YBSA Monthly Report

February, 2017

Teanaway Community Forest: Summer projects:

• • Fencing along creeks
• • Lick creek improvement for fish passage
• • Wildfire defense by trimming and other forest management

• • Floodplain management along creeks

Funding Update: The Department of Natural Resources is requesting $2 million for operating and capital projects for the next 2 years. Funds would be used to support fish and wildlife restoration which is one of the objectives of the Yakima River Basin Integrated Plan.

Proposed State Budget Requests: The State Department of Ecology 2017-2019 state budget proposal for funding the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan include:

• • Habitat at $5.4 million
• • Fish passage at Cle Elum Dam $9 million and Clear Lake Dam $1.5 million
• • Structural and operational modifications: Cle Elum poos raise $3 million
• • Surface water storage: Lake Kachees drawdown $2.4 million and Wymer or Bumping $3 million
• • Groundwater storage $1.1 million
• • Water conservation: Ag projects $5 million and municipal and domestic $0.1 million
• • General support for market and banking $0.6 million

Total requested $31.1 million

The Department of Natural Resources requested $1.5 million

Update on Water Storage and Availability: Storage in the 5 reservoirs is at 62% which is 100% of average. Water available in the snowpack above the reservoirs is estimated to be able to fill all 5 reservoirs.

Snow water equivalent for the Upper Yakima Basin is at 105% of average and the lower basin is at 108% of average.

The new updated Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Lake Kachess pumping plan is expected to be available by June 1st. Many changes in the proposed drawdown of the Lake have delayed the final EIS.

Lake Cle Elum fish passage is continuing this spring. Completion will depend on the amount of funding available.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

February, 2017

Water Report: Storage in the 5 reservoirs is at 50% of capacity which is 92% of average (1981-2010). Precipitation for the water year (Oct. 1 to Feb 26) is at 95% of average. Snow water equivalent for the upper Yakima Basin is 86% of average and the lower basin is at 98%. USBR will announce a water supply forecast for 2017 on March 6.

Irrigation season will begin in March. The exact day will be determined by the need to start irrigating as determined by the Irrigation Districts Board of Directors.

WSDA: The Washington State Department of Agriculture report on the economic impact of the 2015 drought:

•  Losses in the Roza Irrigation District are estimated at just under $77 million
•  Losses in the KRD was above $11 million
•  Losses in the WIP was about $32 million

•  Statewide losses between $633 to $773 million

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

January, 2017

Renewed Emphasis on Water Needed: The Presidential Election is over and cabinet and other positions have been filled. A renewed emphasis on the importance of the water needs for agriculture and fish in the Yakima Basin should be revisited with the new administration.

Yakima Project Hydromet Report: As of January 31^st, the Yakima Project Hydromet system status report (Yakima River Basin) reports that the present capacity of the 5 reservoirs is at 47%. Water entering the 5 reservoirs is 93% of normal and released from the reservoirs is at 63%.

Group Voice Concerns with BOR Riverware Model: A hydrology report on the effects of Lake Kachess drawdown has been completed. A coalition of individuals and organizations supporting transparency and science-based decision making with regard to water policy in the Yakima Basin have requested and analysis of the reliability and validity of the BOR Riverware Model software for predicting claims of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. This analysis is now available and should be an agenda item for presentation and discussion at the next YBIP Workgroup Meeting.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

December, 2016

Water for the Yakima Basin: As of December 31^st, the Yakima River Basin water storage system (Keechelus, Kachess, Cle Elum, Bumping, & Rimrock) is at 46% of capacity which is at 109% of capacity for this time of year. Perception at the 5 reservoirs is 26.71 inches which is 79% of average. Snow water equivalent for the Upper Yakima Basin is 92% of average and the Lower Yakima Basin is at 96%.

Water Needs for Agriculture: A study by Washington State University projecting future water needs for agriculture in the Columbia River Basin is due for publication in early 2017. The study will report an increased water supply between November and May. More precipitation will fall as rain in the winter, and the snow that does accumulate will melt earlier in the spring. In the fall and summer, when flows are low, farmers will interruptible water rights may have their use curtailed more often.

Grants for Salmon Recovery: The Washington State Salmon Recovery Board has recently awarded $697,930 of the $14.6 million distributed statewide to Kittitas County. The projects funded will be for habitat restoration to help salmon recovery. The complete story can be found in the December 22^nd issue of the Northern Kittitas County Tribune.

YBSA wishes everyone a happy and prosperous New Year!

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

November, 2016

Water Supply Predictions: A portion of the report prepared by the Office of Columbia River (OCR) describes the long term water supply and demand forecast for the Columbia Basin. This report also includes the Yakima River Basin in its predictions

The average annual seasonality for supply through 2025 shows a decrease of 10% between June and October and an increase of 30% between March and May. Temperatures will continue to rise 2½ degrees through 2050. The study also shows a decline in ground water in the deep aquifer of 10 feet per year.

Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage: The Phase 1 construction contract for an access road and bridge was completed in November 2016. The Phase 2 construction contract for a portion of the juvenile fish passage facility was awarded in July 2016, and work will begin March 2017.

The juvenile fish passage facility has an innovative helix design to transport juvenile fish downstream over 63 feet of fluctuation in the reservoir. The upstream adult passage facility currently includes trap-and-haul in which the fish would be hauled in a fish transport truck for release in the Cle Elum Reservoir or upstream tributaries.

Lake Kachess Drawdown Project: A KDRPP and KKC Supplemental Draft EIS is being prepared for release in 2017. A supplemental draft EIS (SID EIS) will include new information that had been gathered since release of the Draft EIS in January 2015 regarding project impacts, as well as updated information on the proposed Bull Trout Enhancement.

A new estimate of costs for the complete Kachess drawdown project should be included.

Bull Trout Passage: Bull Trout fish passage facilities at Lake Kachess and Clear Creek Dam continues to be evaluated.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

October, 2016

Growing Season: Another successful growing season has been completed in the Yakima Basin. Irrigation water was available through the summer and fall. Snowpack in the Cascade Mountains again provided the water necessary to supplement the amount of storage. Snowpack provides 2/3 of the water necessary for instream flow (fish) and out of stream use (agriculture). Every year the snow in the mountains is our 6^th reservoir. This winter’s snowpack will determine the amount of water available for 2017.

Integrated Plan Storage & Mitigation: The Integrated Plan storage projects continue to be studied. A number of fish passage projects and acquisition of land for preservation have been completed. The estimated cost for construction, operation, and mitigation have not been presented. The 5 proposed storage projects have to identify the costs and explain how and who will pay for them. Mitigation means additional money has to be spent to maintain the environmental and personal losses that would be destroyed by building or increasing the size of the reservoirs.

Lake Cle Elum Fish Passage: The Lake Cle Elum fish passage project is moving forward. The road and bridge to access the west side of the Cle Elum River below the spillway is nearly complete at an estimated cost of $4.5 million. The helix fish passage facility would allow juvenile salmon to escape the lake. The trap and haul facility would catch the salmon in the river below the dam and haul the salmon to the lake. The estimated completion time is approximately 3 years with costs still to be determined.

Salmonids from the Columbia River: A plan to improve the movement of salmonids from the Columbia River through the lower Yakima River is to be developed to assist the salmonids to reach the upper reaches of the Yakima River to Spawn.

YBSA Monthly Report

September, 2016

Water Availability: The Yakima River Basin economy continued to prosper with another year with water available for out-of-stream use (agriculture) and instream use (fish). There is approximately 27% (289,484 acre/feet) storage capacity of water remaining in the storage system. At the end of the irrigation season the water remaining in the reservoirs will be carried over to help in providing the water needed in 2017. The Bureau of Reclamation is predicting carry over in the 200,000 to 300,000 acre/feet range. The 30 year carryover average is about 270,000 acre/fee.

Environmental Impact Statements: The Department of Ecology (DOE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) continues to prepare two Environmental Impact Statements (EIS) one for Lake Kachess drawdown of 200,000 acre/feet with a floating pumping plant. It also includes a pipeline from Lake Keechelus to Lake Kachess to supplement Kachess water when it is available. The other proposed reservoir, Wymer, located in the Yakima River Canyon will be evaluating the construction of 2 dams and 160,000 acre/feet of water in the Yakima Canyon.

Water Conservation: The water conservation programs are continuing in the Yakima Basin. The purpose of conservation is to supplement the water available from the 5 storage reservoirs. The effect of the conservation program on the thousands of domestic wells and ground water return flow to the Yakima River should be evaluated.

Fish Hatchery: The Cle Elum fish hatchery has been operated now for 20 years. The spring chinook hatchery has hatched and released 11.5 million smolts into the basin. Recently 617 adults have been caught at Roza Dam and transported to the Cle Elum Hatchery this year.

Washington State Budget Request: $31.1 million has been requested for the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan in the Washington State Capital Budget for 2017-2019. It includes $5.4 million to continue evaluation of the surface storage projects. The estimated cost to complete these 4 storage projects included in the Integrated Plan is $3.8 billion over 30 years.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

August, 2016

Reservoirs and Flip-Flop: The 5 reservoirs are at 43% of capacity with 1½ months remaining in the irrigation season. The flip-flop has begun which reduces the volume of water being released from Lake Cle Elum and increases the volume released from Rimrock Lake. The purpose of the flip-flop is to protect the areas where salmon spawn in the Cle Elum River.

Water Volumes: The volume of water entering the 5 reservoirs at this time is 637 cfs, releases from the reservoirs is 4379 cfs and the volume of water in the Yakima River below Prosser is 421 cfs.

Budget: The proposed budget request in the Washington State Capital Budget for 2017-2019 is $31.1 million. The request includes $5.4 million for surface storage. The proposed use is $2.4 million for Lake Kachess pumping project, and $3 million for the review of the Wymer and Bumping Reservoir projects.

YBSA Request: Yakima Basin Storage Alliance has requested the Bureau of Reclamation review the amount of water available in each of the proposed storage projects included in the Integrated Plan. The review should include the moderate adverse climate change scenario, and the historic hydrograph from the RiverWare model output. The drought-year proratable irrigation water supply goal of not less than 70% may not be achieved in every year with adverse climate change conditions.

Congressional Legislation: Information on the proposed Congressional legislation S 1694 and HR 4686 addressing the Yakima River Basin can be found at the top of the home page at www.ybsa.org.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

July, 2016

Water Supply Forecast: The Bureau of Reclamation’s July, 2016 total water supply forecast for the Yakima Basin predicts a 100% water supply for senior water rights, but less than 90% for junior water rights. The prediction is based on average precipitation and temperature in the basin.

Water in Reservoirs: The total reservoir capacity is at 75% and water entering the reservoir is 1206 cubic feet per second (cfs) and releases are at 4954 cfs

Proposed Storage Quantity: YBSA has requested from the Bureau of Reclamation a verification of the amount of water included in the proposed storage projects in the Integrated Plan. The quantity estimated in the plan for storage during drought years and climate change needs to be reviewed.

Lake Kachess: It has been stated that the EIS for Lake Kachess drawdown may extend until 2017. An update of the costs of construction, costs of mitigation, and annual operating costs should be updated.

Lake Cle Elum: Construction of the Lake Cle Elum fish passage project is progressing. The increase of a 3 foot rise of water in the lake will make shoreline changes, and who will pay for those changes, necessary.

With warmer weather in the forecast the water temperatures in the lower Yakima River will increase. When temperatures in the lower river reach the 70’s, salmonoids have difficulty in moving up the river. Sockeye and fall chinook will be attempting to move upstream toward their spawning areas.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information (in both English & Spanish).

YBSA Monthly Report

June, 2016

Meeting with Committees of IP: YBSA met with members of the Executive and Implementation Committees of the Integrated Plan Work Group. The discussion revolved around the projects that are being implemented and the need for additional stored water.

YBSA presented the group with a form that needed to be completed by the Bureau of Reclamation to show how much stored water is included in the Integrated Plan and what water will be available in the 30 year plan with various options and weather conditions.

Water Supply: This year’s snowpack in the central Cascades was greater than 100%. The water available for Roza Irrigation District is about 85%. With climate change the water supply in the Integrated Plan and the cost of the storage plan along with who will pay for it should be verified.

Environmental Impact Statement for Kachess Project: The EIS for the Lake Kachess drawdown project continues to be developed. Final determination of a location of the Keechelus-to-Kachess conveyance and the Lake Kachess pumping plant needs to be completed. Once completed the costs of construction, operation, mitigation for the surrounding area, and the effect of Bull Trout in the Kachess Basin. The target date for completion of the EIS is late 2016 or early 2017.

River Flow: A lower Yakima River subgroup has been developed to review the instream flow and the warm water impact on salmonoid (Sockeye) returning to spawn in the rivers and streams in the Yakima Basin.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.