Reclamation releases Yakima Basin August water supply forecast

YAKIMA – The Bureau of Reclamation announced in a press release Friday that they have released the Yakima basin August water supply forecast for the June through September total available water supply.

According to the release, this forecast indicates the water supply will provide senior water rights 100% of entitlements and junior water rights 72% of entitlements. The release stated that prorationing began June 1 and will apply to irrigation entitlements from June 1 to Sep. 30.

The Bureau of Reclamation manages water in the five Yakima Project storage reservoirs, which are used, along with other unregulated flows in the basin, to fulfill water rights, water contracts and instream flow obligations, according to the announcement. Water shortages in the basin are shared equally by the junior water rights, which represent over half of the total water rights. The release also said that senior rights will not be reduced this year.\

The announcement said that the forecast is based on flows and reservoir storage along with estimates of future precipitation, river flows, and irrigation return flows. According to the release, the Bureau of Reclamation will continue to provide updated water supply forecasts monthly throughout the water year, through early October.

For more information, visit www.usbr.gov.