NEWS

April, 2009: Water quality sampling has begun, and will continue through October. About ten sites throughout the valley are sampled on a bi-weekly basis. We also have four continual turbidity monitoring stations set up.

Just a few irrigators contributing high levels of sediment into another district's canal or into the stream can elevate the turbidity level for miles downstream, putting other districts at risk of failing to meet standards. The KCWP can provide irrigators with technical and financial assistance to prevent this from happening. It is very important that every individual takes responsibility for their tail-end water, and doesn't put others at risk of intervention by the Department of Ecology.

March, 2009: The water outlook is good this year--should be 100% for everyone! Hooray! If you look closely, you might see us deploying our temperature and turbidity loggers around the valley this month. This equipment is vital to protecting irrigators in our county. The information they gather helps us prove to Ecology and the EPA that we're doing our part for the local TMDL process. If you have any questions, please feel free to stop and ask us questions. Or, send us a message or give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you!

January, 2009: The countywide flooding took a toll on all of the irrigation systems in our area. No major destruction occurred (the dams all held), but a lot of cleaning up is required and costly repairs to canal infrastrucutres are underway. The total damages won't be known for a while, as some of the impacted areas are still inaccessible. This is particularly true for the KRD, and especially in the upper county, where snow and mud prevent access to the canal maintenance roads.

The flooding carried millions of tons of sediment down from the Cascades and, to a lesser extent, from the hills to the north (down the Naneum, Cooke, etc.). Cabin Creek and the Teanaway River contributed the highest levels of sediment to the Yakima River. Water released from the Kachess, Kechelus, and Cle Elum Reservoirs was clean, providing dilution for the very dirty natural flows. Some of the sediment was carried through the valley, never leaving the streambed of the Yakima River. Other sediment was deposited on shorelines and on roads.

The canals and ditches picked up a lot of water, including all the sediment carried by that water. Usually, the water in the canals is delivered to irrigators, and any sediment in that water can be deposited onto the field or pasture being irrigated. In this case, however, the water was not delivered. Instead, the water in the canals drained through subsurface flows, leaving all the sediment on the canal bottoms. In April, when the irrigation canals again fill with water, we will have a major spike in turbidity in all of our waterways. The sediment that was deposited into the irrigation system by the creeks and the Yakima River will have to pass through the system and return to the creeks and the river.

If the flooding damaged riparian areas on your property, and you would like to re-plant those corridors, the KCWP can assist with the financial burden. We can pay up to 75% of the cost of the replanting, as well as help you with project design and installation. Please call Kat at 925-6158.