Projects

Yakima Tributary Access and Habitat Program

Kittitas County landowners and irrigators have been especially concerned with fish habitat and other related issues since the listing of summer steelhead in the Middle Columbia in March of 2000. This listing attracted the attention of both landowners and regulatory agencies to the numerous unscreened irrigation diversions in Kittitas County.

To date, the KCCD has accepted requests for assistance on approximately 60 irrigation diversions. Nearly all of the diversions have been surveyed using small amounts of funding from various sources.

In 2009, YTAHP completed several projects that have were planned for years. These project's removed fish passage barriers opening more than 10 miles of stream habitat in Jack Creek, Indian Creek, Reecer Creek, Currier Creek and Coleman Creek. One of the projects included delivery systems and on-farm improvements in the form of 9,000 feet of pipe and a wheel line sprinkler systems. Two other projects included replacing 6 foot diameter culverts with 17 to 20 foort side culverts

Upcoming Projects

Cherry Creek

This restoration project will add fish screens to four surface water diversions, remove two fish passage barriers to allow access to 1.98 miles of rearing habitat for anadromous fish, convert associated agricultural fields from rill irrigation to sprinkler irrigation to increase water use efficiency and reduce erosion potential, convert an earthen ditch to a closed pipeline to conserve water, provide off-stream water troughs for livestock, and improve riparian habitat. The first barrier is 2.2 miles from the Yakima River, with no barriers in between. Upstream are 50 stream miles in three tributaries. The diversion structure was the first of many that blocked access to these tributaries. This project is the first step toward the larger goal of restoring access, protecting fish from entering irrigation systems, and improving habitat conditions in this watershed. Project partners include the Bonneville Power Administration – YTAHP, Department of Ecology, WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, NOAA Fisheries, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and a Washington Conservation Corps Crew.

3M Ditch

The Teanaway River- 3M Ditch project includes six landowners on the largest and one of the last gravity diversions on the mainstem of the Teanaway River. The 3M Ditch water users have a diversion, a gravel push-up dam in the river, and an approximately 1 mile long earthen delivery ditch. During summer months, the push-up berm can be a significant barrier to fish passage. The Teanaway River has suitable spawning gravels and gradients for spring chinook, steelhead, and coho. Low flows in this reach impact both passage and temperature. Improving instream flow through conservation practices and water acquisition is a key activity to address this issue. The project will involve decommissioning the gravity diversion, converting each landowner to a different system of withdrawing and applying their irrigation water, allowing the landowners to work with the Washington Water Trust to enroll in the Trust Water Rights Program. This project is specifically focused on providing passage and improved instream flow during the irrigation season (May 15 to September 15).