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Yakima Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan

March 2, 2012 - Final Programmatic EIS Released

Today, Ecology and the US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) released the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (Plan).

The Final PEIS evaluates two alternatives to meet the water supply and ecosystem restoration needs in the Yakima River Basin: a "No Action Alternative" and the "Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan Alternative." The Integrated Plan Alternative is identified as the Preferred Alternative.

The Integrated Plan’s seven elements include: reservoir fish passage; structural and operational changes to existing facilities; surface water storage; groundwater storage; habitat/watershed protection and enhancement; enhanced water conservation; and market reallocation of water.

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Integrated Plan At-a-Glance

Working Group

In June 2009, Ecology and Reclamation brought representatives from the Yakama Nation, irrigation districts, environmental organizations, and federal, state, county, and city governments together to form the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Working Group to help develop a consensus-based solution to the basin’s water problems.

The goal is to seek authorization and funding from both the U.S. Congress and the Washington State Legislature to begin implementing projects outlined in the integrated plan. The work group adopted the plan in 2011 that led to the preparation of the EIS released today. Individual projects will each receive specific environmental review. The document serves as an umbrella framework for the entire plan.

The plan will be further refined based on the comments received during the programmatic environmental review and forwarded to the U.S. Department of Interior for authorization and policy consideration by Congress and the state Legislature in 2013.

The Plan includes the following elements:

  • Fish Passage
  • Fish Habitat Enhancement
  • Modifying Existing Structures and Operations
  • Surface Storage
  • Market-Based Reallocation
  • Groundwater Storage
  • Enhanced Water Conservation

For more information about the plan, see  the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement  for the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan.

YRBWEP Working Group Documents

Yakima River Basin Environmental Reports and Documents

More Information

A Water Plan For Fish, Families And Farmers (Northwest Public Radio)

 
Driftboat on the Yakima River

YAKIMA BASIN INTEGRATED PLAN E-MAIL LIST

Keep up-to-date with the latest information by joining the Yakima Basin Plan listserv.

YRBWEP WORKING GROUP MEMBERS

  • Brad Avey
    WA Department of Agriculture
  • Dale Bambrick
    NOAA Fisheries Service
  • Jim Beaver
    Benton County Commission
  • Alex Conley
    Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board
  • Rick Dieker
    Yakima-Teiton Irrigation District
  • Urban Eberhart
    Kittitas Reclamation District
  • Michael Garrity
    American Rivers
  • Ken Hasbrouck
    Kittitas Reclamation District
  • Paul Jewell
    Kittitas County Commission
  • Dave Fast
    Yakama Nation
  • Mike Leita
    Yakima County Commission
  • Bill Lover
    City of Yakima
  • Sid Morrison
    Yakima Basin Storage Alliance
  • Scott Revell
    Kennewick Irrigation District
  • Phil Rigdon
    Yakama Nation
  • Derek Sandison
    WA Department of Ecology
  • Jeff Tayer
    WA Department of Fish & Wildlife
  • Jeff Thomas
    US Fish & Wildlife Service
  • Jim Trull
    Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District
  • Dawn Wiedmeier
    US Bureau of Reclamation