Reclamation Drops Water Availability Again

The water supply for central Washington continues to dwindle, and irrigation demands will not be met this season in the Yakima Basin.  The Bureau of Reclamation’s June Total Water Supply Available Forecast indicates senior water rights will receive 100% full entitlements, but junior water rights will only receive 43% of their full entitlements this year.  That is a  decrease from the 51% forecast in May, and the 3rd month in a row that junior water rights numbers have decreased.

Reclamation says storage in the Yakima basin reservoirs on June 1 was 66% full with 703,965 acre-feet, which is 74% of average.  The month of May was dry as well, with precipitation for May was 63% of average.  For the water year, October–May, the region is at 80% of average precipitation.  As of June 1st, the amount of water in the snowpack, known as snow water equivalent, was 15% of average.

Many Factors Go Into Reclamation's Forecast

The Bureau says the June forecast is based on flows, precipitation, snowpack, and reservoir storage as of June 1st, 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, the extent to which the reservoirs fill, and the water supply for irrigation.

Reclamation will provide an updated water supply forecast monthly, at least through July.

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