YAKIMA, Wash. - The Bureau of Reclamation’s July 2021 total water supply available forecast for the Yakima basin indicates the water supply will satisfy all senior and junior water rights this irrigation season.
“We welcomed slightly above average precipitation in June after three consecutive months with well below average precipitation. The above average snowpack and June precipitation contributed to above normal reservoir storage, which should provide sufficient supply for all the users." said Chuck Garner, Yakima Project River Operations supervisor.
Reclamation manages the water in five Yakima Project storage reservoirs, along with the basin’s unregulated inflows to fulfill water rights, water contracts and instream flow obligations. Water shortages in the basin are shared equally by the junior water rights, which represent over half of the water rights in the basin.
Reclamation will provide an updated water supply forecast monthly-at least through July-using the latest data each month to reflect any changing conditions as they develop.
The July water supply forecast is based on flows, precipitation, snowpack, and reservoir storage as of July 1, along with estimates of future precipitation and river flows. Other future weather conditions that determine the timing of the runoff and the demand for water also are critical in determining stream flows, pro-ration rates and the extent to which the reservoirs fill.
“While the Yakima basin has a better water supply than many other basins in the West, the forecast indicates a hotter and drier than normal summer. Therefore, we will continue to manage the water carefully." said Garner.
For more information, please visit Reclamation’s website at https://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/yakima.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
