The Yakima River is at historically low levels. This along with consistently high temperatures has resulted in further reductions to the water being delivered to the Kennewick Irrigation District by federal officials. During a normal irrigation season, K.I.D. would be diverting 300 cfs. Today the diversion is projected to be 150 cfs.
Effective immediately, residential customers are required to limit watering to 20 minutes, per zone, for two days per week and according to their watering schedule. The District will be contacting Water Masters directly regarding agricultural and large parcel lots over 3 acres.
The District will continue to allow hand watering, micro-spray, soaker hoses, and drip lines at will for trees, shrubs, perennials, and gardens. These systems do not operate at a high enough level to pull water from the canals at the same rate as underground sprinkler systems.
The District is committed to keeping our customers informed of changes as we become aware of them. Advance predictions of Yakima River flows are impossible, especially with rapidly changing conditions in the river, because no modeling of flows in the lower Yakima Basin (from Sunnyside to Prosser) have been conducted by the United States Bureau of Reclamation.
The current outlook is poor and further reductions will likely become necessary. Continued cooperation with the watering schedules by all K.I.D. customers is critical to allow equitable distribution of the limited water available.