The project goal is to contribute to the rebuilding of Yakima River spring and fall chinook, coho, bull trout and steelhead populations, by reconnecting productive tributary habitats. Project objectives include reestablishing safe passage into tributary habitats that have artificial barriers at or near their confluence. The target tributaries historically provided several hundred miles of habitat for anadromous species. Some ten miles of productive habitat has now been reconnected. As work progresses up-drainage habitat connectivity will be gained incrementally.Target tributaries have tremendous rearing potential in comparison to the mainstem. Many miles of tributary habitat still express healthy channel sinuosity, width/depth ratios, and thermally benign winter temperatures due to groundwater inflow. In contrast, the mainstem Yakima?s hydrograph is regulated to convey irrigation water, e.g. flows are too high during summer releases, and too low during the winter to provide optimal rearing habitat.Work will include implementation of fishway and screen construction plans that were developed in previous years, and data collection to facilitate future projects. Beginning in the lower reaches of each tributary, habitat will be reconnected where the greatest benefit for the resource will be realized. Efforts to consolidate diversions or modernize irrigation systems will be considered during planning to improve in-stream flow conditions.Habitat protection/restoration in priority reaches is also a goal of this project. Methods will include fencing, revegetation, easement and/or property purchases. Such protection will augment the emphasis on fish access by including healthy riparian vegetation in project areas. Purchase or easement may eliminate the need to irrigate in some areas, thus providing water conservation as an ancillary benefit.Items to be funded in FY 2002 include: a. Implementation of fishway and screen construction plans developed in previous years. b. Fencing, conservation easement or land purchase in project areas. It is anticipated that the project will continue in FY 2003 through 2006 as in FY 02.Construct irrigation diversion screens to regain access to lower Wilson, lower Manastash and Tucker Creeks by 2004. Construct reliable screens at gravity-fed diversions, to regain more than 100 miles of tributary habitat. Reestablish juvenile salmonid passage in lower Wilson Creek, Manastash Creek, Reecer Creek, Tucker Creek; and other listed tributaries in subsequent years through barrier removal and screening.
