Manastash

Implementation Plan

This document proposes a plan for improvements to instream flow conditions in Manastash Creek. Click here to view the document.

Other Documents

Signed Implementation Plan

Signed MOA

MOA appendices

SEPA

Instream Flow Potential Project List

Steering Committe

Information (under construction)

Manastash project

Manastash Creek is an important Yakima River tributary, which drains a 100-square mile watershed in Kittitas County lying west of Ellensburg, Washington. Approximately 30 miles of potential high-quality salmonid habitat remains in the upper portions of the watershed, which lie primarily within the Wenatchee National Forest.

On March 25, 1999, NMFS listed the Middle Columbia River Basin steelhead ESU as "threatened," effective May 24, 1999. 64 Fed. Reg. 14,517. This ESU includes the Yakima River and its tributaries. On February 16, 2000, NMFS designated the Yakima River and its tributaries as critical habitat for Middle Columbia River steelhead. 65 Fed. Reg. 7779. In May 2000, the Manastash Ditch Water Users became the first of many private diverters in Kittitas County, to request financial and technical assistance from the KCCD to address fish screening and passage issues. In response to those requests, the KCCD performed surveys (both general informational surveys and professional topographic surveys) on five diversion structures on Manastash Creek.

The KCCD was also able to utilize regional engineering assistance from Paul Cleary (Central Klickitat Conservation District) to perform both the topographic surveys and to begin designing and engineering screen and passage structures for these sites. This work continued through March of 2003 and involved numerous consultations with Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) and NOAA Fisheries engineers. While the technical assistance was provided to the diverters, the KCCD and the Kittitas County Water Purveyors (KCWP) began searching for funds to construct and implement the screening and passage structures.

In February 2001, the Washington Environmental Council (WEC) sent the WDFW, and the largest private water users on Manastash Creek, the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) and the Westside Irrigating Company (Westside) a draft notice of intent to sue under Section 11(g) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. § 1540(g). The draft notice alleged that continued operation of the six irrigation diversions on Manastash Creek would result in an unlawful "take" of threatened steelhead under Section 9 of the ESA, 16 U.S.C. 1538(a). The WEC contended that prior to the advent of irrigated agriculture; Manastash Creek produced steelhead, coho and spring chinook salmon. WEC asserted the main factors limiting anadromous fish production in Manastash Creek were barriers to passage presented by four irrigation diversion dams, six associated unscreened diversions (Manastash, Jensen, Keach, Reed, Anderson and Barnes Road) which entrain juvenile fish, and the diversion of the entire stream flow during the summer/early fall irrigation season between stream miles 1.5 and 4.9. In 1990, Manastash Creek was rated by the Bureau of Reclamation as "Category II," meaning that "flows, access and habitat would be adequate with improvements that are technically feasible within 10 years." Yakima/Klickitat Production Project at 4-3.

The draft notice was accompanied by a cover letter inviting the water users to work with WEC in a collaborative process which would protect both threatened fish and the future of irrigated agriculture in Kittitas County. The parties met initially on March 1, 2001, and agreed to move forward with a collaborative process to address the issues raised in WEC's draft notice. These collaborative efforts proceeded and a relationship of cooperation and trust between the parties has developed. That relationship is the result of the WEC and the irrigators, even though they had different positions, agreement to recognize and respect each others goals. The WEC's goal is to eliminate fish passage barriers, eliminate unscreened diversions and improve instream flows. The irrigators' goal is to cooperate in the improvement of fish habitat on Manastash Creek while at the same time remaining whole and being able to manage and operate their land and water rights as a viable agricultural enterprise.

A conceptual watershed restoration plan is the fruit of these many months of collaborative efforts. That plan includes two phases. In Phase I, the major water diversions on Manastash Creek will be consolidated and reconstructed so as to eliminate manmade barriers or impediments to fish passage and all unscreened diversions. The goal of Phase II is the restoration of natural summer/fall flows in the lower part of Manastash Creek while at the same time protecting the vested water rights of the Manastash Creek water users. The collaborative work on Manastash Creek resulted in two funding sources to implement solutions. The first was awarded to WDFW in 2002 by the Bonneville Power Administration. It includes over 1 million to address fish screening and passage at the Manastash diversions. The second is an appropriation by the 2003 Washington State Legislature totaling $2.24 million to address "Phase I" of the "PROTECTING AND RESTORING ANADROMOUS FISH IN MANASTASH CREEK- A COLLABORATIVE WATERSHED RESTORATION PLAN".

Additional Information

under construction