Water allotment drops to 63% for Yakima Valley junior water rights holders

People who hold junior water rights, or rely on irrigation companies with junior rights, will be getting less water than anticipated this year in the Yakima Valley.

Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, citing below-average precipitation in the Yakima River Basin, announced Wednesday that junior water rights holders will receive 63% of their water allotment this year.

March’s forecast anticipated a 72% allotment.

Senior water rights holders — those who acquired rights to water prior to 1905 — will receive their full allotment. Junior rights allotments can be reduced — or even cut off — during droughts to ensure that senior water rights holders get their full share of water.

Overall, the five reservoirs in the Yakima River Basin — Keechelus, Kachess, Cle Elum, Bumping and Rimrock lakes — are at 47% of total capacity. Individually, Bumping Lake is at 82% capacity, followed by Rimrock Lake at 67% capacity.

Between October and March, precipitation was 82.4% of average, while snow water content levels were 78% of average as of April 1.

Seasonal weather forecasts call for above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation during the spring and summer, based on March forecasts, according to the Bureau of Reclamation, assuming things remain as predicted.

“A lot can happen between now and May 1,” said Mikolaj Lewicki, a BOR hydrologist.

The next forecast will be in May, with allotment numbers adjusted accordingly.