Will We Have Irrigation Issues This Summer in Columbia Basin?

It's too early to tell if mandatory watering schedules or other limitations will be placed on irrigation, especially residential, this season. But, it's not looking great.

Bureau of Reclamation releases latest water report

The Bureau is the agency that manages water in the basins, lakes, and other water supplies that are utilized for irrigation. According to the May water report:

"Storage in the Yakima basin reservoirs on May 1 was 55% full with 581,090 acre-feet, which is 73% of average. Precipitation for April was 51% of average and for October–April was 80.5% of average. On May 1, the amount of water in the snowpack, known as snow water equivalent, was 54% of average."

What does this mean? The Bureau says irrigation districts and customers who have what are called senior, or older, water rights will get 100 percent of their regular allotments.

Get our free mobile app

However, junior districts will only get 51 percent. Districts and customers with newer, or junior rights include the Kennewick Irrigation District, Columbia Irrigation District, Roza Irrigation District, and the Wapato and Kittitas Districts. Could this result in watering schedules or limits later in the summer?

According to the Bureau:

"Reclamation will provide an updated water supply forecast monthly—at least through July—using the latest data each month to reflect changing conditions as they develop."

So, for now, they are keeping a close eye on the situation.

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.