Swauk Cr Supplemental Flows P&C Des

Trout Unlimited (TU) will design a water conveyance pipeline to restore flows in at least 1.6 miles (and up to 3.0 miles) of Swauk Creek--an upper Yakima River tributary with Critical Habitat for ESA-threatened Steelhead and Bull trout, plus key spawning/rearing habitat for Coho and Spring Chinook salmon, Rainbow and Westslope Cutthroat trout, and Pacific lamprey. Currently, a pipeline delivers irrigation water ~1.6 miles upstream in Swauk Creek to a ranch, but the pipe lacks capacity to carry more water to help stream flows. TU will develop preliminary design (per Manual 18 Appendix D-2) for pipeline(s) and associated infrastructure to convey up to 15 cfs from the Kittitas Reclamation District to Swauk Creek near 1.6 miles upstream. TU will also develop conceptual designs (per Manual 18 Appendix D-1) to convey flows of up to 10 cfs from 1.6 - 3.0 miles. The designs will allow Swauk Creek flow restoration while ensuring water users receive their full allotment. In a future phase, TU will advance prelim design to final and construct. When implemented, the effort will improve up to 3.0 miles of Swauk Creek by restoring flows and decreasing water temperatures to improve passage and rearing habitat. This project leverages a KRD flow supplementation program in upper Yakima River tributaries that is restoring passage and improving habitat in key streams from Ellensburg to Easton. The project also leverages significant work by Yakama Nation to improve woody material-based habitat.

Project goals are split into a design goal and a restoration (implementation) goal. Both are set to specifically address flow impairment impacts to improve water quality and increase water (habitat) quantity and passage through implementation of the preliminary designs developed from this project. Design Goal: Complete a preliminary design process that evaluates alternatives and designs a cost-effective pipeline replacement with water delivery capacity that will allow for a variable flow to at least 1.6 miles upstream in Swauk Creek (e.g. 0 – 15 cfs depending on natural conditions) without impairing the ability of irrigators to receive their water. Complete a conceptual design process that evaluates alternatives and for a pipeline from 1.6 to ~3.0 miles that allows for variable flow delivery for Swauk Creek. Overall Restoration Goals:Implement variable flow restoration (0 - 15 or 10 cfs) to improve between 1.6 and 3.0 miles of Swauk Creek for passage and rearing habitat for all affected fish species (ESA-threatened Steelhead & Bull trout, Coho and Spring Chinook Salmon, Lamprey, resident trout) through supplemental flow delivered by KRD.Improve ecological functions and enhance prior habitat work completed by other groups in the downstream reaches of Swauk Creek to support more normative flows and processes in all years, especially under drought conditions.