2301 Fruitvale Boulevard, Yakima WA 98902 • Phone: (509) 574-2650 • Fax: (509) 574-2651
The amount of water leaking from plumbing fixtures in U.S. homes could exceed more than 1 trillion gallons a year! That's a real waste of water and energy resources to pump, treat and heat it! If one in ten fixed this problem it would save lots of water and would save energy equivalent to taking 55,000 cars off the road.
A third of the water Americans consume daily is used to irrigate lawns, water gardens, and maintain landscaping. More alarming, up to fifty percent of that water goes to waste due to over-watering, runoff, and evaporation.
Visit www.epa.gov/watersense for more information.
Upcoming Events
Yakima Basin Water Resources Agency - Status: In Hiatus
No meetings currently scheduled.
New and Recently Updated Items
Groundwater Contamination (Nitrate and Coliform) in the Lower Yakima Valley
On Tuesday, June 29, the US EPA along with the Yakama Nation, the Washington state Departments of Agriculture, Ecology, and Health, and Yakima County will be providing updates on Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Contamination activities. There will be two sessions with identical agendas, one in the early afternoon, and one in the evening.
The meetings will be facilitated by EPA's Dan Phalen and the Yakima-Kittitas Dispute Resolution Center's Matt Fairbank. Please mark your calendar for the time that is most convenient for you:
Date: Tuesday, June 29
Times: 1:30 - 3:30 PM
or
7:00 - 9:00 PM
Place: Zillah Civic Center
119 1st Ave,
Zillah, WA
Meeting agenda topics will include:
- EPA - Yakima Valley Nitrate Charaterization - Scope of work for planned sampling
- Groundwater Contact Matrix
- October 21, 2009 Meeting Notice
- DRAFT "Lower Yakima Valley Ground Water Quality - Preliminary Assessment and Recommendations Document
- Additional Information
- Certified Drinking Water Laboratories
- Coliform Bacteria
- Nitrate
- Possible Sources of Funding
Exempt Wells
On September 21, 2009, the state Attorney General's Office issued a formal opinion regarding the interpretation of statutes exempting certain withdrawals of groundwater from permitting requirements, and authorizing the Department of Ecology to withdraw waters from appropriation.
Attorney General Opinion September 21, 2009 - AGO 2009 No. 6
WATER SUPPLY:
Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) 2009 Work GroupUSBR
Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study EISWDOE
Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study
Pass-Through Implementation Grants
Final Reports:
FY 09-10
Naches -Selah Irrigation District - SCADA/Canal Automation, Phase 2 (PDF)
South Yakima Conservation District - Nutrient Stakeholder Outreach Grant (MS Word)
Mabton, Irrigation and Water Right Study - Please Contact YBWRA
Eco Northwest - Salmon In The Classroom (PDF)
FY 08-09
Naches-Selah Irrigation District - SCADA Phase 3 (PDF)
South Yakima Irrigation District - Nutrient Stakeholder Outreach Grant (PDF)
Yakima River Nutrient Draft Handouts, SYCD
The Water Resource Advisory Committee approved final of the Detailed Implementation Plan is available for review.
Copies of the Final Detailed Implementation Plan are also available at the Richland, Prosser, Goldendale and Yakima Libraries.