YBSA Monthly Report

May, 2016

Water Supply: The water supply in the Yakima River Basin appears to be adequate to provide the water necessary to meet the needs of out-of-stream use (agriculture) and instream flow (fish). All 5 reservoirs are full as of this date. With very little snow pack left in the mountains and 100° temperatures predicted for the Yakima Valley this Sunday, there will be a need to start using the water stored in the reservoirs during the first week in June.

The Water in the Yakima River: The Bureau of Reclamation manages the water available for summer and fall use to provide water for both instream and out-of-stream use. During the irrigation season a procedure called flip-flop is used. Instream flow in the Cle Elum & upper Yakima Rivers above Cle Elum are reduced so salmonoids will spawn closer to the center of the river. This is necessary so when the reservoirs start storing water for next summer, which reduces the flow in the river, the redds (nest) will remain in theflow of the river. To make up for the reduced flow in the lower Yakima River the water stored in Rimrock Reservoir will be increased (flip-flop) to near flood stage to meet the flow requirements in the river for fish and agriculture.

EIS Kachess Drawdown: The Environmental Impact report being prepared by the Bureau of Reclamation on the drawdown of Lake Kachess and the Keechelus-to-Kachess Conveyance will be published soon. The report will describe what is necessary to move toward implementation and to determine the total cost of the project.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

April, 2016

U.S. Senate Approved Bill: The U.S. Senate approved a bill that would provide $92 million for the Yakima Basin. The majority of the money will be used for fish passage at Lake Cle Elum Dam. It would also increase the amount of water stored in the Lake by 14,600 acre/feet which would be used for fish passage and instream flow. Other parts of the funding would be used to build a road and bridge just below the spillway across the Cle Elum River, create a fish catching facility in the river below the dam to haul by truck to the lake, and construct a helix in the lake to allow salmon to return to the river from the lake when the lake surface is lowered.

The bill also contained some money to continue the feasibility, environmental, and community impact study of Lake Kachess drawdown proposal.

U.S. House Bill Differs: The U.S. House bill has some different language so a committee of House and Senate members will work on a compromise bill. The committee meeting will probably occur after the November election.

Reservoir & Snowpack Supplies: The 5 reservoirs that provide water during the summer and fall for fish and agriculture in the Yakima Basin are at 94% capacity. The reservoirs provide 1/3 of the water needed for the Yakima Basin – snowpack, which provides the other 2/3 that is needed, is at 73% of normal in the North Yakima Watershed and 95% in the South Yakima Watershed. With high temperatures predicted snowpack runoff will increase. With higher than normal temperature, water needed during late summer and fall may not be available.

The April precipitation in the Yakima Basin was 14.6% of average.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

March, 2016

Lake Cle Elum Fish Passage: Construction has begun on the Lake Cle Elum fish passage facility. The first step in the project is to build a road from the Lake Cle Elum Dam Road and a bridge for access to the west side of the Cle Elum River. The new road will provide access to the new fish trap and collection facility and the juvenile fish passage helix to return the fish from the lake back to the Yakima River. The fish trap facility will be used annually to transport adult fish from the river up to Lake Cle Elum. Mitigation costs for the three foot raise in Lake Cle Elum which will close two campsites, roads, boat ramps, and create environmental issues. The cost of the project and who will pay for the mitigation costs has not been determined

Kachess and Keechelus Projects: The Bureau of Reclamation continues to prepare the documentation for the Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plant and the Keechelus-to-Kachess Reservoir Conveyance projects. The NEPA-SEPA process must be completed. The Environmental Impact Statement, and the record of decision may be completed by late 2016 or early 2017.

Water Supply for Yakima Basin Summer, 2016: Yakima River Basin Snotel Report: Snow at 100% in north Yakima Basin and 125% in south Yakima Basin. Present reservoir capacity is at 81% which is 130% of capacity for this time of year. BOR forecast a full water supply in 2016 premised on receiving average precipitation from April 1 to September 3. Next BOR forecast will occur on April 7th.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

February, 2016

Support with Concerns for Water Enhancement Program: The Yakima Basin Storage Alliance (YBSA) continues to support the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Program but are doubtful that the storage facilities actively being pursued will ever be built and meet the goal of 500,000 acre/feet of water.

The first storage facility being proposed in the 30 year plan is to pump water an additional 80 feet (200,000 acre/feet) of water from the original Lake Kachess. A study contracted by the Department of Ecology and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife to determine the impact on Kachess Property values has been completed. With this study and others a broader Environmental Impact Statement will be released this fall or in 2017. See story in the Thursday, February 25^th edition of the Northern Kittitas Country Tribune.

Each storage project in the Integrated Plan is being evaluated separately and implementation will depend on the cost of the project and the availability and authorized use of the newly stored water. With mitigation and location of the pumping/conveyance sites in doubt, when will the cost be calculated and when how will it be financed? If the project is to be evaluated by the cost of construction, operating costs, mitigation, and who will be authorized to use the water; when will the Kachess project start?

The same evaluations of Wymer and Bumping Storage projects need to be developed to determine if they can be built.

Without all the storage projects completed, the Yakima Basin will continue to be short of the water needed. With possible climate change, the storage projects will not meet our goals. The economy of the Yakima Basin depends on the availability of water for agriculture, fish, and municipal and industrial growth.

Snow-Precipitation Update: As of Sunday, February 28^th the snow-water equivalent in the upper Yakima Basin is at 97% and the lower Yakima Basin is at 95%. Reservoir storage is above average for this time of year. Additional snowpack may be needed due to the warmer temperatures.

The 1 plus million acre/feet of water stored in the reservoirs in the Yakima Basin only provide approximately 1/3 of the water needed.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

January, 2016

Senate Bill 1694: Senator Cantwell’s Bill S1694 has been approved. The following questions need to be answered to implement the water storage projects in the Integrated Plan.

1. What storage projects are specifically authorized?
2. What are the prerequisites for storage construction?
3. How will construction of storage projects be financed?
4. What is the anticipated timeline to bring storage “on-line”?

Water in the Yakima Basin: Water authorized and available in the Yakima Basin during an average year:

• 2.4 million acre/feet has been approved under entitlements.
• 1.1 million acre/feet available for senior water right holders (non-proratable).
• 1.3 million acre/feet authorized (if available) for junior water right holders (proratable).
• 1.065 million acre/feet of water stored in the basin is available when all 5 reservoirs are full.
• Proposed Storage Increases: Storage proposals in the Integrated Plan over 30 years:
• The remaining water needed for instream flow (fish) and out-of-stream use (agriculture and municipal use) depend on snowpack.

• 200,000 acre/feet Lake Kachess Pumping Plan
• 162,500 acre/feet in Wymer Reservoir Construction
• 190,000 acre/feet in Bumping Expansion with a New Dam
•  14,600 acre/feet Cle Elum for Fish Passage
• 567,100 acre/feet Total
• Snow Water Levels: Snow water equivalent for this time of year in the upper Yakima Basin is 107% and 124% in the lower Yakima Basin as found at selected NRCS SNOTEL sites.
• Reservoir Current Levels: Total capacity of the 5 reservoirs in the Yakima Basin is 55% capacity which is above average for this time of year.
• Climate Change: All water storage projects do not include the effects of a moderate climate change as a possibility.
• Mitigation required for each project needs to be identified.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

December, 2015

                                                                                                   Seasons Greetings                                                                                           Felices Pasqua

Lake Kachess: With predictions of an increase snow pack in the Cascades this winter and high costs, Roza Irrigation District terminated the plans to continue with its proposed 2016 Lake Kachess emergency temporary floating pumping plant.

Roza will continue to support the proposed permanent Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plant to be able to access an additional 200,000 acre/feet of water from the Lake after all the water stored for irrigation is removed.

Keechelus-to-Kachess (K-to-K): The Keechelus-to-Kachess conveyance (KKC) project to increase the volume of water available in Lake Kachess continues to be reviewed. The proposed conveyance project to move the water, which started in 2013, is evaluating the use of a north or south tunnel and the intake and discharge of the pipeline.

Environmental Compliance Study: The Lake Kachess pumping project and the K-to-K conveyance environmental compliance study are ongoing and are to be completed during 2016.

Current Reservoir Levels: Currently the 5 reservoirs in the Yakima River Basin are at 53% of capacity. The reservoirs are at 136% of capacity for this time of the year. The National Recourse Conservation Service (NKCS) sites, which predict snow-water equivalent, in the upper Yakima Basin are reporting 124% of average and the lower Yakima Basin sites are reporting 133% of average.

Water available in the Yakima Basin during an average year:

• 2.4 million acre/feet has been approved under entitlements.
• 1.1 million acre/feet available for senior water right holders (non-proratable).
• 1.3 million acre/feet authorized (if available) for junior water right holders (proratable).
• 1.065 million acre/feet of water stored in the basin is available when all 5 reservoirs are full.The remaining water needed for instream flow (fish) and out-of-stream use (agriculture and municipal use) depend on snowpack.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

November, 2015

Current Reservoir Content in Yakima Basin: Capacity is at 36%, which is average for this time of year. 100% capacity in the 5 reservoirs will only provide 1/3 of the total water needed in the Yakima Basin in 2016. The remaining 2/3 will have to be provided by the snowpack developed in the winter and spring.

Roza Irrigation District Proposed Lake Kachess Pumping Project: The estimated price is $58 million which has farmers concerned about the proposed plan. The Roza Irrigation District will continue to evaluate the cost of the proposed plan.

The plan would be to install a floating pump system on Lake Kachess to pump an additional 50,000 acre/feet of water from the lake after the normal drawdown is removed.

See complete story in the Yakima Herald by Kate Prengaman. Click Below

http://www.yakimaherald.com/news/local/million-price-has-farmers-divided-about-emergency-water-plan/article_a1260026-959f-11e5-a3e8-4bc5874a866a.html

Progress on Storage Projects in Yakima Basin: The Lake Cle Elum 3 foot pool rise and fish ladder has been funded. The additional 14,000 acre/feet of stored water’s first priority is for instream flow.

The Yakima Basin Integrated Plan legislation was passed by the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Senate Bill S1694 was sponsored by Senator Cantwell.

The Bureau of Reclamation is beginning its public scoping process for the Roza Irrigation District’s proposed Kachess Emergency Temporary Floating Pumping Plant (KETFPP) Project. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and for better regional coverage, there will now be three public scoping workshops held from 4:00 to 7:00 pm

December 7^th

Hal Holmes Center

Ellensburg, WA

December 8^th

U.S. Forest Service Cle Elum Ranger District

Cle Elum, WA

December 9^th

Best Western

Sunnyside, WA

The purpose of these scoping workshops is to give the public an opportunity to discuss the proposed project and identify issues and concerns relating to environmental impacts, mitigation measures, and potential alternatives.

YBSA Monthly Report
October, 2015

Reservoir Capacity: The present reservoir capacity is 10% of total. This is about 200,000 acre/feet less than at this time last year. Wet weather and a large snowpack will be necessary to provide the water needed for instream and out-of-stream needs. AT the resent time the inflow to the reservoirs is equal to the release.

Roza Irrigation District: The Roza Irrigation District Board of Directors is considering a project to pump water from Lake Kachess after the annual irrigation water supply has been completed. The Board vote was unanimous to pursue a pumping plant to withdraw an additional 50,000 acre/feet from the water that remains in the natural lake. The approximate cost of the proposed project could be $57.8 million ($1,156.00 per acre/foot) with $2.6 million additional for environmental and mitigation costs.

Water Supply 2016: With predictions of a continuation of a small snowpack in the Cascades there will not be enough water supply during 2016. Additional ways to address next year’s possible drought are being discussed. See complete story at:

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/members/lake-kachess-drought-pumping-needed-now/article_65e760b6-63c9-11e5-9d6a-0f5e94e193bb.html

Columbia River water is still available.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.

YBSA Monthly Report

September, 2015

Reservoir Water: As of September 30, the 5 reservoirs which provide water for fish and agriculture are down to 16% of capacity. With very little carryover water available in storage and the possibility of a less than normal snowpack, a more severe drought could occur in 2016.

Lake Kachess Pumping Project: A review of a temporary pumping project to access water from Lake Kachess below the existing dam (dead water) is being considered. See article:

http://www.dailyrecordnews.com/members/lake-kachess-drought-pumping-needed-now/article_65e760b6-63c9-11e5-9d6a-0f5e94e193bb.html

Lake Cle Elum Fish Passage: A presentation about the Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage Facilities was presented at the Work Group Meeting.

First phase of Cle Elum Dam fish passage construction to begin this fall

from Northern Kittitas County Tribune

September 24, 2015

By Erik Pague (erik@nkctribune.com)

RONALD – In a ceremony held at the Cle Elum Dam on Thursday, Aug. 27, local, state, federal and Yakama Nation officials gathered to announce that the official start of construction of a $100 million, high-tech fish passage at the more than 80-year-old facility is scheduled to begin this fall. The initial work will consist of building a bridge and access road across the Cle Elum River to allow work crews to access the construction site on the south bank of the river and Lake Cle Elum.

The planning for the passage began in the late 1990s and the project is intended to restore salmon biodiversity – particularly species like sockeye – to the lake and river while still providing enough water to meet the demands of irrigators downstream.

Agencies represented at the ceremony include dam owner Bureau of Reclamation, the Washington State Dept. of Ecology, and the state Department of Fish and Wildlife along with representatives and council members from the Yakama Nation.

Reclamation Pacific Northwest Regional director Lorri Lee said Bellingham-based Strider Construction is handling the bridge project, which she said should be completed by October 2016. Lee also explained how the unique helix design of the fish passage uses varying heights of entrances to allow fish to exit the reservoir at Lake Cle Elum no matter what depth it is at. A video explaining the design is available online at usbr.gov/pn/programs/eis/cle-elum.

“The intakes are staggered along the shoreline so fish can find the passage easily,” Lee said. “This is a world class facility . . . and will play a huge role in restoring this natural legacy to the watershed.”

Yakama Nation fisheries research scientist Mark Johnston said the passage would work in combination with a more conventional catch and release program that involves capturing fish at the base of the dam on the river side then trucking them to the lake in order for them to reach their traditional spawning sites higher up the watershed. Johnston said the finished project should be an environmentally friendly way to restore fish diversity and satisfy the desires of tribal leaders and fishermen who originally pushed for the passage more than a decade ago.

We’re putting the ecosystem back together and the biggest part is we’re doing it with the least amount of impacts on anybody else,” Johnston said. “It’s a win-win situation for everybody.”

Lake Cle Elum Pool Raise: Mitigation and shoreline protection costs created by the 3-ft. raise in the surface of the Lake are being evaluated.

Keechelus to Kachess Conveyance & Pumping Project: The Draft EIS for the Keechelus to Kachess Conveyance and the Drought Relief Pumping plant are still being reviewed.

Two proposed Tunnels to transfer water from the Keechelus Basin to Kachess are still being studied. The Lake Kachess draw down continues with the need to address concerns such as property values, ground water depletion, additional drilling to locate the pumping plant in the Lake, and fish passage between Lake Kachess and Little Lake Kachess.

Tieton Dam: An appraisal assessment is now being completed for fish passage facilities for Tieton Dam (Rimrock Lake).

Lower Yakima River Water: The water in the Lower Yakima River is being studied to address the low flows in the river and thermal blockage that curtails fish passage. During this year’s drought very few salmonoids have traversed the Lower Yakima River.

Presentation at Work Group Meeting: At the September 3 Integrated Plan Work Group Meeting YBSA expressed their concern that the plan is taking too long to address the water supply problem in the Basin, thermal barrier effects on returning sockeye, and the past and future concerns about expansion of Bumping Lake, the project should be removed from consideration.

YBSA Monthly Report

August, 2015

With two-thirds of 2015 behind us where are we in our attempt to provide water for instream flow and out of stream use? Ongoing projects included in the June 3^rd Integrated Plan for the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement include fish enhancements, fish passage studies, ground water analysis, tributary enhancements, purchase of the Teanaway Forrest, and Storage projects.

Accomplishments to date include additional habitat construction, additional conservation, management of the Teanaway Community Forrest, Manastash enhancement, and creating access to the base of Lake Cle Elum Dam. Storage projects which are crutial to enshre the Yakima River Basin water supply are the Wymer and Bumping Projects which continue to be analyzed and the Kachess inactive storage project.

Draft EIS of Keechelus-Kachess: The Draft EIS for the Keechelus and Kachess project was distributed. With uncertain information on the Draft, the EIS time period was extended. With the extended time period over, everyone is waiting for a decision to move forward with the project or drop it.

Drought: The 2015 drought has reduced the ability for salmon/sockeye to move throughout the Yakima River Basin and damaged our agricultural economy. With the predictions of a less than adequate snowpack this winter 2016 could be another year with insufficient water.

IP Appraisal of Columbia River Water: The material distributed at the Integrated Plan Work Group Meeting on June 3^rd listed, “Begin appraisal of potential projects to transfer water from the Columbia River to the Yakima Basin”/ The Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study was completed in 2008 and was determined not to be cost effective. Times have changed since 2008 and a project which could be a possible answer to future droughts by brining Columbia River water to the Yakima Basin should be immediately reevaluated.

Go to www.ybsa.org for additional information.