Lower Yakima River Fish Screening

The Benton Conservation District (BCD) installed 6 National Marine Fisheries Service compliant fish screens (4 with lifting booms to facilitate maintenance) in the Lower Yakima River. In addition, they installed lifting booms on 2 existing fish screens. The BCD also promoted landowner awareness about the importance of fish screens for juvenile salmonid survival through several direct mailings to Yakima River landowners from Prosser, WA to Richland. The lower Yakima River is a critical migration corridor for salmonid species (i.e., federally listed steelhead, coho, spring and fall Chinook) and serves to connect upriver habitats to marine environments. It also provides valuable spawning habitat for fall Chinook. To protect these species, the National Marine Fisheries Service has developed fish screening standards for irrigations systems. Under previous SRFB funding (RCO #07-1899R), the BCD identified approximately 60 irrigation diversions within the lower Yakima River, several of which are estimated to not be compliant. By installing new fish screens and replacing older non-compliant fish screens, juvenile entrapment and mortality will be decreased, thereby helping to improve salmonid survival rates. Unfortunately, despite efforts to educate landowners on the importance of updated screens, BCD was unable to install the originally estimated 13 screens due to several factors including the change of financial climate and the unwillingness of landowners to participate in the program at this time.

Projected reduced sources of wild salmon mortality caused by water use through the installation of fish screens at private residences in the lower Yakima River. NMFS approved fish screens will aid in reduced salmon mortality caused by private water withdrawal and diversions.