Yakima River Basin Plans for Future Water Availability

The Yakima River Basin in Washington State supports municipalities, tribal communities, environmental uses and agricultural uses. Droughts have historically impacted the basin's water quality and availability, and their frequency is projected to increase under climate change conditions. A working group was formed to develop a climate change water resource management plan. The group included representatives from the Yakama Tribal Nation, local irrigation districts and environmental organizations, as well as federal, state, county, and city governments. They created the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan, a 30-year, $3.8 billion plan that outlines actions to mitigate drought conditions.