Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement (YRBWE)

Objective

Within the Yakima River Basin: (1) to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife through improved water management; improved instream flows; improved water quality; protection, creation and enhancement of wetlands; and by other appropriate means of habitat improvement; (2) to improve the reliability of water supply for irrigation; (3) to authorize a Yakima River basin water conservation program that will improve the efficiency of water delivery and use; enhance basin water supplies; improve water quality; protect, create and enhance wetlands, and determine the amount of basin water needs that can be met by water conservation measures; (4) to realize sufficient water savings from the Yakima River Basin Water Conservation Program so that not less than 40,000 acre-feet of water savings per year are achieved by the end of the fourth year of the Basin Conservation Program; (5) to encourage voluntary transactions among public and private entities which result in the implementation of water conservation measures, practices and facilities; and (6) to provide for the implementation by the Yakama Indian Nation at its sole discretion of (A) Wapato Irrigation Project improvements, (B) an irrigation demonstration project on the Yakama Indian Reservation using water savings from system improvements to the Wapato Irrigation Project, and (C) a Toppenish Creek corridor enhancement project integrating agricultural, fish, wildlife, and cultural resources.

Who Can Apply

• State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals)
• Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals
• Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments

State of Washington, and Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments, water and irrigation districts, and water rights owners located in the project area.

Who Benefits

• Individual/Family
• Anyone/general public
• Intrastate
• Local
• Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments

Anyone/General Public, Intrastate, Local, Individual/Family, and Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments within the project area.

Assistance Types

• Cooperative Agreements

Program Contact

cstuart@usbr.gov
509-573-8101