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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 16.B.
For Meeting of: February 4, 2020
ITEM TITLE: Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
January2020 Quarterly Project Activity Update
SUBMITTED BY: David Brown,Assistant Director of Public Works 509-575-6204
Scott Schafer, Director of Public Works
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
The January 2020 Quarterly Project Activity Update provides information 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 BY THE CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
i pe rt 1/1 /2020 r Memo
Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
Project Activity Update
January 2020
Purpose: To provide updates on technical aspects of ongoing planning studies and
project implementation for the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource
Management Plan (Integrated Plan)
Fish Passage Element
Cle Elum Dam Fish Passage Facilities and Reintroduction Project:
The juvenile fish passage facility will use an innovative helix design to transport juvenile fish
downstream. It will allow fish to leave the reservoir as the water surface fluctuates over the top 63 feet
in elevation. This will provide downstream passage from April 1 through the beginning of June in
most years. The upstream adult fish passage facility will be a trap-and-haul facility where fish are
trapped at the base of the spillway, loaded into a truck, and then hauled for release into Cle Elum
Reservoir or to upstream tributaries.
Construction Update: The access road and spillway bridge construction contract is complete. The
secant vault construction is complete. Construction for the downstream passage tunnel is in progress.
Excavation and installation of the outer tunnel liner is expected to be completed in November 2019.
Installation of the inner liner,formed in place smooth concrete, will begin this winter. Construction
under this contract is anticipated to be complete in 2020. The Intake, Gate, and Helix contractor
mobilized in late April 2019. Construction of Intake #6, the lowest elevation intake within the
reservoir, will be completed fall 2019. In addition, shoring work needed for the installation of the
intake conduits that will run between the intake gates and the secant will be installed by the beginning
of November 2019.
Study Update: In 2018, Reclamation and the Yakama Nation worked with the USGS to conduct an
adult sockeye tracking test to understand their migration between Roza and Cle Elum dams. The
partners are currently working on a sockeye tracking study in the lower Yakima River(mouth of the
river to Roza Dam). The study will evaluate passage issues at diversion dams, possible false
attraction, micro climate use, and Columbia River Stranding. The USGS project report is expected on
March 31, 2020.
Box Canyon Creek Fish Passage:
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) with input from Reclamation, Ecology
and other passage restoration experts has completed a conceptual design for the Box Canyon Creek
Fish Passage Enhancement Project. Reclamation, Ecology, Yakama Nation and Yakima Basin
Integrated Plan partners will finalize the design. An additional field survey was needed to move the
conceptual design toward final design. This survey work was obtained October 2018. The final
design work is expected to begin following discussions with potential project partners. .
Clear Creek Dam Fish Passage:
Reclamation completed an appraisal level design for fish passage in September 2018. The design
consists of a traditional pool-and-weir-style fishway with a steel bulkhead at the upstream end that
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will draw cool water from deeper in the reservoir. Situated along the left abutment of the dam, fish
would enter the fishway in the stilling basin and exit in the reservoir pool. The bulkhead will be deep
enough to maintain suitable water temperature in the fishway for Bull Trout. Reclamation is
coordinating with USFWS, Yakama Nation, WDFW, and others to review and refine the design. The
final design will be complete by December 2019. Construction timing will depend upon final cost
estimates and funding availability. Until passage improvements are accomplished, USFWS,
Reclamation, USFS, and WDFW will continue capturing Bull Trout from below Clear Creek Dam
and transporting genetically identified North Fork Tieton River fish around the darn so they can reach
spawning habitat in the North Fork Tieton River. Fish capture and transport was conducted in 2016,
2017, 2018, and 2019 to-date, 72 adult Bull Trout have been transported above the darn.
Structural and Operational Changes Element
Cle Elum Pool Raise:
The purpose of the Cle Elum Pool Raise Project is to increase the reservoir's capacity for improved
aquatic resources for fish habitat, rearing, and migration in the Cle Elum and upper Yakima River,
thereby fulfilling the intent of the congressional authorization, Title XII of Public Law 103-434.
Completed: Radial Gate construction was completed in April 2017. Reclamation completed
modifications to three saddle dikes as of 2018. The U.S. Forest Service Cle Elum River Campground
shoreline protection was completed in November 2017. The U.S. Forest Service Speelyi Day Use
Area shoreline protection project was completed in May 2019.
Shoreline Protection Update: Reclamation and Ecology are currently implementing shoreline
protection actions for private and public lands and facilities. Shoreline protection actions will begin
for the Wish Poosh Campground in 2020Shoreline landowners and the public will be notified about
shoreline designs and construction timing via mail and postings at U.S. Forest Service facilities.
Reclamation and Ecology continue to meet with landowners throughout project implementation.
Chandler Pumping Plant Electrification:
Kennewick Irrigation District(KID) and their consultant developed a concept design for an electric
pumping plant at Chandler. Reclamation reviewed the concept design and KID performed a transient
analysis in June 2017, which was reviewed by Reclamation, and comments were sent to KID
September 2017. KID provided an updated concept design and transient analysis for Chandler
Electrification with an isolating reservoir to Reclamation in 2018. Reclamation will continue to
coordinate with KID on Chandler Electrification project design review.
Reclamation, Ecology, and HDR are completing sensitivity analysis modeling for the lower Yakima
River, including examination of return flows in the lower Yakima system to determine impacts from
future conservation efforts on KID. Meetings were held with KID and the Water Use Subcommittee in
October 2018 to share the draft study results.
Lower Yakima River Smolt Survival Study:
The lower Yakima River smolt survival study was initiated in 2018 with funding provided by Yakama
Nation, Reclamation, irrigation districts, and the US Geological Survey (USGS). During each year of
the study over 1,100 juvenile salmon and steelhead are collected,tagged, and released in the Yakima
River to monitor their behavior and survival as they migrate downstream. In addition, data on predator
populations and environmental conditions such as river flow and water temperature are being
collected and related to fish survival. Data from 2018-19 are currently being analyzed by USGS:
preliminary results indicate fish survival is highest in early spring, April through mid-May, and lowest
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by June when the river warms. The study is also finding survival is lower than expected for fish that
become entrained in the irrigation canals, prompting additional evaluation of factors affecting fish
survival such as passage through canal head gates or fish screen bypasses. Reclamation also received
Science and Technology (S&T) grant funding ($150,000)to work with Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory to obtain experimental tags for juvenile lamprey in 2019-2020. In 2019 126 tagged
lamprey were released in the Yakima River. The goal of the S&T grant is to assist in the research and
development of a viable tag for this unique species of fish. The lamprey tags are not commercially
available and are the smallest, lightest tags made for fish; a portion of the study will be dedicated to
evaluating and improving the performance of these tags. The Yakama Nation and partners are
collecting data related to predator abundance and diet from the lower river. The final year of data
collection for the lower Yakima River smolt survival study will be 2020.
Surface Water Storage Element
Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plant(KDRPP)
The KDRPP is proposed to access 200,000 acre-feet of inactive storage below the current outlet works
in the Kachess Reservoir to use in severe drought. Since the proposed KDRPP and KKC projects are
closely connected, they were analyzed together.
On April 26, 2019, Reclamation signed the Record of Dectszon (ROD), which does not approve
implementation of any alternatives but carries forward Alternative 4 - KDRPP Floating Pumping Plant
(FPP)for further analysis. Consistent with this decision, the remaining alternatives in the FEIS,
including the KKC, will not be carried forward. Reclamation and Ecology will use a phased approach
for further site-specific analysis in a Tier 2 NEPA process to narrow the range of feasible alternatives
for KDRPP.
The Project Proponent, Roza, Reclamation, and Ecology are currently developing a new Proposed
Action and clarifying the FPP alternative for the KDRPP Tier 2 NEPA process. The Roza and
possibly other prorated waters users (KRD, WIP, KID) would fund, design, construct, and operate the
KDRPP.
Wymer Reservoir
Consideration of site requirements is ongoing. As presented at the March 13, 2019 YRBWEP
Workgroup Meeting, KRD has proposed an alternative to gravity feed Wymer via Kittitas
Reclamation District's system that will further reviewed under Wymer Dam and Reservoir Project.
Bumping Reservoir Enlargement Project
Consideration of site requirements is ongoing.
Groundwater Storage Element
Groundwater Storage—Basinwide Analysis
The Groundwater Storage Subcommittee is reviewing all ongoing groundwater storage projects.
Four project proposals were selected for funding and approved by the executive committee for the
2017-2019 biennium. These projects include (1) Indian Creek Groundwater Dynamics Investigation,
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Oregon State University (2) Yakima Basin Focused Managed Aquifer Recharge Assessment, Kittitas
Reclamation District(3) Yakima River Groundwater Infiltration Study, Selah-Moxee Irrigation
District and (4) Geochemical Study of Groundwater in Potential Storage Sites, Central Washington
University. These projects are coming under contract and will be implemented over the next 2 years.
The Lower River Subgroup is exploring opportunities to use groundwater recharge to enhance thermal
refuges for migrating fish along the lower Yakima River. An initial study has been funded to develop
current information on temperature variations in the river from Wapato Dam to the Yakima River
mouth. The USGS is currently processing temperature data from this study and will work with Benton
Conservation District to determine optimum locations for additional monitoring.
Toppenish Fan Recharge- In the Wapato Irrigation Project(WIP), additional monitoring-well
locations have been identified, which will help with observation of the aquifer system response to
recharge activities from Toppenish Creek. Reclamation has completed drilling of three (3) additional
wells. Ecology will provide pressure transducers, and data will be retained and analyzed to determine
the benefits of the recharge activities. Monitoring of existing sites continues.
Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR)
The City of Yakima's ASR program is fully permitted. The City recharged at the Kissel Well for 45
days in February and March. The City is planning full build-out for the program. They intend to drill
two ASR devoted wells: the first well is estimated for 2022-2023, and the second is estimated for
2025-2026.
Habitat Protection and Enhancement Element
Targeted Watershed Protection and Enhancement
The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), in partnership with Forterra,
purchased approximately 5,000 acres of shrub-steppe land in the Cowiche Creek area. Two-thirds of
the funding was provided by WDFW, and one-third of the funding was provided by Forterra. WDFW
will purchase the remaining third from Forterra at a later date. $500,000 was approved in the
Integrated Plan capital budget for stewardship activity start-up. WDFW is proposing the additional of
an employee who will conduct planning, oversight, and implementation of stewardship activities.
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR)has maintained 45 miles of road from
the road maintenance backlog in the Teanaway Community Forest. Another 3.3 miles of road were
abandoned along with a fish passage barrier which opened up 0.3 miles of new fish habitat. The
Carlson Bridge has been replaced with a new structure with better flow passage and allowed access
for additional log/stream restoration work in Carlson creek by the Yakima-Klickitat Fisheries Project.
DNR constructed 7,700 feet of new range fence and are actively fixing areas of deficient fence
throughout the North Fork. DNR and WDFW, along with grazers in the Teanaway area, are learning
how best to implement the grazing management plan.
The slow fire season allowed DNR fire crews and the DNR fuels module to do pruning and thinning
along the North Fork county road to mitigate fire risks. The DNR's 20-year forest health strategy
forest health assessment has been completed and was introduced to the TCF advisory
committee. Further work will begin now on meeting the habitat goals of the TCF management plan,
and blending in the forest restoration needs, in the form of a long-term forest management plan.
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Recreation development/renovation has stalled somewhat due to delays in completing cultural
resources reviews and consultation along with permitting activities with Kittitas County. DNR has
hired an archaeologist to get these projects back on track and work on a cultural resources
management plan for the TCF. Also helping with this,the Mountains to Sound Greenway is
implementing a contract for cultural resource surveys in areas identified in the TCF management plan
for recreation improvements.
Mainstem Floodplain and Tributaries Fish Habitat Enhancement Program
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed a federal determination of interest in conducting the
Yakima River Delta Enhancement Project(Baseman Island Causeway Removal). Washington State
Department of Fish and Wildlife has been identified as the non-federal cost share partner, and the two
agencies have entered into a cost share agreement. The Corps has begun the initial 1135 planning process
and will host a public meeting about the project on November 20.
The Yakama Nation has completed the Large Wood Placement project in Box Canyon Creek. The Tribe is
concurrently working on the rescue and captive rearing operation of bull trout in the Kachess River and
Gold Creek, to improve Juvenile Bull Trout survival. These projects are complementary in that they jointly
work to improve conditions for bull trout in the Yakima basin. The long-term goal is for habitat conditions
in the upper watershed to improve to the point where populations are independently sustainable and rescue
and captive rearing is no longer necessary to sustain the population.
Enhanced Water Conservation Element
Funding of$4.25 million for water conservation projects during the 2019-2021 biennium was appropriated
by the State Legislature. The Water Use Subcommittee has allocated these funds to the various projects
the Subcommittee selected for funding in 2018. Contracting and project work are underway.
In the Municipal Conservation Element, Benton Conservation District has been conducting the Heritage
Gardens Low Water Use Program in Yakima County. BCD gave eight presentations, conducted 45 site
visits, and certified 4 home heritage gardens. BCD has noted an overwhelmingly positive response from
program participants. BCD intends to continue the program in the 2021-2023 State biennium and plans to
expand the program into Kittitas County. The Municipal Subgroup will support and advocate for the
program moving forward.
Market Reallocation Element
The Kittitas Reclamation District(KRD) and Trout Unlimited(TU)continued work on the Market
Reallocation element of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. The partners advanced policy and technical
analyses related to the various tasks needed to identify and develop a potential smart market framework
for water transfers in the Yakima Basin. Specifically, the partners and contractors worked on: geospatial
mapping to help with instream flow and water rights suitability analyses; a literature review on water
markets throughout the west and select countries to help identify common issues and concerns; and
outreach to various groups to describe the efforts.
Proposed Projects for Consideration
During implementation of the Integrated Plan, an adaptive approach will be used periodically to assess
progress towards meeting the identified instream flow objectives, the 70 percent proratable supply goal for
irrigation, and goals for other out-of-stream needs. The need for additional water supply enhancements
would depend on the effectiveness of projects that are implemented as part of the Integrated Plan, how the
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Yakima basin economy develops over time, and the timing of and manner in which climate changes affect
water supply availability. From time-to-time, new projects may be identified (and proposed)for
consideration under the Integrated Plan. Reclamation, Ecology, Yakama Nation and the Executive
Committee have developed a formalized process to consider new projects. Projects proposed for
evaluation and those currently being evaluated are listed here.
YTID Diversion Relocation(under evaluation)
In March 2018, Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District(YTID) completed a report that evaluates
alternatives to replace or repair the YTID main canal. Alternatives considered include:
1. Baseline Alternative (Tieton Main Canal Repair)
2. Tieton Main Canal Replacement
3. Diversion Relocation to Wapatox Diversion Dam (and associated new conveyance system)
4. New North Fork Cowiche Creek Reservoir, either with or without the Wapatox diversion.
YTID continues to evaluate these and new alternatives and was recently selected for the
WaterSMART Basin Study Pilot program. On November 15, 2019, YTID will meet with agencies,
Yakama Nation and stakeholders to discuss WaterSMART grant tasks and review adaptive
management framework for potential inclusion in the Integrated Plan.
Contacts for Information on the Integrated Plan:
Wendy Christensen, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Columbia-Cascades Area
Office, (509) 573-8050
Thomas Tebb, Washington State Department of Ecology, Office of Columbia River, (509) 574-3989
Project website: http:/'www,usbr.gov'pn/programs/yrbwep index.html
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