HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/12/2017 13 Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan; November 2017 Project Activity Update1
BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDASTATEMENT
Item No. 13.C.
For Meeting of: December 12, 2017
ITEM TITLE: Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
November 2017 Project Activity Update
SUBMITTED BY: David Brown, Water/Irrigation Manager 509-575-6204
Scott Schafer, Director of Public Works
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
November 2017 Project Activity Update to provide updates on technical aspects of ongoing
planning studies for the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
(Integrated Plan)
ITEM BUDGETED:
NA
STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Partnership Development
APPROVED FOR
SUBMITTAL:
City Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
BOARD/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date
Activity Report 11/29/2017
Type
Backup Material
Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
Project Activity Update
November 2017
Purpose: To provide updates on technical aspects of ongoing planning studies for the
Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (Integrated Plan)
Fish Passage Element
Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage Facilities and Reintroduction Project:
Reclamation awarded the construction contract for the access road and bridge in July 2015; the project
was completed in October 2016. The construction contract for a portion (secant pile vault) of the
juvenile fish passage facility was awarded in July 2016; the onsite work began in April 2017. The
secant pile drilling was completed November 2017. Excavation of secant pile vault is scheduled to
start Spring 2018. The construction contract for the tunnel bypass was awarded in August 2017 with
construction scheduled to start Spring 2018.
The juvenile fish passage facility has an innovative helix design to transport juvenile fish downstream
over 63 feet of fluctuation in the reservoir. The upstream adult fish passage facility currently includes
trap-and-haul—fish are hauled in a fish transport truck for release in the Cle Elum Reservoir or
upstream tributaries. Project managers are evaluating the Whooshh® —an innovative fish transport
system that may reduce the cost and time to implement the adult passage facility. The Whooshh®fish
passage technology was tested at the Roza Fish Trap in summer 2016 for spring Chinook as a
surrogate for possible application at Cle Elum Dam. A similar test was performed in fall 2016 at the
Yakama Nation Fisheries Facility at Prosser Dam for fall Chinook and Coho Salmon. Data for both
tests are being analyzed. A third test of the Whooshh®fish transport system was conducted in July
2017 at Cle Elum Dam. Results of the testing are expected to be available in December 2017.
Reclamation in collaboration with the Yakama Nation are planning to run a second year of testing
Summer 2017.
Box Canyon Creek Fish Passage:
The appraisal report for Box Canyon Creek passage and the passage between upper Kachess
Reservoir and lower Kachess Reservoir (the Narrows) was completed in February 2016. The Passage
Workgroup met in June 2016 to review and discuss several passage options for Box Canyon Creek.
The workgroup decided to move forward with constructing a roughened channel with channel control
structures as the preferred option. WDFW is coordinating with Reclamation to complete preliminary
design for the Box Canyon Creek Fish Passage. The agencies anticipate additional survey work will
be complete by October 2017, and the preliminary design will be completed by December 2017.
Clear Creek Dam Fish Passage:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in coordination with the Yakama Nation, Reclamation, and WDFW
has completed a study of Bull Trout in Clear Lake Reservoir and in Clear Creek just below the Clear
Creek Dam. Ecology requested funding for fish passage improvements at this location in the State
funding biennium request (2017-2019). Reclamation is coordinating with USFWS, Yakama Nation,
and WDFW on design options for fish passage at Clear Creek Dam. Until passage improvements are
accomplished, USFWS plans to capture Bull Trout from below Clear Creek Dam and transport and
U.S. Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation
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release them into the North Fork Tieton River. USFWS has completed these operations in 2016 and
2017 and to date has transported 36 adult Bull Trout to the North Fork Tieton.
Structural and Operational Changes Element
Keechelus-to-Kachess Conveyance (KKC) Project:
Refer to KDRPP project below.
Cle Elum Pool Raise:
Construction work on the radial gates began in summer 2016 and was completed in April 2017.
Reclamation will issue several contracts over several years for shoreline protection actions. The
solicitation package for Contract 1, improvements on U.S. Forest Service facilities (specifically, Cle
Elum Campground) was awarded September 2017 and construction was completed November 21,
2017. Reclamation and Ecology anticipate awarding contract for Speelyi Day Use Area shoreline
protection in FY18. Reclamation and Ecology are meeting with local landowners. Additional public
notices about the timing of construction and informational meetings on existing shoreline designs will
be mailed to shoreline parcel owners.
Power Subordination:
Chandler Pumping Plant Electrification
Kennewick Irrigation District (KID) and their consultant developed a concept design for an electric
pumping plant at Chandler. Reclamation has reviewed the concept design and KID performed a
transient analysis which has been reviewed by Reclamation. Reclamation, Ecology and HDR recently
completed Phase 3 modeling, including examination of return flows in the lower Yakima System to
determine impacts on KID from future conservation efforts. Modeling is ongoing. Reclamation
continue to coordinate with KID on review of Chandler Electrification project.
Lower Yakima River Smolt Survival Study
Reclamation is coordinating with Yakama Nation, USGS, NMFS, USFWS, WDFW, Irrigation
Districts and others to develop a Lower Yakima River Smolt Survival Study in collaboration with the
Lower River Subgroup. The study will begin in Spring 2018.
Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District Feasibility Study of Relocating Point of Diversion:
YTID has completed the study and the final report has been submitted to Ecology.
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Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District Main Canal Repair/Replacement
The District is continuing to evaluate alternatives to repair or replace the YTID main canal.
Previous studies have reviewed the following Broad concepts for canal alternatives:
1. Baseline Alternative (Tieton Canal Repair)
2. Tieton Canal Replacement
3. North Fork Cowiche Creek Reservoir
4. Diversion Relocation to Wapatox Diversion Dam (and associated new conveyance system)
The district is continuing to study the alternatives. The purposes of this study are to: 1. Identify and
review four primary canal repair or replacement concepts developed in previous studies. 2. Identify
additional alternatives that are available through combinations of the original alternatives. 3.
Compare and evaluate alternatives using a common set of cost and noncost evaluation criteria. 4.
Identify preferred alternatives and implementation strategies.
Surface Water Storage Element
Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plant (KDRPP)
Reclamation and Ecology anticipate releasing the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact
Statement to the public in late December with Roza Irrigation District as a partner. Public meetings
are scheduled for late January.
Wymer Reservoir
Consideration of site requirements is ongoing.
Bumping Reservoir Enlargement Project
Consideration of site requirements is ongoing.
Groundwater Storage Element
Groundwater Storage — Basinwide Analysis
A new Groundwater Storage Subcommittee was established with chair, Tom Ring, Yakama Nation.
The subcommittee is reviewing all ongoing groundwater storage projects and developing a mission
statement and objectives.
In October, a half day workshop was held to review the status of all ongoing groundwater storage
projects. A mission statement and objectives have been developed (should take place 11/15/2017).
In the Wapato Irrigation Project, additional monitoring-well locations have been identified, which
will help with observation of the aquifer system response to recharge activities from Toppenish
Creek. Reclamation is working with Yakama Nation Engineering to locate and drill the three (3)
additional wells in 2017. Ecology will install pressure transducers, and data will be analyzed to
determine the benefits of the recharge activities. Monitoring of existing sites continues. Yakama
Nation is getting permitting for wells and coordinating with Reclamation drill crew to schedule
drilling.
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Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR)
The City of Yakima is currently developing a Quality Assurance Project Plan, a Disinfection
Byproduct Management tech memo, a Hydraulic Control of Disinfection Byproducts During ASR
tech memo, and an ASR Operations and Maintenance Manual for aquifer recharge. The City plans
to recharge in the winter of 2017-2018.
Habitat Protection and Enhancement Element
Targeted Watershed Protection and Enhancement
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources and Washington Department of Fish and
Wildlife are working with the Teanaway Community Forest (TCF) advisory committee to develop
a recreation plan for the TCF. Actions will be guided by the recently approved management plan.
Other projects in the TCF include:
• Installation of 7 miles of fencing to protect riparian habitat from cattle grazing activities.
• Removed one fish barrier that opened 0.7 miles of fish habitat and replaced a culvert with a
bridge structure
• Maintained 25 miles of road for surface drainage to reduce potential sediment delivery and
maintain a usable infrastructure.
Mainstem Floodplain and Tributaries Fish Habitat Enhancement Program
Recipients of funding from the State's 2015-17 biennium are continuing installation of fish habitat
restoration projects at several locations. Funding for the 2017-2019 biennium is currently pending
action by the State Legislature.
The Yakama Nation and Kittitas County Conservation District are working to engage landowners and
farm and ranch operators in contracting funds awarded in 2016 by the USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service (NRCS) through their Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The
"Yakima Integrated Plan — Toppenish to Teanaway Project" is funded through 2021. The RCPP funding
focuses on insufficient water/drought, water quality degradation, and inadequate fish & wildlife habitat
in priority areas in Kittitas County and on the Yakama Nation Reservation lands. The first opportunity
for Kittitas Valley producers to sign up for funding is October, 2017.
The 5- year agreement between the Yakama Nation and NRCS was completed and entered into
NRCS's system on September 29th. A project kick-off meeting including KCCD and the Yakama
Nation and a half dozen NRCS staff members occurred on October 10th. KCCD started the first
sign-up for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding in this project. To date, there are
nearly 20 applications and more may come before the November 17 deadline. KCCD also held a
meeting with partners and the NRCS staff knowledgeable about their easement programs in order to
prepare for implementation of that portion of this larger project over the next couple of years.
Enhanced (Nater Conservation Element
Multiple contracts associated with the State's 2015-17 biennium have concluded and conservation
projects are completed or nearing completion. Funding for the 2017-19 biennium is currently pending
action by the State Legislature.
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Market Reallocation Element
September 2017, Kittitas Reclamation District was awarded Reclamation's WaterSMART Water
Marketing Strategies grant (https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/newsrelease/detail.cfm?RecordID-60457)
Ecology cancelled their Request for Proposal for private -sector firms or organizations to develop
updated information and recommendations to advance the Market Reallocation Element. Ecology will
collaborate as needed with KRD on their effort.
Contacts for Information on the Integrated Plan:
Wendy Christensen, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Columbia -Cascades Area
Office, (509) 575-5848, ext. 203
Thomas Tebb, Washington State Department of Ecology, Office of Columbia River, (509) 574-3989
Project website: http://www.usbr.Q,ov/pn/proQ,rams/yrbwep/index.html
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