HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/17/2015 12 Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase III Act of 2015 - Letter of SupportBUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 12.
For Meeting of: November 17, 2015
ITEM TITLE: Resolution authorizing letter of support for passage and funding of the
Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase III Act of 2015
(S. 1694)
SUBMITTED BY: David Brown, Water /Irrigation Manager, 509 -575 -6204
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
A Letter supporting the passage of Federal Legislation for the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project
Phase III Act of 2015 (S. 1694). At the October 6, 2015 Council meeting the Outreach Committee from the
Integrated Plan briefed the Council on the progress of the plan and the Senator Cantwell had introduced a bill
(S. 1694) to fund the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase III Act of 2015.
Resolution: X
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Item Budgeted: NA
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Insurance Required? No
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APPROVED FOR
SUBMITTAL:
RECOMMENDATION:
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Economic Development
f
Adopt the resolution and sign the support letter
City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Upload Date Type
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RESOLUTION NO. R -2015-
A RESOLUTION authorizing the City Manager to execute the attached letter of support for
passage and funding of the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement
Project Phase II I Act of 2015 (S. 1694).
WHEREAS the Yakima River Basin is one of the most productive agricultural industries
in the nation, contributing approximately $4.5 billion to the state of Washington's annual
economy; and
WHEREAS the Yakima Basin was historically home to one of the largest salmon
populations in the Columbia Basin, second only to the Snake River in fisheries production, and
has the potential, with proper conservation action, to support 300,000 salmon and steelhead,
and the largest sockeye run in the lower 48; and
WHEREAS the Yakima River Basin is affected by a variety of water resource constraints
that adversely impact ecosystem functions for endangered fish and other aquatic species, and
water supply for agriculture, municipal and domestic uses; and
WHEREAS obstructions, changes in water temperatures, other obstructions and
inadequate stream flow block fish passage to Yakima tributaries and spawning grounds, affect
flows for smolt outmigration and rearing habitat for juvenile salmonids; and
WHEREAS demand for irrigation water cannot always be met in years with below -
average runoff, leading to reduced (pro- rationed) irrigation water for junior water -right holders
that in turn reduces farm and related income, and puts the basin's perennial crops at extreme
risk; and
WHEREAS six drought years severely impacting the basin economy, ecosystem
functions and reservoirs, have occurred since the 1990s, the most recent being the present
year, with climate change models indicating that decreased snowpack and higher temperatures
will be the norm throughout the 21St century; and
WHEREAS the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan
represents a balanced package of actions rooted in 30 years of collaboration, negotiation, and
compromise among diverse stakeholders in the Yakima basin including local irrigators, county
commissioners, the Yakama Nation, the City of Yakima, the Governor's office, Washington
State Department of Ecology, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the conservation community, and
others; and
WHEREAS the goals of the Integrated Plan as endorsed by S. 1694 are to improve the
reliability of water supply for irrigation, municipal supply and domestic uses; and to protect,
mitigate and enhance fish and wildlife habitat; provide increased operational flexibility to
manage in- stream flows to meet ecological objectives; and
WHEREAS the Integrated Plan has thus far achieved several key successes furthering
these goals, including the design and implementation of efficiencies throughout Yakima basin
irrigation districts, the diversion of irrigation flows into threatened Yakima River tributaries, the
successful acquisition of grant funding for floodplain restoration, and the purchase of 50,000
acres of community forest; and
WHEREAS the S.1694 builds on two previous Yakima River water management Acts
and provides authorization and funding for the Initial Development Phase of the Yakima Basin
Integrated Plan; and
WHEREAS the Initial Development Phase put forward by S. 1694 authorizes projects of
immediate importance to addressing the aforementioned challenges and opportunities, including
fish passage, accessing reservoir storage, habitat restoration and increased water market
efficiencies; and
WHEREAS the Integrated Plan also includes an adaptive management framework to
address potential future changes in water needs or hydrology, including potential climate
change effects; and
WHEREAS our economic vitality, the health of our lands, quality of life, agriculture,
fisheries, thriving wildlife populations and diverse, world -class recreational opportunities are
dependent on the Yakima Basin's clean, cold water; and
WHEREAS without decisive legislative action we will leave neither a stronger economy
nor a more resilient environment as a legacy to the next generation; and
WHEREAS the Washington State legislature has committed a $160 million investment
toward a more secure environmental and economic future for the Yakima Basin through their
support of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan; Now, Therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA:
The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to execute the attached the
attached letter of support for passage and funding of the Yakima River Basin Water
Enhancement Project Phase III Act of 2015 (S. 1694).
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Yakima commemorate our
support for an equally strong investment by the federal government through passage and
funding of the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase II I Act of 2015 (S. 1694).
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge Congress and our elected
officials to act, and to act in implementing S. 1694, including associated environmental reviews,
technical analyses, refinements to specific actions, project designs and program
development/implementation, and project permitting and construction.
ATTEST:
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 17th day of November, 2015.
City Clerk
Micah Cawley, Mayor
City letterhead
Date
The Honorable Lisa Murkowski, Chairman
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
304 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member
304 Dirksen Senate Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Cantwell:
We write to you today in support of S. 1694, the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Phase
III Act of 2015. This legislation, and the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan on which it is modeled, represents
a once -in -a- generation opportunity to ensure the region's environmental and economic health.
S. 1694 was developed by a diverse group of stakeholders to meet serious challenges emerging within
the Yakima River Basin, challenges that will only worsen with time and the projected impacts of climate
change. The risk of recurring droughts and inadequate water supplies endanger not only threatened
fisheries and pristine habitats, but the livelihoods of local farmers, the culture of the Yakama Nation,
and the solvency of an agricultural region that contributes $4.5 billion annually to the economy of
Washington State. S. 1694 and the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan address these concerns through a
balanced approach to ensure reliable water supply, provide fish passage, improve streamflows and
enhance habitat restoration. The legislation will authorize the most urgently needed projects to address
these needs, including:
• Construction of the Kachess Reservoir Drought Relief Pumping Plant and its companion project,
the Keechelus -to- Kachees pipeline, which will allow access to an additional 200,000 acre -feet of
stored water and balance water levels between the two reservoirs. These projects will be
financed by water users, not state taxpayers;
• Irrigation efficiencies that conserve 85,000 acre -feet of water for in- stream flows annually;
• Groundwater storage projects that provide cooler, regular flows for aquatic wildlife and provide
an alternate source for municipalities;
• Installing fish passage at Cle Elum and Tieton dams, restoring access to pristine habitat and
spawning grounds for reintroduced, historically extirpated salmonid species;
• Wild and Scenic River designation to protect those habitats; and
• Habitat and floodplain restoration throughout the Yakima River Basin, removing obstructions
and protecting properties from future flood risks.
These projects are the result of decades of give- and -take between historically contentious groups:
irrigators, farmers, conservationists, and state, federal, municipal and tribal governments. By setting
aside long- standing conflicts to collaborate on solutions, the authors of the Integrated Plan have
provided an adaptive framework that truly considers and negotiates between the basin's complex water
needs. In many ways, the strength of the plan lies in its diversity, adaptability and the cooperation it has
brought to the region.
The City of Yakima proudly supports S. 1694 and the Integrated Plan for the sake of the farmers,
families, fish and wildlife relying on cold, clean water, and we call on our elected state and federal
officials to do so as well. The city will be monitoring the progress of S. 1694 as it moves through the
legislature and will be making comments proposed modifications. Although there's much work yet to be
done and details to be discussed, we look forward to continued collaborative efforts to evaluate and
implement the Plan.
Sincerely,
Tony O'Rourke
City Manager