YBSA Monthly Report February 2020
Storage: The 5 reservoirs are at 60% full. As on March 1st, the water graph shows the reservoirs are slightly above average. The graph indicates that reservoirs fill rapidly from April through June providing the snowpack will be large enough to provide the water. The reservoirs hold 1 million acre/feet of water and the snowpack must provide 2 million acre/feet to provide the needed water for instream flow (fish) and out of stream use (agriculture).
Project Updates Yakima Basin: The Lake Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plant Environmental Impact Statement process continues. With climate change and question on how the project will be funded, when will a decision be made?
Lake Cle Elum Fish Passage construction continues on the Helix project to allow fish to move from the Lake to the River below the Dam. The fish that return up the river are caught and hauled from the river to the lake. With a small amount of instream flow and the thermal barrier there is a great need for more water in the Yakima River.
Pump Storage Project: The future needs for electrical power generation will increase tremendously in the next 20 years. The reduction of the carbon footprint means that additional generation sources will be necessary. Wind turbines, solar, nuclear plants, and waterpower generation are the most viable sources.
A new pump storage reservoir in the Yakima Basin would provide power generation, provide water for irrigation, allow water in the Yakima River to be used for instream flow (fish), create a large lake for recreation purposes, and have water available for fire control. See the Bureau of Reclamation Study Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study, December 2008 at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/studies/yakimastoragestudy/reports/eis/final/volume1.pdf.
Lower River Taskforce: The taskforce continues to look for ways to help slamonoids to return up the lower Yakima River. Flow is low during the warm days which creates a thermal barrier, water temperatures over 70℉, makes is difficult for fish to survive.
Yakima Basin Integrated Plan Workgroup: Meeting is March 11th at 9:30 am in Ellensburg at the Armory.
Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.