Water

Collaboration Improves Water Quantity

Some mid-Columbia region small streams important to steelhead trout suffer from critically low flows in summer and fall due to water diversions for agriculture. Partners in the basin have made huge strides to protect flows in key steelhead streams by improving water and land management, buying and leasing water rights, and finding alternate water sources for farmers.

Flows in the Yakima River and its major tributaries are managed as part of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Yakima Project. During the past 30 years, irrigators and the Bureau have made significant improvements in how river flows are managed. Major improvements are underway as part of the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan.

View data on Water statewide. Visit the Salmon Data Hub for more of the data behind the indicator charts and graphs used throughout this site.