News Release Archive

Yakima Basin Water Supply - April Forecast

Media Contact: John Redding, (208) 378-5212, jredding@pn.usbr.gov
Chuck Garner, cgarner@pn.usbr.gov

For Release: April 06, 2006

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

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

As of April 1, system storage was only 41 percent full or about 64 percent of average.

We are very encouraged by the continued healthy snowpack that followed March's below average precipitation. We must continue to manage the water supply carefully as the reservoir system continues to have very low storage after coming out of the 2005 drought, Garner said. "The spring forecast looks promising."

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 April 1, 2006

Reservoir Content (acre-ft) Total Capacity percent of Capacity Keechelus 68,739 157,800 44 Kachess 92,045 239,000 39 Cle Elum 123,765 436,900 28 Bumping 19,401 33,970 57 Rimrock 131,630 198,000 66 Totals 435,580 1,065,400 41

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