YBSA Monthly Report August, 2008
YBSA Monthly Report
August, 2008
Draft Legislation: The Yakima Basin Storage Alliance developed a draft legislation package to start the process of describing how to restore the Yakima and Naches Rivers to a more natural state. The package includes additional water for fish passage, fish habitat and environmental restoration during drought years. It also provides a minimum of 70% water for proratable irrigation districts during dry years and water for municipal and industrial growth for the foreseeable future. No longer would we suffer through multiple drought years as predicted by experts studying the affects of climate change. YBSA would appreciate any and all suggestions to be include in the legislation package. For detailed information on the content of the draft package go to www.ybsa.org and click on the links on the bottom of the page. Your assistance would be appreciated so when the Storage Study is completed we will have a document that all our neighbors and interests can support to restore more water for all interests in the Yakima Basin.
Website: The following can be viewed on www.ybsa.org:
An Introductory Letter
The Executive Summary
Draft Legislation
Draft Financial Plan
Recreation Study
Power Generation Study
YBSA’s Benefit Package
Monthly Reports
Other Information
Salmon Recovery Conference: YBSA is planning for a Salmon Recovery conference in September. Dr. Jack Stanford, an expert in salmon recovery, will be the main speaker. Dr. Stanford is working on a project outside the United States and a date will be set when he returns. Dr. Stanford, author of the Reaches Project, has tremendous knowledge of the needs for salmon recovery in the Yakima River Basin.
BOR Report: Kim McCartney reported that the Storage Study team is completing the report answering the questions raised during the EIS process. The Seepage Report will be completed by the Bureau of Realcamtion by the end of August. It will include the modeling of ground water and mitigation features. The Department of Energy study on the groundwater at Hanford will not show mitigation and could be finished something in 2009. Any request for construction of a new storage facility will have to be made to the Department of Interior and Congress by petition.
Plans for Promotion: Plans are being developed to do a public relation promotion of the Environmental and Salmon Recovery program and a display for a booth at the Central Washington State Fair.
Presentations during August were made to the Benton County Commissioners and the Lower Yakima Valley Realtors.
Contact YBSA at yakimabasinstoragealliance@yahoo.com if you would like a presentation made to your organization.