Watershed Management > Watershed Management Updates by WRIA > Yakima River Basin

Yakima River Basin - Lower/Upper Yakima & Naches (WRIA 37/38/39)

WRIA 37

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WRIA 38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WRIA 39

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grants awarded through June 2010

$2,055,306

Background

On December 18, 2002, the Yakima Basin Plan became the first in the State to be approved by a planning unit and forwarded for additional public consideration and adoption by the counties.

Three years after planning group approval, the Yakima, Benton, and Klickitat boards of commissioners approved the Yakima Basin Watershed Management Plan for the Lower Yakima and Naches watersheds. Kittitas County opted out of final plan adoption for the Upper Yakima basin; they are not eligible for implementation grants.

The lead agency for the Lower Yakima and Naches watersheds is the Yakima Basin Water Resources Agency. They received Phase 4 funding in September 2006 and the planning group completed the detailed implementation plan in July 2007.

The watershed plan contains no obligations for county or state agencies.

Instream flow status

No instream flows are set in rule; however, target flows (enacted by Congress) and instream flow tribal treaty rights (affirmed by the Yakima Superior Court) are in place in the Yakima Basin. Both target and instream flows are managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Ecology anticipates no other instream flow activities at this time.

Outside links, publications, studies, data

• WRIA 37
• WRIA 38
• WRIA 39

 

Please send additions or corrections to Chris Anderson, (360) 407-6634.