YBSA Monthly Report September 2020

YBSA Monthly Report

September 2020

Storage: The water in the 5 reservoirs in the Yakima River Basin are at 30% capacity. This is average for this time of year. Irrigation supply is enough to provide water until the irrigation systems are turned off.

Instream Flow: The flow of water in the Yakima River this summer has been minimal, which has been hazardous to fish survival. The Yakima River is full of green moss due to low flow and high-water temperatures. Only 60 Sockeye reached the Roza Dam in the last few. The lower Yakima River is the barrier for fish to return to the upper Yakima River Basin.

Lake Cle Elum Fish Passage: The project to move fish from Lake Cle Elum to the Cle Elum River below the dam continues. Six tunnels to move fish from the lake to the Helix which then would allow fish to move when the lake is at its lowest level.

Sockeye Spawning: Sockeye hauled to Lake Cle Elum by truck are spawning in the upper Cle Elum River near Salmon La Sac. (See Newspaper Article below from the Northern Kittitas County Tribune, Thursday, September 24, 2020). When the smolt can use the system to move to the Cle Elum River below the dam they can then move on to the Columbia River if the water conditions are right.

Snowpack: A study by Central Washington University indicate all the wildfires will affect snow pack in the State of Washington mountains. If normal snowfall occurs the snow will melt sooner in the burned areas.

Budget: Money requested for the Yakima Basin project has been reduced. Projects to be funded are the Kachess project and fish passage.

Yakima Basin Integrated Plan: The Yakima Basin Integrated Plan Workgroup continues to ignore the need for additional water for the Yakima River Basin. One of the listed projects in the original plan was to review the use of the Columbia River when all other means to find more water were unsuccessful.