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 "Irrigation"
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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 IMPACTS OF IRRIGATION DEVELOPMENT ON ANADROMOUS FISH IN THE YAKIMA RIVER BASIN, WASHINGTON(Central Washington University, 1995-05) Tuck, Robert L.Irrigation development, including the construction of unscreened diversions, the blockage of spawning and rearing habitat by reservoir dams, and the dewatering of spawning and rearing habitat, began in the mid-1800's and today totals approximately 500,000 acres. Historical records provide a wealth of information documenting irrigation development and its consequences on anadromous fish populations.Item Non-Federal Irrigation Development in the Yakima River Basin Prior to 1905(unknown, 1993) Tuck, RobertDuring the 40-year period from 1865 to 1905, the Yakima Basin was transformed from a by-passed region to a thriving center of agricultural production. Bunch grass had been replaced by apple orchards and hay fields. Farm houses were sprinkled over the entire basin, from the small tributaries such as Ahtanum and Wenas Creeks to the broad lower Yakima Valley. The stage had been set for the large expansion that would shortly take place under federal sponsorship. This was the basic legacy of private irrigation development in the Yakima Basin.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.