Water Resources Advisory Committee

December 1, 2008

The meeting was called to order by co-chair Jim Willard.  Participants introduced themselves and indicated their agency/organization.  The draft agenda was reviewed and accepted. 

Angie Begosh of the Yakima Basin Fish and Wildlife Recovery Board briefly described the membership and responsibilities of the board and summarized the Steelhead Recovery Plan.  The local plan will be part of the Mid-Columbia Steelhead Plan and contains non-regulatory goals and actions to facilitate restoration of Steelhead populations.  Comments on the draft plan will be accepted until December 23, 2008.

Implementation partners outlined progress made on the objectives and actions described in the Detailed Implementation Plan during the first year following its approval:

• US Bureau of Reclamation:  Wendy Christensen
• Storage study: the final EIS and planning report will be available in mid-December with the Record of Decision expected in March 2009
• Yakima dams fish passage:
• Gearing up to do NEPA
• Working on an MOA with WDFW
• NOI and Scoping to start in January 2009
• Reclamation is on a Continuing Resolution so money is uncertain at this time
• YRWEP: several conservation programs are being funded including
•  Benton Irrigation District
• Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District
• Preliminary work is being done to study combining the Wapatox and Naches-Selah Irrigation Districts’ water supply delivery.
• Biological Opinion: currently being revised for completion in the spring

• US Geological Survey:  Matt Ely
• Ground water study: USGS has studied primarily ground water but also many of the resources of the basin for the past 8 years. 
• This is expected to be available in draft form for review in the summer.
• Published reports: a list of reports was distributed
• Current projects with final reports expected by September:
• Data-only report on all ground water and surface water seepage measurements taken over the past 10 years
• Ground water / surface water scientific investigation report
• Comprehensive report of all data not reported in the past 8 years
• Ground water modeling report for the entire basin

• US Forest Service:  Jim Milton, with permission from Bill Garrigues, presented the spreadsheet as an excellent example.
• Based on their returned spreadsheet, the forest service has worked on:
• Forest road/trial management
• Harvest management
• Respect the River program
• Temperature, sediment and aquatic habitats monitoring
• Riparian area improvements

• State Caucus: Greg Schuler
• Ecology:
• TMDLs:  on-going; draft submittal reports will be available in 2009
• Nitrates in groundwater: EPA will facilitate a meeting to discuss this issue on December 4
• Transfers: Ecology depends on conservancy boards and consults with the Water Transfers Work Group
• Trust program: largely inactive this year except for negotiations related to the Cowiche Creek and the Manastash in Kittitas county
• Storage: producing a supplemental SEIS that will consider all potential storage sites; a draft will be available in the next few days; the final will be released when USBR releases its decision.  Ecology will serve as facilitator but the partners and water users will be responsible for finding viable options
•  Department of Natural Resources:
• Manages forest lands under the Forest and Fish Agreement which expires next year
• Ecology will study the water quality effectiveness of the Agreement
• Department of Agriculture:
• Continuing their education programs
• Responsible for the dairy program

Oversight of manure hauled off-site has emerged as a problem for Ecology

• Department of Health
• With Ecology and CA, is reviewing water system plans and revisions developed by municipalities

Plans must be certified as  “not inconsistent” with approved watershed management plans

• Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Engaged in many activities some of which are in the DIP and some aren’t specifically mentioned in the DIP but are consistent with it
• Slow, steady progress is being made in habitat and fish recovery with partnerships key to this effort

• Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District:  Don Schramm
• Funds coming from the settlement agreement that was part of the adjudication process
• Negotiated the water right without conservation
• Negotiated with mandatory conservation – phase 1

Sunnyside Canal Improvement Program

• Negotiated with voluntary conservation – phase 2

Enclosing laterals with flow meters

• Conservation v. storage
• Conservation makes the system more efficient but doesn’t reduce total consumptive use demand
• Conservation allows more water to remain in the river and thus re-water a reach but does not increase system water supply
• Conservation has significant water quality and operational benefits but does not eliminate the need for additional storage
• Re-regulation reservoirs
• Allow more efficient management of fluctuations in the system.  
• Save an average of 30,000 ac/ft of water over the season
• Sulfur Creek Wasteway fish passage barrier installed   
• This drainage system is used to return spills and return flows to the river.  It contains primarily irrigation water and attracts fish to unsuitable habitat.
• The new barrier on Sulphur Creek Wasteway successfully prevents fish from entering
• Stormwater program
• Involving small cities
• Monitoring drains for quality is on-going
• In the process of developing a report summarizing 11 years of monitoring data

Report should be available to the public by mid year 2009

• On-Farm loans
• Successful in converting irrigation systems from lower efficiency to higher efficiency in the past
• Less active currently

• Yakima County:   Joel Freudenthall
• Columbia River Water Management Program
• Possible addition to the plan or DIP
• Drainage improvement districts
• County is responsible for 18 districts
• Strongly related to stormwater program in urban areas of the county
• Critical areas ordinance
• Previously adopted code is currently in mediation with 13/16 issues resolved
• Following adoption of mediated ordinance, other cities in the county will adopt a similar plan to allow a unified master program across the county

• Flood control zone
• Working with partners on gap to gap, levy pull-back project, and wrecking yard relocation
• New projects
• Studying wastewater treatment plant reach

Strong relationship to flood plain restoration, habitat in the river, flood-hazard reduction and the future of the Wapatox

• Restoring connection of lower Cowiche with Naches

Involves flood plain restoration and side channel re-establishment

• Received grant to try to relocate Ahtanum Creek at 42nd Avenue to address a flooding problem
• Received grant to try to relocate and improve Shaw ditch/Shaw Creek which presents a major flood risk in an urbanizing area
• Other DIP actions are ongoing

• City of Yakima County:   Dave Brown
• Aquifer storage and recovery
• Pilot was successful
• First well is planned for 2012, second for 2014
• Water system plan
• Due in 2010
• The need for additional water and how the aquifer storage and recovery system will fit will be considered at that time
• New well
• Planned for January 2009
• Replaces Ranney well
• Irrigation efficiency
• Replacing all wood pipe in the city
• Successfully conserving water and improving delivery

• Urban growth
• Partnership has been formed with several irrigation districts and companies
• Addressing the use of water that formerly irrigated crops in what are now urban areas
• Some companies are considering placing the water in trust
• Storm water
• Requires substantial expenditure that policy makers are reluctant to pass on to rate payers and tax payers
• Waste water facilities
• On target
• Lower Naches River coordination project
• City, county and DOT are working together on actions in preparation for moving the Fruitvale diversion upstream planned for 2010
• Allows the area to return to flood plain
• Also allows removal of dam at end of Cowiche Creek

• Benton Conservation District:  Erin Hightower
• Agricultural issues
• Water conversions

250 acres were converted to more efficient irrigation systems

• Crop land and chemical management

Converting to Spinoza products for cherry and apple growers
Cost-share program was offered for the first year
250 acres were converted

• Weed seeker program

In use on nearly 2000 acres

• Implementing BMPs to reduce nutrient impacts

2 dairy nutrient management plans written
Plans require soil testing twice/year and that test results are available for inspections

• Instream, water quality, fish habitat issues
• Water star grass

Compared effectiveness of hand v. mechanical removal at 3 test sites
Results were inconclusive

• Salmon Recovery Board grant

Lower Yakima inventory
Produced comprehensive information on temperature; barriers to fish species, temperature, flow and other issues
Inventory results help determine actions needed
Small projects – 10 fish screens
Develop goals to present to other funding sources

• Kennewick Irrigation District:   Scott Revell
• SCADA system was implemented
• Crack sealant program was expanded
• Conservation plan is being adopted
• Pursuing re-regulation reservoirs and in-canal storage
• Pursuing funding for canal lining project
• Pump exchange project
• Waiting for a water right from Ecology
• Results of the project will be:

New point of diversion at Kiona with a pumping station to irrigate ~3100 acres of Red Mountain
Reduced diversions at Prosser
New pumping station in McNary Pool
Net increase of 400 cfs in certain reaches during peak flow, which has the potential to improve flows to a large section of the lower Yakima river

• Coordinating Agency:   Jim Milton
• Staying current on water and habitat-related issues throughout the basin and the state
• Providing information to partners and others
• Managing grants and seeking additional funding
• Administering pass-through grants to implementation partners
• Monitoring progress on goals and objectives and will develop a summary of first-year progress for the annual report to the board of directors
• Suggestions for other activities are welcomed

Pass-through grant recipients’ reports and updates:

• South Yakima Conservation District:  Jim Newhouse
• First round grant-funded activities:
• Outreach to stakeholders

 46 meetings held

• Assist USGS in data analysis and interpretation

Final report of the Lower Yakima River Eutrophication Study completed

• Develop a web page for SYCD
• Second round - cost share for implementing BMPs
• Grant monies will be used for smaller efficiency/quality projects not otherwise funded by EQIP
• Naches-Selah Irrigation District:   Justin Harter
• Grant-funded activities/DIP update:
• Procure and install gates, flow measurement and control equipment for Phases 2 and 3 SCADA/Canal Automation

Phase 2 completed
Phase 3 is the current project

• City of Mabton:   Mario Martinez
• Grant-funded activities:
• Study to find alternative irrigation water sources for parks rather than using over-allocated domestic water
• DIP update:
• Adding water through storage would enhance cultural traditions of the Yakama Nation as well as help small cities increase their potential for growth
• Annexation is complete
• New well has been completed

City may add only 20 new connections because it is currently using water in excess of the amount allowed in the water right

• Acquiring additional water rights

Applied for a grant to purchase rights to 40 ac/ft from a willing seller

• Waste water treatment facility

Applied for grants to upgrade the facility

Future:

A WRAC meeting is planned for the summer of 2009 following the availability of information on the USGS ground water study.

Greg emphasized that it is important that the WRAC or subgroups of the WRAC remain active through more frequent meetings to demonstrate on-going engagement and involvement and maintain visibility after the DIP is complete.  A meeting of interested parties would be valuable whenever high-priority issues emerge.

All agencies will be struggling financially in the future because of the state budget deficit.  On-the-ground projects are preferred over operations.  Using state funds as a match for federal dollars is an effective way to leverage the available funds.  Partnerships between entities also enhance the likelihood of receiving grant money.

Other comments:

Concern was expressed that while the original intent of the watershed planning process was to coordinate all facets of the watershed, currently, those representing fish and habitat interests are less involved.  At the state level, agencies that fall in those categories are experiencing staff shortages and often must limit their activities to their mandated responsibilities.   At the local level, YBWRA and YBFWRB maintain good communication and coordination.  Dave Brown added that this division of labor provides the best of expertise in both areas with overlap.

Meeting adjourned

 
Voting members present:  David Brown, Justin Harter, Michael Harves, Mario Martinez, Jim Newhouse, Don Schramm, Greg Schuler, Jim Willard
Non-voting members present:   Ben Hayward
Representatives of Implementation Partners: Wendy Christensen, Matt Ely, Joel Freudenthal, Adam Fyall, Erin Hightower, Scott Revell
Guests:  Senator Jim Honeyford, Angie Begosh
Staff:  Jim Milton, Marilyn Milton