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CURRENT ISSUES





Columbia River Pumped Storage Reservoir

Sustaining the Interstate 82 Corridor Economy

 

The Project

The pumped storage of water from the Columbia River would provide important environmental, economic and recreational benefits for all of Central Washington.  The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) completed a Feasibility Study which proved the project would provide water for fish, agriculture, and municipal growth.  BOR’s Technical Analysis concluded a Columbia River pumped storage reservoir is technically viable.

 

When flows in the Columbia River are high, water would be pumped to and stored in a reservoir.  Water from the reservoir would be used for irrigating Roza and Sunnyside Irrigation Districts which will allow the water currently withdrawn from the Yakima River for out of stream use to remain for instream flow and fish.  This means water in the Yakima River could be managed to create a more normal flow.  Essentially the reservoir allows the region to borrow some water from the Columbia when it’s not needed and then return it in kind, with fish.

 



The reservoir in its largest manifestation would hold 1.6 million acre/feet of water.  The reservoir would be approximately 24 miles from Yakima and 32 miles from Richland.

 


Benefits

$        Fish Enhancement:  The Yakima River has the potential to be one of the most productive salmon rivers in the lower 48 states.  The freed water in the Yakima River, because of a Columbia River pumped storage reservoir, would allow a more normal flow and cooler water in the river.  The additional water would create more habitat in the flood plain and fish passage at existing reservoirs.  Estimates by Jack Stanford, a world renowned fish biologist, are with the management of freed water from the Yakima Basin Reservoirs and with the use of Columbia River water for out of stream use (irrigation) the increase in the number of anadromous salmonids would range between 500,000 to 1 Million returning annually.

$        Agriculture:  Agriculture is Central Washington’s biggest job sector.  Columbia pumped storage will guarantee a 70 percent water allocation to junior water rights holders during consecutive drought years.  In the 2005 drought there was a loss of almost $250 Million in agricultural production with nearly $1 Billion ripple effect across the State.  (Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture)  The water made available from pumped storage is essential if the region wants to sustain its $1.3 Billion agriculture economy.

$        Job Creation:  Construction of a Columbia pumped storage reservoir and related distribution projects will create 10 to 20 Thousand jobs over the next 5 to 7 years.  Projects for fish passage and habitat improvements created by the additional water in the Yakima River will provide hundreds of jobs.

$        Recreation:  Columbia pumped storage will be one of the largest flat water recreation sites in eastern Washington.  It will be just 35 minutes west of the Tri-Cities and 30 minutes east of Yakima.  With this location, it is expected to become a world class resort, offering a wide range of recreation options.

$        Energy:  Energy Secretary urges pumped storage investment to support an expanded energy transmission grid.  The Columbia pumped storage reservoir would assist in expanding the energy transmission grid and facilitate wind integration.  Pumping water from the Columbia River at times of the day when power costs are relatively inexpensive coupled with the use of wind power generation would maximize the “storage battery” value of controllable generation from the reservoir.

$        Economic Development:  From world class wineries to high tech companies, Central Washington business development depends on a reliable water supply.  Additional freed water in the Yakima River basin will recharge the aquifer.  The surface water would be available for continued rural residential growth without depleting water fro senior water rights.

 

Total Project Costs: Columbia Pumped Storage

$3.152 Billion construction cost

$1.397 Billion mobilization, design and construction contingencies

$1.130 Billion non-contract costs

$5.679 Billion total over 5-7 years

            see page 2-52 Yakima River Basin Water Storage Facility Study Final PR/EIS

 

Increase of Available Water

1.6 Million Acre/Feet with 300,000 Acre/Feet inactive

1.3 Million Acre/Feet available annually for irrigation

 

Economic Benefits: A More Complete Picture

 

When recreational benefits are added to economic impacts derived from agriculture, increased salmon stocks, energy production, and facility construction, the Columbia pumped storage reservoir benefits climb substantially.  The table below clearly

shows that the Reservoir’s benefits exceed its costs.
Benefits YBSA – Estimated Value
Irrigated Agriculture $   930,000,000
Fisheries Use $   100,000,000
Recreation & Resort $3,404,000,000
Hydropower $   412,000,000
Municipal & Construction Jobs $   468,000,000
Fisheries Nonuse $2,600,000,000
TOTAL $7,914,000,000

 

Columbia Pumped Storage:  The Time is Now

After numerous water short years and millions of dollars spent fighting over a limited supply of water, it’s time to solve our water problem.  Water that is needed to ensure salmon production and stabilize our economy is no longer guaranteed.  Changing climate and weather patterns, endangered species, and other factors present huge challenges.  We need to think BIG – Columbia pumped storage reservoir represents a win-win solution that sustains our natural environment and economy for the next 100 years.  With stimulus money, job creation, pumped storage enhancement of our energy grid and facilitation of wind integration we all should support Columbia River pumped storage for the Yakima River basin.


Yakima Basin Storage Alliance Press Release March 10, 2010

Bureau of Reclamation’s first 2010 Total Water Supply Available (TWSA) forecast

Here the Yakima Basin goes again: another drought. These droughts seem to be happening with increasing frequency, and by 2050 are estimated to be on an every other year basis. What if the Yakima Basin has back-to back droughts like California and Colorado? How can crops, municipalities and fish flourish? The people of the Yakima Basin have been lulled into complacency by officials who last year said that bringing water to the Yakima Basin from the Columbia River wouldn’t work. We never know from year to year if there will be enough stored water in the Yakima Basin to maintain crops, supply municipal needs, and provide for fish.

The Yakima Basin can prevent droughts if water from the Columbia River is stored in a reservoir for use in irrigation. Then the water in the Yakima and Naches Rivers can be utilized for instream flow and fish.

There needs to be a scorecard created where the various alternatives can be compared on an equal basis: apples-to-apples; where the cost and benefits for fish, irrigation, municipal needs, hydropower, recreation and JOBS are compared. The Yakima Basin is going to lose more jobs this year because there isn’t enough water, and there is already record unemployment nationally. Yakima Basin Storage Alliance (YBSA) appreciates Governor Gregoire’s efforts to help by creating an emergency fund for droughts. The problem needs to be solved now to prevent future droughts. This can’t be a problem left for the next generation. The scorecard must be filled out before the summer is over.

Water supply is the most important issue facing the Yakima Basin for the next 100 years. YBSA agrees with Yakima County: our region can’t afford a second best solution to solving our water problems.


Click on Following Link to view the
Final Report of the Preliminary Integrated Water Resource Management Plan for the Yakima River Basin developed by the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project 2009 Work Group to present a recommendation to restore fisheries and improve water supply in the Yakima Basin.

Preliminary IWRMP for the Yakima River Basin

Where's The Water?

Comparing Pump/Storage with YRBWEP Work Group Proposal

Work Group Process: The Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Work Group has listed projects to be considered. The list includes a timeline that exceeds 25 years for completion and includes enlarging Bumping Lake, a 3 foot raise in elevation of Lake Cle Elum, using water from inactive storage from existing reservoirs, and a Keechelus-to-Kachees pipeline. Most of the projects have been evaluated in past studies and found to be insufficient due to environmental concerns; excess costs compared to benefits, and have failed in the past. The Combined Benefits of Phase 1 Projects based upon 2005 hydrologic conditions is estimated to take at least 10 years for completion. The numbers represented in the Combined Benefits of Phase 1 Projects are estimated to cost in excess of $4 billion and several billion more over 30+ years.

ColumbiaPump/Storage Program: The Columbia Pump Storage Program as defined in the Yakima River Basin Water Storage Feasibility Study would provide water even during consecutive drought years. Construction costs of pump/storage from the Columbia River would be $4.5 billion as illustrated in Table 2.15 project costs.

 



Water Supply Benefit

100 Year Term

0-10 Year Completion

 

Comparison of Proposed Phase 1 Program and a Columbia Pump/Storage Program
Average Water Available Annually 2005 Conditions 

 

TWSA Estimated

TWSA With Storage

During Drought 2005

Carry Over Volume

April-Sept. at Parker

April-Sept. at Yakima Mouth

July-Oct. at Umtanum

Estimated

Cost

No Action

1.76 Million Acre/Feet

N/A

0

12 Thousand

Acre/Feet

N/A

N/A

N/A

 

Columbia Pump Storage

Up To 800 Thousand Acre/Feet1

2.56 Million Acre/Feet

85% Increase2

50+ Thousand

Acre/Feet

500 Thousand

Acre/Feet

Increase3

500 Thousand

Acre/Feet

Increase

More Normal Flow

$4.56 Billion

Storage Study

Combine Benefit Phase I

300 Thousand Acre/Feet When Completed

2.07 Million Acre/Feet

25% Increase2

15 Thousand

Acre/Feet

193 Thousand

Acre/Feet

Increase

131 Thousand

Acre/Feet

Increase

200 Thousand

Acre/Feet

Decrease

$4+ Billion

Work

Group

Pump/Storage would contain 1.3 million acre/feet Available Annually

1 Roza and Sunnyside Irrigation Districts would use all or some of the available water to fulfill their contracts.

2 Columbia Pump/Storage would provide a 60% increase of water over Phase 1.

3 Freed water would be managed for instream flow and fish.

 

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