Ahtanum, Toppenish, Simcoe and Agency Creek Gaging Station Construction

This project is complete. We have purchased seven gauge stations and three cellular interfaces. We decided to drop one station and use the funds for it to purchase cellular interfaces so we can obtain real time data from stations that dont have analog phone lines available. All stations were installed by the summer of 2005. The measuring and monitoring of stream flow has been critical for the maintenance of instream flows. Gauges on Toppenish Creek have already proved useful in regulating irrigation diversions.

This project will allow YN Fisheries to more effectively monitor instream flows in the various creeks. YN fisheries will be better able to manage stream flows for fish.

One of the main limiting factors for endangered salmonid recovery in the Ahtanum and Toppenish basins is summer instream flows. Beginning in 2000, there has been a 10cfs minimum flow at all times and locations in Ahtanum Creek. Irrigators are asked to curtail diversions when the stream falls below the 10cfs threshold.

Constant monitoring of streamflow is essential for this arrangement to be successful and to that end YN Fisheries personnel measure flow at a number of stations every week and sometimes two times a week. This requires a large amount of manpower dedicated to discharge measurements that could be used more effectively on other tasks. Staff gages in place at several locations still require a trip to each site, while automated discharge monitoring stations would provide a continuous record of water surface elevation. This approach to monitoring would provide long-term cost savings as well as a more complete record of stream discharge.