News Release Archive

Yakima Basin Water Supply - March Forecast

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, 03/08/2006 20:39
Chuck Garner, cgarner@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: March 08, 2006

The Bureau of Reclamation has just released the March 2006, forecast for irrigation water supply in the Yakima Basin. The forecast is based on flow data, current snowpack and this year's precipitation data.

"We are expecting a near normal water supply at this time," said Chuck Garner, Yakima Project river operations supervisor. "The March 2006 forecast indicates a full water supply for all water users."

As of March 1, system storage was only 38 percent full or about 67 percent of average.

"We are very encouraged by the snowpack but we must continue to manage the water supply carefully after coming out of the 2005 drought with very low reservoir storage," Garner said.

At this time both junior and senior water rights holders are expected to receive their full water supply. Specific water delivery levels will not be determined until later in the year.

The weather conditions that determine precipitation, the run-off timing, and demand for water are critical in determining whether the reservoirs fill, the amount of water available for irrigation, and possible rationing levels. If warm, dry weather prompts an early run-off, the situation could worsen.

Water demands requiring storage releases, even prior to storage control, may be charged to the users' total entitlement.

Reservoir storage on March 1, 2006

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