YBSA Monthly Report April, 2016

YBSA Monthly Report

April, 2016

U.S. Senate Approved Bill: The U.S. Senate approved a bill that would provide $92 million for the Yakima Basin. The majority of the money will be used for fish passage at Lake Cle Elum Dam. It would also increase the amount of water stored in the Lake by 14,600 acre/feet which would be used for fish passage and instream flow. Other parts of the funding would be used to build a road and bridge just below the spillway across the Cle Elum River, create a fish catching facility in the river below the dam to haul by truck to the lake, and construct a helix in the lake to allow salmon to return to the river from the lake when the lake surface is lowered.

The bill also contained some money to continue the feasibility, environmental, and community impact study of Lake Kachess drawdown proposal.

U.S. House Bill Differs: The U.S. House bill has some different language so a committee of House and Senate members will work on a compromise bill. The committee meeting will probably occur after the November election.

Reservoir & Snowpack Supplies: The 5 reservoirs that provide water during the summer and fall for fish and agriculture in the Yakima Basin are at 94% capacity. The reservoirs provide 1/3 of the water needed for the Yakima Basin – snowpack, which provides the other 2/3 that is needed, is at 73% of normal in the North Yakima Watershed and 95% in the South Yakima Watershed. With high temperatures predicted snowpack runoff will increase. With higher than normal temperature, water needed during late summer and fall may not be available.

The April precipitation in the Yakima Basin was 14.6% of average.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.