After a dry spring, the once promising water levels in the Yakima Basin have dropped.  Thanks to not only the lack of rain, by many customers using irrigation water, the available water supply for growers in the Yakima has dropped in the past month.

 

In April, water managers announced a 100% supply for irrigators for the season.  However, earlier this month, the Bureau Of Reclamation announced they had already begun to rely on stored water at its five Cascade reservoirs.

 

That means now junior water rights holders in the Yakima Basin will get 96% of their water allocation.  While not a significant drop Reclamation says that figure could decrease more if we experience a hot dry summer.

 

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