DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this project is to augment low summer flows and reduce temperature by acquiring a water right and adding up to 1.71 cfs and 448.5 acre-feet/year in instream flows to the lower 3.9 miles of First Creek and the lower 7.5 miles of lower Swauk Creek, all in critical habitat for the Mid-Columbia steelhead and bull trout. This includes 43 acres to be fallowed. The targeted project reach begins near Liberty and extends downstream to where Swauk Creek joins the Yakima River near Cle Elum. 1.71 cfs will also be added to the Yakima River from Swauk Creek to Reecer Creek (16 miles), with .55 cfs protected instream to the Columbia River and beyond. SRFB is being requested to fund up to half of this transaction, or up to .855 cfs and 224.25 acre-feet/year. Since water acquired will be entered into the Washington Trust Water Rights Progam, it will be legally protected under Washington State Law, pursuant to RCW 90.03, 90.14, and 90.38, as administered and enforced by Ecology. This is a top-tier salmon recovery priority in the Upper Yakima Watershed, offering benefits to listed steelhead and bull trout, reintroduced coho, Chinook, and resident trout. This project in Swauk Creek is of particular importance to Mid-Columbia steelhead and bull trout because it addresses both low flow and high temperatures as limiting factors, particularly in the late Summer when this system is at risk of dewatering.
Washington Water Trust (WWT) has completed this water acquisition, permanently adding 1.706 cfs and 448.5 acre-feet/year of permanent instream flows to the lower 3.9 miles of First Creek, the lower 7.5 miles of Swauk Creek, and 16 miles of the Yakima River between it's confluences with Swauk Creek and Reecer Creek. Since multiple funding sources supported this project, this grant request (including reported match) only represented a pro-rated 62.5% portion of the project, so will add 1.07 cfs and 280 af to the affected reach. The project was completed to address low summer flows and high temperatures in Swauk and First creeks by acquiring a senior water right on First Creek.
The project addressed a top-tier salmon recovery priority in the Upper Yakima watershed, benefiting a highly productive fish-bearing reach. This reach begins near Liberty and extends downstream to where Swauk Creek joins the Yakima River near Cle Elum. Low flows and high temperatures in this system negatively impact critical habitat conditions for listed Mid-Columbia steelhead and Bull Trout, especially in the late summer when this system is at risk of dewatering. The project significantly improves late summer rearing conditions for juvenile steelhead, Coho, and Chinook salmon in Swauk and First Creeks. It provides increased flow, adds cool, spring-fed water instream, and improves fish passage during low flow periods. These benefits will particularly impact the critical riffles near the mouth of Swauk Creek, while the entire project reach will benefit salmon and steelhead juveniles as they migrate downstream and returning fall-spawning salmon adults. The acquired water was entered into the Washington Trust Water Rights Program on October 13, 2017, and the associated flows will be legally protected in perpetuity under Washington State Law. The final payment to the landowner was completed on January 3, 2018, and the final statutory warranty deeds conveying ownership of the water rights to Ecology were recorded on the same day.
