Feds: All Yakima River irrigators should get full water allotment

The Yakima River Basin should have enough water this irrigation season to fully supply both senior and junior water right holders, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.

“The overall Yakima Basin water supply has strong fundamentals right now — decent reservoir storage, a solid snow pack and a well recharged ground water component,” said Chuck Garner, Yakima Project River Operations supervisor.

Precipitation in February and March made up for a shortfall earlier in the winter, he said.

An early snow melt, dry summer weather and high irrigation demand are all possibilities that could influence stream flows and carryover storage at the end of the season.

But even if spring precipitation and runoff are not favorable, the Bureau of Reclamation says it still expects an adequate water supply.

This story was originally published April 6, 2017 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Feds: All Yakima River irrigators should get full water allotment."