YAKIMA, Wash. – The irrigation season in Yakima Valley began today, bringing attention to the 115-year-old Yakima Tieton Irrigation Canal, which has not seen major upgrades since the 1980s.
The canal’s infrastructure suffered severe damage from last year’s Retreat Fire. Travis Okelberry, Yakima Tieton Irrigation District Manager, expressed concern about the canal’s future, stating, “What are we going to do when we lose the canal? Because it’s not a matter of if, it’s when.”
The canal is crucial for delivering irrigation water to the western Yakima Valley, with about 75% of the water supporting agriculture. Okelberry highlighted its importance, saying, “We support a gross crop revenue of over $700 million dollars a year… That’s just the value of the tree fruit.”
A failure of the canal could result in an economic impact of $3 billion over three years. The challenge lies in the costly repairs needed for the canal, estimated at $239 million. Okelberry described the aging infrastructure, noting, “It’s 115 year old concrete that looks like swiss cheese from all the damage over the years.”
Government agencies have urged residents to prepare for potential water shortages. The Washington State Department of Ecology recommends that those with access to wells or emergency drought wells contact them to explore options.
“Be proactive and help yourselves by calling the Dept. of Ecology now,” Okelberry advised. State representatives and senators have taken action, with Representatives Schrier and Newhouse, along with Senators Cantwell and Murray, requesting emergency funding from the U.S. Department of the Interior to replace the canal’s aging concrete.
Okelberry emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Water is the lifeblood of our communities and we can’t survive without it. There’s no replacing that amount of water into the Yakima Valley.”
The canal will operate this year from today through early to mid-October. Efforts are underway to secure support from the U.S. Department of the Interior for the necessary repairs. For more information on the Yakima Tieton Irrigation Canal, visit the Yakima Tieton Irrigation District Website.
