YBSA Monthly Report March, 2015

YBSA Monthly Report

March, 2015

Extended Comment Period: The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plant and Keechelus Reservoir-to-Kachess Reservoir Conveyance, consisting of more than 1600 pages, was available on January 9, 2015. The 60 day comment period ended March 10th. A Bull Trout Enhancement Project (BTE) was added to the DEIS. On March 11th at the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Work Group Meeting the Bureau of Reclamation announced an extension of 60 day period for more comments. The reason given for the extension was “common misunderstandings about what the projects would entail that were apparent in some of the comments submitted so far”. What additional information will be provided that wasn’t included in the original DEIS and when will the comment period start after the amended information is provided? A compilation of the original comments received during the first 60 day period needs to be identified so they can be compared with those made during the extended period.

Update on Ongoing Projects: Technical Project update on ongoing storage projects at the March 11th Work Group Meeting:

1. Continue to attempt to locate an adequate location for the Keechelus-to-Kachess Conveyance.

2. Continuing to finalize the Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plants locations and designing a method of passage for fish between the upper and lower lakes.

3. The final EIS is now being prepared for the Cle Elum Pool Raise. The design of an access road to the Cle Elum River below the dam to transport returning Sockeye to Lake Cle Elum needs to be completed. Finalize the structure and its location in the lake so the fish can leave the lake during the time when the lake surface is lowered for instream flow and out of stream use.

4. Reviewing locations for a dam to store water at the proposed Wymer Project to hold the most water at the lowest cost.

5. Continue to do more geological investigations to determine the viability of Bumping Lake Expansion.

Cost of Projects: An updated estimate of potential costs of the changes being developed for each storage project needs to be completed.

Reservoirs, Snowpack and Drought: As of April 1st, 2015 storage reservoirs are full. They contain approximately 1/3 of the water necessary for instream flow and out of stream needs. With the snowpack approximately 28% of average, 2015 will be a drought year. Everyone will need to tighten their belts and hope, between now and next year, the mountain snow will return.

YBSA comments on the DEIS K-to-K Project is located on www.ybsa.org.