YBSA Monthly Report April, 2007
YBSA Monthly Report
April, 2007
Fisheries Technical Work Group: The Storage Study Fisheries Technical Work Group objectives are to provide the opportunity and flexibility to improve fishery resource conditions throughout the mainstem Yakima and Naches Rivers. They include improve conditions in all seasons and water years not just dry years, closely mimic natural flow patterns, and support fishery enhancement under current conditions and embrace expanding floodplain and habitat improvements.
The output of the proposed approach is an estimate of additional instream flow water volume needed to achieve the objectives in each reach of the mainstem Yakima and Naches Rivers.
Executive Committee: YBSA Executive Committee met a number of times and discussed our workplan for 2007-2008. Our goal is to make a list of needed improvements to create a more normal flow of water in rivers within the Yakima Basin and with the help of the stakeholders identify the needs for fish, irrigation, and municipal growth. With the list of needed improvements, YBSA will develop and promote, along with the development of Black Rock Reservoir, an Environmental Restoration Program for the Yakima Basin
YBSA continues to be concerned about climate change and how it will affect the water resources in the Yakima Basin. The Bureau of Reclamation will do an analysis of its effects on the basins water supply. The BOR along with the University of Washington Climate Impact Group will set the climate change scenarios in a time frame around the 2040’s. YBSA is pleased with the process developed by the BOR.
Ted Strong will assist YBSA by developing a strategy to move forward with a list of needed improvement for instream flow and the environment in the Yakima Basin. Also with Ted’s assistance YBSA will contact interest groups, such as the Northwest Power Planning Council, so YBSA can present an update of the Storage Study.
The Executive Committee felt it was time to request a meeting with the fish and wildlife committee of the Yakama Nation.
YBSA will continue coordinating with the BOR as they develop the Study and to remind everyone the Black Rock Reservoir will allow between 600,000 and 800,000 acre/feet of water to remain in the Yakima River that can be managed for fish and wildlife, that at least 200,000 fish can return annually because more habitat will be available, and drought years will be eliminated with 70% minimum flow for proratable irrigation districts.
YBSA met with a representative of American Rivers and explained how the Black Rock project would make sufficient water available for a more normal flow in the Yakima and Naches Rivers, open up more habitat for fish, provide an opportunity to create passage over all existing reservoirs and increase the return of fish to the Yakima River Basin by at least 200,000.
Yakima Basin Watershed Plan: The Yakima Basin Water Resources Advisory Committee (WRAC) met to develop and approve a Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) to implement recommendations found in the Yakima Basin Wastershed Plan. The DIP is to be completed and approved by WRAC, and presented to the Boards of County Commissioners who must hold public hearings which must be completed by the end of September before they can give final approval. The Department of Ecology grant provides $125,000 for the first year and with approval of the DIP, the same amount for years two and three. In years four and five, the amount is $62,000.
Film Documentary: Members of a Television Station from Denmark were here and filmed and interviewed Charlie de La Chapelle and Ted Strong at the Black Rock site, stopped and filmed a farming operation, and met and filmed members of the YBSA Board of Directors at the Prosser fish hatchery. A documentary will be developed for Denmark Television on the livelihood of Native Americans in the United States including the Yakama Nation and how Black Rock would help fulfill the Yakama’s needs for fish and irrigation.
Yakama Nation Contract with BOR: A contract between the Bureau of Reclamation and the Yakama Nation has been signed. An overview of the Yakama Nation’s project includes guidance and recommendation on Cultural Resources, Geology and Ground Water, Wildlife, Irrigation Impacts and to appoint a liaison to review day to day activities during the development of the Storage Study. The contract with the Yakama Nation begins in the fiscal year 2006 and ends in the fiscal year 2008.
Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study:
Roundtable Meeting 3 (Final Meeting)
Feasibility Analysis and NEPA/SEPA EIS
Roundtable Objectives
Purpose
Help ensure the completeness, effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability of the Storage Study.
Objectives
1. Review/revisit importance, values, measures of success in achieving Storage Study goals
2. Discuss role & treatment of primary & secondary benefits
3. Review alternatives being considered
4. Help refine criteria, tools & techniques for alternatives comparison
5. Comment of findings of alternatives comparison
6. Input to factors, methods & level of detail in upcoming analysis
Comparative Analysis of Alternatives relative to new water supply targets/goals are:
-No action includes the conservation identified in the Yakima River Basin water enhancement program approximately 160,000 acre/feet.
-Wymer storage only would be filled with Yakima River water.
-Black Rock is a water exchange project. Water from the Black Rock Reservoir would serve Roza and Sunnyside Irrigation Districts.
The key criteria used in the analysis are not less than 70% for irrigation in dry years (except SVID and Yakima-Tieton), instream flows agreed upon by Fisheries Technical Work Group and municipal needs of 82,000 acre/feet annually.
The Alternatives Comparative Analysis shows that the Black Rock Project is the only alternative that meets the identified water needs for municipal future water needs (2050) and irrigation not less than 70% for proratables. Instream flow for fish meets or exceeds flow/volume water targets in the spring, summer and winter during average, wet and dry years when Black Rock is operational. Wymer has very little flexibility when managing water for all uses in the Yakima Basin.
Roundtable Wrap Up: The wrap up of the final roundtable meeting with stakeholders produced comments and questions.
Phil Rigdon – We need more water, better timing of flows, better fish passage, more habitat, etc. Money for Black Rock could impact funding for other projects.
Commissioner Bowen – We need to follow Federal Legislation, more water for stream flow and fish, more stream flow helps with ground water recharge and meet the 70% goal for irrigation.
Urban Eberhart – The YARWEP was an interim step to get to storage. Multiple drought years will eliminate agriculture in Kittitas County.
Sid Morrision – Errors in water needs should be on the side of excess. Escess water in Black Rock can provide more power production.
Ron Van Gundy – The big project would solve the water problem and provide the benefit we need. If the big project can’t be built we need to continue with small projects.
John Eastbrook – Dept. of Fisheries is very concerned about climate change. Status quo could not be met in the future. Black Rock does more for instream flow to meet all targets than others.
Derek Sandison – DOE has approved a block of water for Black Rock in 2004. 8 million has been appropriated by the State of Washington to match the Feds for the Storage Study.
Sid Morrision – Operating costs, power generation and wind integration should be part of the answer.
Michael Garity – Benefits of aquifer and ground water storage needs to be evaluated.
Jim Milton – The Yakima River Basin Watershed Plan includes the benefits of storage.
Sid Morrision – Water improvements using Black Rock Reservoir will help meet the Yakama Nation Treaty Rights.
Kim McCartney – Seepage and ground water modeling is continuing and information will be available by June 2007. Additional work is being done on the proposed Wymer project. Drilling has been done at the dam site and pumping plant site to determine the feasibility of the Wymer facility. Review of the old information about Wymer is being updated and will include the possibility of a maximum flood in the Wymer basin
On May 3, 2007 an open house and lunch will be provided at the Prosser Fish Hatchery. Everyone is welcome.