor Christine Gregoire.

The two other projects include storing millions of gallons of water from the Columbia river underground. And also issue drought permits to irrigators who may have a drought season.

All these projects are funded by the Columbia River Water Program, passed in 2006.