YBSA Monthly Report November, 2013
YBSA Monthly Report
November, 2013
Scoping Meeting: On November 20th the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of Ecology held a scoping meeting to receive comments on the upcoming EIS for both the Kachess Reservoir Inactive Storage and the Cle Elum Pool Raise Project.
Cle Elum Project: The Cle Elum Project would increase the storage in Lake Cle Elum approximately 14,600 acre/feet which would be used to improve instream flow for fish. The 3 foot raise would necessitate a modification of the gates on Lake Cle Elum Dam, purchase of private property, move and change the public campgrounds and boat launches, increase the existing dikes to protect private property and roads, and provide environmental mitigation for other impacts. The 14,600 acre/feet of water would only be used during a short time during the spring. There has been no estimate of the cost of the project and who will be expected to pay the cost to continue the evaluation and the cost of mitigation and constructing the project. A cost-benefit evaluation needs to be completed.
See: http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/eis/cleelumraise/index.html
Kachess Reservoir Inactive Storage Project: The proposed Kachess Reservoir Inactive Storage Project is to provide additional water supply for municipal, domestic, and agricultural use during drought years. To accomplish this goal a pipeline or tunnel approximately 5 miles long would be built to move water from the Keechelus basin to the Kachess basin. A pumping plant would be installed on the shore of Lake Kachess connected to a tunnel below the level of the original lake before the dam was constructed, to pump water from Lake Kachess to the Kachess River that flows into Lake Easton. The proposed project would allow the existing Kachess Reservoir to be drawn down approximately 80 feet below the current outlet below the level of the original lake. The estimated 200,000 acre/feet of water could be available during drought years.
The project consists of two water conveyance structures, one to move water from Lake Keechelus to Lake Kachess and one to move water from Lake Kachess to the Kachess River and a pumping plant.
With the history of water availability from Lake Keechelus and climate change, will Lake Kachess be able to be refilled after the maximum drawdown during drought years? Continuing the review of construction and maintenance costs without a determination of who will share the costs (agriculture and municipal) along with the State and Federal Governments may find that the project is unattainable.
See: http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/eis/kkc/index.html
See: http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/eis/kdrpp/index.html
Both Projects: With both projects operational will we be able to meet our goal of enough new water for the next 100 years?
Comments may be submitted by December 16th to:
Bureau of Reclamation, Columbia-Cascades Area Office
Attention: Candace McKinley, Environmental Program Manager
1917 Marsh Road
Yakima, WA 98901-2058
FAX (509) 454-5650
Phone (509) 575 5848 ext. 613
Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.