YBSA Monthly Report April, 2017

YBSA Monthly Report

April, 2017

Funding: Funding for the Integrated Plan projects proposed for 2017-2019 are still being considered in the state budget. Federal funding will depend on the President’s proposed budget and what is adopted by Congress.

Projects: Projects moving forward include fish passage at Lake Cle Elum. The Cle Elum project will take years to complete and will depend on money becoming available to build and install the “helix” to allow salmon to return to the Yakima River below the dam from the lake when it has been drawn down to its lowest level.

The environmental impact document is still being prepared about the Lake Kachees pumping plan will evaluate both the environmental concerns and the cost of the project.

Update on water storage availability: Storage in the 5 reservoirs is at 71% which is 98% of average. Snowpack equivalent in the upper Yakima Basin is at 103% of average and 125% of average in the lower Yakima Basin.

It appears the basin will have sufficient water available for fish and agriculture this summer.

Pump Storage: It’s time to review the pump storage project to obtain water from the Columbia River. With additional electrical power, available on larger flows of water in the Columbia River benefits out weight the costs when using the same method used to evaluate the Integrated Plan. Pumping water in the spring and storing it for irrigation in the summer benefits both fish and agriculture. The additional water from the Columbia River will be used for irrigation purposes and the water that remains in the Yakima River will be used for instream flow and fish.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.