YBSA Monthly Report
July 2022

Storage: The storage graph displayed on the Bureau of Reclamation storage site (https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/yakima/yaktea.html) shows a greater amount of water in storage than normal for this time of year. It is at 86% of capacity.

Fish Hatchery: Congratulations to the Yakama Nation for a successful 25 years of hatching salmonoids to increase the salmon population in the Yakima River.

River Enhancement: A project to remove Nelson Dam to enhance fish passage is progressing. The flow of the Naches River will be enhanced by creating gravel beds for fish survival.

Another project will create the flow of the river from the Selah Gap to Union Gap to provide better fish passage and survival. Removal of dikes to open the floodplain to create habitat for fish will also be completed.

Yakima River Canyon: The Bureau of Land Management has purchased land along the Yakima River in the Yakima River Canyon to enhance habitat and create additional recreational activity areas.

Lower Yakima River: The Yakima River flow is at a minimum for fish survival. Excessive heat and warm water have decreased the number of fish in the river. The reservoirs are releasing 3 ½ more water than the amount filling the reservoirs.

Storage: All 5 reservoirs are at 100% capacity. This is the time of the summer when the Yakima Basin water availability is supplemented by the releases from all 5 reservoirs.

Water Graph: The graph of total system storage shows current storage is slightly greater than last year at this point of time. The water intake in the reservoirs is now less than the water being released. The Yakima River flow needs to provide water for irrigation and for fish survival in the river.

Yakima River: The flow in the lower Yakima River has reached flood state for the first time in 2022. Snow melt is currently at a minimum at the present time.

Storage: The five reservoirs are at 87% capacity. The water graph shows a slight reduction in volume in storage. The amount of water in Rimrock is at 57%.

Water Forecast: Snowpack in the Naches & upper basin show an average water content. Snow melt is the main source of water for instream flow and to maintain an adequate volume of water for agricultural in the basin.
Each Spring, high river flows help to increase the groundwater captured in the alluvial flood plain. High flows of water have not been present in the rivers this year. Click Here for full story.

Climate Change: The United States Drought Monitor shows droughts persist in Eastern Washington. The Yakima Basin continues to be the hardest hit with less water available. With less water available in the Central Cascade Range, other sources will be needed to continue the instream flow for fish and the out of stream use for agriculture to maintain and improve the Yakima Basin’s economy. Click Here to see full story.

YBSA Monthly Report
March 2022

Storage: The five reservoirs are at 85% capacity which will provide 1/3 of the water for agriculture in the Yakima Basin.

Water Availability for the Yakima Basin: The Bureau of Reclamation report indicates water will be available for agriculture and instream flow for fish. The snowpack water equivalent in the upper basin in Kittitas County is at 79% and in the Naches is at 80%. Predictions show potential drought conditions will occur in the western part of the United States. Long range plans need to be discussed to find a solution for water storage for the future of the Yakima Basin.

Potable Water: The lower Yakima Valley ground water area has high nitrates in many wells. The Department of Ecology is contacting these residents with high nitrates in their well water with a project to provide bottled water to the residents affected. More information will become available in the future.

Storage Projects: No projects have been found to be viable to provide enough water for the future of agriculture and fish for the Yakima River Basin.

Storage: The storage is at 77% of capacity. Lake Cle Elum is at 69%. Intake to the 5 reservoirs is at 58% and releases are at 96%. Snow water equivalent in both the Upper Basin and Naches Basin is at 85%.

The Bureau of Reclamation reported that the Yakima Basin water supply is in good shape for the 2022 season. The reservoirs are three-quarters full. One-third of the water from storage and two-thirds of the water from melting snowpack provides the water needed for agriculture and instream flow.

Project Information: At Lake Cle Elum construction will start on the down stream adult collection project to catch the fish returning up the Cle Elum River to truck them to Lake Cle Elum.

A study of fish passage from the mouth of the Yakima River up to Roza Dam will continue. Previous studies show a very low passage of returning salmonoids is due to warm water in the lower Yakima River and diversion dams. More instream flow would improve passage.

Wapato Irrigation Project: The Yakama Nation has been awarded additional water to serve all the lands that were not allocated in the Yakima Basin water distribution plan. The Bureau of Reclamation needs to address this issue.

Lake Kachess: The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking comments on the draft environmental assessment for the Kachess Dam safety project. The assessment looks to maintain water deliveries throughout the Yakima Basin, minimize impacts to the environment, and maintain water flow for endangered species. The proposed modifications address issues important to the long-term functionality.

The draft Environmental Assessment analyzes two actions:

• Proposed Action: Reduce long-term performance risks by constructing an access road; preparing the site to develop staging areas to support construction and long-term maintenance; extend and line the conduit; and install a filter and stabilization berm.
• No Action Alternative: Do not reduce risk by performing the improvements listed in the Proposed Action

The draft Environmental Assessment is available at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/sod/kachess/index.html

The Bureau and Roza Irrigation District continue to evaluate the proposed drought relief project which would provide additional water by drawing down Lake Kachess another 80 feet. Once the water has been withdrawn, how will the water flow, habitat and the environment be maintained below Kachess Dam?

YBSA Monthly Report
January 2022

Storage: The five reservoirs are at 68% capacity which is 130% of average. The average snow water equivalent for the upper basin is at 95% and the Naches basin is at 99%.

Project update: No new information on Lake Cle Elum and Lake Kachess progress. Fish passage in the lower Yakima River has not improved nor has any reliable solution been discussed.

Pump Storage: Using pump storage is the best solution.

• • It would increase the available water during droughts to meet the needs of irrigation water both on the Roza and Wapato irrigation needs.
• • Pump storage also would increase the flow in the Yakima River to provide enough water for fish passage and survival.
• • Having the water from pump storage would create an opportunity to recharge the flood plain to enhance ground water availability.
• • It would provide storage of water to provide a battery to assist in the distribution of electrical power to cover the loss of electrical generation.
• • The Integrated plan needs to appoint another committee in the planning process to review the valuable use of pump storage.
• • See https://commodity.com/blog/states-renewable-energy/ for examples of the value of increasing the renewable production.

Storage: The Yakima Basin storage is at 60%. Snow and rain in the Cascades are greater this year than during recent years. Predictions for the spring of 2022 is more rain and less snow.

Basin Projects: Work continues on the Lake Cle Elum fish passage. There have been changes on the Lake Kachess pumping plan study. No word on who will pay and benefit from the Lake Kachess water. Evaluations continue on the water temperature and instream flow in the lower Yakima River.

Improvements in the Yakima Basin: Conservation of water continues as irrigators improve their delivery systems. Habitat and fish passage have been improved in the upper Yakima Basin.

The number of Sockeye and Coho Salmon have improved in the upper Yakima River Basin. Sockeye are caught in the Columbia River and delivered to Lake Cle Elum. Coho hatchery salmon are released in the upper Yakima River.

2022 Plans:

• • Improved fish passage and survival in the lower Yakima River by increase instream flow which will reduce water temperature.
• • Apply to aquire additional funding from the Federal infrastructure legislation that has been approved.
• • Access Governor Inslee’s funding for salmonoid improvements.
• • Decide who will pay for the drought relief project at Lake Kachess so the plan can more forward.

The Integrated Plan was developed, and a Work Group was appointed to address water, fish and habitat needs in the Yakima Basin. Prior to the Integrate Plan, the Bureau of Reclamation completed the Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study in 2008. The study considered all the options to increase water storage in the basin. The best alternative was a pump storage project using Columbia River water. Page IX, the executive summary suggests the Columbia River would solve current and future water problems. The Integrate Plan Work Group needs to consider the information while working toward finding additional water for fish, agriculture, and the economy

Happy New Year!

Storage: The Yakima Basin Reservoirs are at 52% capacity which is 145% of average. Theweather pattern has moved the anticipated rainfall from the Yakima Basin to northwestern Washington and into British Columbia. Snow accumulation in the Cascade Mountains has decreased.

Yakima Basin Integrated Plan Work Group: Planning for the next 10 years:
• Number of projects were discussed.
• No definite plan for additional water to provide more water during drought years.
• Projects to improve passage and survival for fish in the Yakima River, but no additional water.
• Continuing to look at projects for conservation and delivery systems both of which need additional water.
• Lack of planning to attempt to secure water for the Columbia River to insure flow in the Yakima Basin.

Update on Integrated Plan Activities: Fish passage activities continue with installation of the Helix to move smolt from Lake Cle Elum over Lake Cle Elum Dam into the Cle Elum River and a catch and haul of fish from the Cle Elum River over the dam into the lake.

Continuing to track fish passage in the lower Yakima River shows less migration. Migration only improves when more instream flow is available.

Fish passage continues to be improved in the upper Yakima River which will only be increased when more fish and water are available in the Yakima Basin.

Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plan: The Bureaus of Reclamation and Ecology are still reviewing plans on how to make the project viable. The Roza Irrigation District, who would be the biggest benefactor of additional water, has yet to indicate they want to proceed with the project.

Wymer and Bumping Lake projects are still being reviewed.

Acquavella: 42 years ago, the State Department of Ecology began an adjudication of water called “Acquavella” to determine who and how much water would be available to each user. In 2019 the case was closed. Since then, water users who wanted some changes in the adjudication filed a lawsuit. The Yakama Nation and other water users filed an appeal charging insufficient water was available to irrigate their land. The final decision by the State Supreme Court ruled the State of Washington could not limit the amount of water on the Yakama Reservation. The Integrated Plan Work Group will have to develop a plan for an increase in the water supply on the Reservation.

YBSA Monthly Report
October 2021

Storage: After the curtailment of irrigation water the current carryover through October 2021 is more than the average but less than last year. The capacity of storage at this time is 30% with Lake Cle Elum, our largest reservoir, at 23%.

Available Water: The Yakima Basin water supply has decreased over the years and additional water is necessary to maintain our agriculture use and instream flow for fish. A report on 60 Minutes discusses the potential for droughts. See video segment here. Drought effects all the Western States except Idaho, Montana and Washington. California has been losing 100,000 to 150,000 acres per year of irrigated land. That is like losing the equivalency of the entire Yakima River Basin Agriculture every 3 to 5 years!!!

YBSA Monthly Report
September 2021

Storage: Capacity in all 5 reservoirs is at 32% which is a little better than average. The amount of water stored in Lake Cle Elum is low to complete the fish passage project.

Irrigation: Water stored water in the 5 reservoirs will end near the middle of October. The Bureau of Reclamation will determine the water released for instream flow and the water to be retained in the reservoirs for next year’s needs.

Planning for 2022 Water Year: Climate changes and the fires have changed the normal procedure for providing the water needed for instream and out of stream flow in the Yakima River. Millions have been spent, but very little increase in the water needed has been achieved. The headwaters of the Columbia River in Canada have been receiving the snowpack and rains. Columbia River water needs to be an option to provide the water for the Yakima Basin. Continued planning to increase the water in the 5 reservoirs may not provide adequate water for the future.

Project Update: Lake Cle Elum fish passage continues which will allow fish to move from the lake to the Cle Elum River. There is still no natural way for the salmonoids to return up the river and reach the lake.

Lake Kachess project is still on hold without any decision made.

There has been continued funding of habitat and watershed improvements with little water for fish to return and survive in the Yakima Basin.

Pinpointing the costs of projects that have been proposed and completed to increase the water supply in the Yakima Basin need to identify with a description of the benefits and amount of water supply.

Lower Yakima River: Low flows and warm water continues to damage fish survival and passage in the Yakima River. A report shows that after more than 10 years lower numbers of salmon and sockeye are returning.