Yakima Basin Natural Resources
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The Yakima River Basin, including its role as tributary to the Columbia River system, is the focus of this collection of research documents, agency reports and journal articles.
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Browsing Yakima Basin Natural Resources by Subject "Hydrology"
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Item Climate change impacts on water management and irrigated agriculture in the Yakima Basin, Washington, USA(Climatic Change, 2009) Vano, Julie A; Scott, Michael; Voisin, Nathalie; Stockle, Claudio; Hamlet, Alan F.; Mickelson, Kristian E. B.; McGuire Elsner, Marketa; Lettenmaier, Dennis P.The Yakima River Reservoir system supplies irrigation water to over 180,000 irrigated hectares (450,000 acres). Runoff is derived mostly from winter precipitation in the Cascade Mountains, much of which is stored as snowpack and runs off in the spring and early summer. Five reservoirs within the basin have cumulative reservoir storage of approximately 30% of the river’s mean annual flow. Climate change during the 21st century is expected to result in earlier snowmelt runoff, and reduced summer flows. The effects of these changes on irrigated agriculture in the basin were simulated using a hydrological model driven by downscaled climate scenarios from 20 climate models, output of which was archived by the 2007 IPCC Fourth Assessment Report. In general, we find that the basin transitions to earlier and reduced spring snowmelt as the century progresses, which results in increased curtailment of water deliveries, especially to junior water rights holders. Historically, the Yakima basin has experienced water shortages (years in which substantial prorating of deliveries to junior water users was required) in 14% of years. Without adaptations, for the A1B emission scenarios, water shortages that occur in 14% of years historically increase to 32% (15% to 54% range) in the 2020s, to 36% in the 2040s, and to 77% of years in the 2080s. For the B1 emissions scenario, water shortages occur in 27% of years (14% to 54% range), in the 2020s, 33% for the 2040s and 50% for the 2080s. Furthermore, the historically unprecedented condition in which the senior water rights holders suffer shortfalls occurs with increasing frequency in both the A1B and B1 climate change scenarios. Economic losses include lost value of expected annual production in the range of 5% to 16%, with significantly greater probabilities of annual net operating losses for junior water rights holders.Item DISTRIBUTION OF FISH, BENTHIC INVERTEBRATE, AND ALGAL COMMUNITIES IN RELATION TO PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CONDITIONS, YAKIMA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON, 1990(U.S. Geological Survey, 1997) Cuffney, Thomas F.; Meador, Michael R.; Porter, Stephen D.; Gurtz, Martin E.Biological investigations were conducted in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, in conjunction with a pilot study for the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program. Ecological surveys were conducted at 25 sites in 1990 to (1) assess water-quality conditions based on fish, benthic invertebrate, and algal communities; (2) determine the hydrologic, habitat, and chemical factors that affect the distributions of these organisms; and (3) relate physical and chemical conditions to water quality. Results of these investigations showed that land uses and other associated human activities influenced the biological characteristics of streams and rivers and overall water-quality conditions.Item Habitat limiting factors Yakima River Watershed, Water Resource Inventory Areas 37-39 : Final Report(Washington State Conservation Commission, 2001-12) Haring, DonaldSection 10 of Engrossed Substitute House Bill 2496 (Salmon Recovery Act of 1998), directs the Washington State Conservation Commission, in consultation with local government and treaty tribes to invite private, federal, state, tribal, and local government personnel with appropriate expertise to convene as a Technical Advisory Group (TAG). The purpose of the TAG is to identify limiting factors for salmonids. Limiting factors are defined as “conditions that limit the ability of habitat to fully sustain populations of salmon, including all species of the family Salmonidae.” This report includes formal habitat inventories or studies specifically directed at evaluating fish habitat, other watershed data not specifically associated with fish habitat evaluation, and personal experience and observations of the watershed experts that participated in the technical advisory group. The analysis of habitat conditions in the Yakima Basin (WRIAs 37-39) and associated action recommendations is based on these data. This report represents a “snapshot-in-time” portrayal of salmonid habitat conditions. This information can and should be used by the Lead Entity (HB2496) and the Watershed Planning Unit (HB 2514) in the development of salmonid habitat protection and restoration strategies. It should be considered a living document, updated periodically with additional habitat assessment data and habitat restoration successes, as information becomes available.Item Implications of 21st century climate change for the hydrology of Washington State(Climatic Change, 2010) Elsner, Marketa M.; Cuo, Lan; Voisin, Natalie; Deems, J. S.; Hamlet, Alan F.; Vano, Julie A.; Mickelson, Kristian E. B.; Lee, Se-Yeun; Lettenmaier, Dennis P.Pacific Northwest (PNW) hydrology is particularly sensitive to changes in climate because snowmelt dominates seasonal runoff, and temperature changes impact the rain/snow balance. Based on results from the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR4), we updated previous studies of implications of climate change on PNW hydrology. PNW 21st century hydrology was simulated using 20 Global Climate Models (GCMs) and 2 greenhouse gas emissions scenarios over Washington and the greater Columbia River watershed, with additional focus on the Yakima River watershed and the Puget Sound which are particularly sensitive to climate change. We evaluated projected changes in snow water equivalent (SWE), soil moisture, runoff, and streamflow for A1B and B1 emissions scenarios for the 2020s, 2040s, and 2080s.Item Numerical Simulation of Groundwater Flow for the Yakima River Basin Aquifer System, Washington(U.S. Geological Survey, 2011) Ely, D.M.; Bachmann, M.P.; Vaccaro, J.J.A regional, three-dimensional, transient numerical model of groundwater flow was constructed for the Yakima River basin aquifer system to better understand the groundwaterflow system and its relation to surface-water resources. The model described in this report can be used as a tool by water management agencies and other stakeholders to quantitatively evaluate proposed alternative management strategies that consider the interrelation between groundwater availability and surface-water resources.Item The Washington climate change impacts assessment: evaluating Washington's future in a changing climate(Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington., 2009-06) Littell, J. S.; McGuire-Elsner, M.; Whitely Binder, L.C.; Snover, A. K.Temperature records indicate that Pacific Northwest temperatures increased 1.5°F since 1920. Climate models used in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report simulate the same historical warming by including both human and natural causes, and point to much greater warming for the next century. These models project increases in annual temperature of, on average, 2.0°F by the 2020s, 3.2°F by the 2040s, and 5.3°F by the 2080s (compared to 1970 to 19992), averaged across all climate models3. Projected changes in annual precipitation, averaged over all models, are small (+1 to +2%), but some models project an enhanced seasonal precipitation cycle with changes toward wetter autumns and winters and drier summers. Increases in extreme high precipitation in western Washington and reductions in the Cascades snowpack are key projections consistent among different projections of a high-resolution regional climate model.Item Water Quality in the Yakima River Basin, Washington, 1999-2000(U.S. Geological Survey, 2004) Fuhrer, Gregory J.; Morace, Jennifer L.; Johnson, Henry M.; Rinella, Joseph F.; Ebbert, James C.; Embrey, Sandra S.; Waite Ian R., Ian R.; Carpenter, Kurt D.; Wise, Daniel R.; Hughes, Curt A.This report contains the major findings of a 1999–2000 assessment of water quality in streams and drains in the Yakima River Basin. It is one of a series of reports by the NAWQA Program that present major findings on water resources in 51 major river basins and aquifer systems across the Nation. In these reports, water quality is assessed at many scales—from large rivers that drain lands having many uses to small agricultural watersheds—and is discussed in terms of local, State, and regional issues. Conditions in the Yakima River Basin are compared to those found elsewhere and to selected national benchmarks, such as those for drinking-water quality and the protection of aquatic organisms.Item Yakima River Basin Study(U.S. Department of the Interior State of Washington; Bureau of Reclamation Department of Ecology Pacific Northwest Region, 2011-06) HDR Engineering, Inc; Anchor QEAThe purpose of this memorandum is to document the development of the RiverWare model and results used in the Yakima Basin Study. The Yakima Basin Study will result in an Integrated Water Resources Development Plan for meeting the instream and out-of-stream needs for current and future water supply associated with the Yakima River system. The model of the system (YAKRW) is being used to estimate the specific effects of proposed new water resources projects on water supply and instream flow conditions. It is also being used to estimate the effects of potential climate change on future water supplies and instream flows.