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4 CapitalPress.com April 24, 2015 Drought Water managers respond to Yakima Basin drought Reservoirs tapped early; irrigation districts cut supply By DON JENKINS Capital Press The drought has taken hold in Washington state’s Yakima Basin, with federal mangers tapping reservoirs much earlier than usual and one irrigation district re- stricting water supplies. “We’re just hoping for rain right now. Give us some rain. That will improve the situation,” the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Yakima River operations supervisor, Chuck Garner, said. The bureau forecast Tuesday that Yakima-area growers with junior water rights will receive 54 per- cent of their normal sup- plies. Growers with senior water rights are expected to receive 100 percent of their supplies. The outlook has been worsening since early March, when the bureau es- timated junior-right holders would receive 73 percent of their normal supplies. Low-elevation snow is gone, and precipitation at the basin’s five major reser- voirs has been one-third of average so far in April. With the natural Yaki- ma River flow far below normal, the bureau began drawing from the reservoirs on April 15, 10 weeks earli- er than normal. Garner said it’s proba- bly the earliest the bureau has started spending down water stored over the win- ter since the severe 1977 drought. On Tuesday, water was trickling into the reservoirs about half as fast as normal, according to the bureau. Meanwhile, water was be- ing released almost twice as fast as usual. The reservoirs are 99 percent full and hold more than 1 million acre-feet, a robust figure for this time of year. But with the early start to the drawdown, the bureau projects that by the end of the September, the reser- voirs will hold only 110,000 acre-feet, compared to the usual 320,000 acre-feet. That would leave little water held over for the bu- reau to build on for the 2016 irrigation season. The Roza Irrigation Dis- trict, which has 72,000 acres to water, responded Monday by cutting water supplies to 1.8 gallons per minute, in- stead of the usual amount of roughly 7.5 gallons per minute. “It’s a significant re- duction, to the point where some growers will have trouble with their pumps,” the district’s manager, Scott Revell, said. The district’s board may have a special meeting next week to discuss whether to pursue potentially expen- sive water from senior right holders in the Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District. The district has set aside $3.5 million to lease water Dan Wheat/Capital Press Chris Sandvig, dam tender for Kittitas Reclamation District, looks west from Lake Easton Dam. It’s where the district’s irrigation canal starts. There’s plenty of water now but probably won’t be by mid-summer. in drought years. The dis- trict must decide wheth- er to invest funds now, or hold back to guard against the possibility of an even worse water shortage in 2016. Revell called the 54 percent supply figure “right on the decision-making line.” Also, the district is watching to see what state lawmakers do. During the 2005 drought, the state and Roza split 50-50 the cost of leasing water. The Washington Department of Ecology has requested $4 million for leasing water in the Yakima Basin, but state lawmakers have not com- mitted the money. The Kittitas Reclama- tion District has a different strategy for coping with the drought. Manager Ken Hasbrouck said the district plans to keep water flow- ing at nearly normal levels through May to protect hay, the district’s “moneymak- er.” After that, water sup- plies will be ramped down, he said. Usually, the dis- trict provides water until Oct. 15. During the 2005 drought, water was gone by Aug. 5. This year? “Right now, I would hate to even suggest a date,” Hasbrouck said. He also said it’s hard to forecast economic loss. Growers who suffer a water shortage may need a year or two to get their land and livestock back in shape, he said. The bureau’s water sup- ply forecast assumes pre- cipitation going forward will be 80 percent of nor- mal. “I’m really hoping that 54 number we’re working with is a number that stays in place,” Hasbrouck said. “Let it rain, and I’ll be hap- py.” Ruling forces California water districts to review rates By BRIAN MELLEY AND FENIT NIRAPPIL Associated Press Idaho well users owe large surface call obligation Capital Press Southern Idaho groundwa- ter irrigators now face their largest obligation in the 10- year history of the Surface Water Coalition’s delivery call and fear they may fall short in their efforts to pro- vide mitigation. Coalition members — American Falls Reservoir District No. 2, Twin Falls Canal Co., A&B Irrigation District, Burley Irrigation District, Milner Irrigation District, Minidoka Irrigation District and North Side Ca- nal Co. — say springs that supplement surface flows in Snake River reaches between Blackfoot and Milner Dam have declined as a result of well irrigation. Idaho Department of Wa- ter Resources Director Gary Spackman recently ordered the groundwater users to pro- vide 89,000 acre-feet of water by May 1 to offset injuries to AFRD No. 2 and Twin Falls Canal Co. Absent a sudden shift to- ward wetter weather nullify- ing the debt, any shortfall in mitigating for the full amount would result in curtailment of well users with the most ju- nior water rights. Lynn Tominaga, executive director for Idaho Ground Water Appropriators Inc., said he’s been out “begging for water” and has found lit- tle. “It’s very doubtful we’ll get to 89,000 acre-feet,” Tom- inaga said. Tominaga believes the obligation is excessive, con- tending the water outlook was bleaker in 2010, when IGWA owed just 84,000 acre- feet. That year, wet summer weather arrived, and IGWA’s $1.3 million water investment went to waste. Furthermore, Tomina- ga questions the Bureau of Reclamation’s allocation of 100,000 acre-feet of water to augment flows for salmon health this season, as per an agreement with the Nez Perce Tribe. Tominaga noted salm- on flow augmentation height- ens competition for storage water. IDWR Deputy Director Mat Weaver said the 100,000 acre-feet was on the border- line of being necessary, and no augmentation would have been required under Reclama- tion’s formula had the agen- cy’s water supply forecast been just 1 percent lower. As for the discrepancy with 2010, Weaver explained IDWR has implemented a new methodology to calculate diminishing reach gains, in compliance with a court order. Another policy change this season allows Spackman to revisit the water supply in mid-season and further in- crease IGWA’s obligation, if necessary. “I think the day is coming where groundwater pumpers may have to do what surface irrigators have had to do for years and do some things to preserve their water. That probably means crop se- lection and better manage- ment,” said Stan Hawkins, a member of the Upper Snake River Basin’s Committee of Nine, representing the Great Feeder Canal Co. “In a year like this, we’ve got lots of canals that I represent that simply cannot count on hav- ing enough water to raise a crop of corn or a crop of po- tatoes.” 17-1/#4X violate the ruling. Huntington Beach, for ex- ample, had been considering adding tiered water rates for years, but didn’t know how to figure out what would be legal until the ruling came out, said Public Works Director Travis Hopkins. The Crescenta Valley Water District was meeting Tuesday night and was expected to dis- cuss the ruling’s impact on its four-tier pricing and future rate hikes, said attorney Thomas Bunn. “This is going to force a number of districts to re-exam- ine their tiered rates and make sure they’re justified,” Bunn said. Two-thirds of water districts use some form of tiered water pricing. The ruling which is only binding in Orange County but could be cited in legal filings throughout the state, does not make tiered pricing illegal, but agencies or cities have to show price hikes are directly tied to the cost of the water, the court said. Noting that Santa Barbara is reviving a desalination plant, Justice William Bedsworth wrote that providing water during a drought is pricey and nothing in the voter-approved ballot measure prevents water agencies from passing those costs on to users. “That would seem like a good idea,” he wrote. San Juan Capistrano charged nearly four times as much per unit of water for users in the highest tier to provide an in- centive to conserve, but failed to show that the water was that expensive to deliver. Residents complained the higher rates were arbitrary and unfair. Nearby Santa Margari- ta Water District watched the case closely and updated its increased tiered rates in March that carefully documented the link between costs and rates in a 120-page analysis, spokesman Jonathan Volzke said. Attorney Benjamin Benu- mof, who brought the lawsuit against San Juan Capistrano and has suits pending against Sweet- water Authority in San Diego County and Glendale Water and Power, said he thinks there are a lot places where rates are out of line with the court order. Drought declared in 2 more Oregon counties SALEM (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has declared drought emergencies in two rop-6-26-5/#17 By JOHN O’CONNELL Brian Melley/Associated Press This Sunday, April 19, 2015 photo shows Kris Widger mountain biking through dry vegetation in the Santa Monica Mountains in the Topanga area of Los Angeles. An appeals court Tuesday struck down a water pricing scheme meant to conserve water. more counties — Baker and Wheeler — due to drought, low snowpack levels and low water conditions. The governor’s action Mon- day brings to seven the number of counties where the state has declared a drought emergency so far this year. The other coun- ties are Crook, Harney, Klamath, Malheur and Lake. In 2014, a total of nine counties were under drought emergencies. The counties asked the state to take action, and the Oregon Drought Council considered the requests by weighing current water conditions, future fore- casts and agricultural impacts. Drought continues to have sig- nificant impacts on agriculture, livestock and natural resources in each of the counties. The governor’s declaration allows increased flexibility in how water is managed to ensure that limited supplies are used as efficiently as possible. Brown is also working with Oregon’s federal delegation, state agencies and local governments to address drought issues. LEGAL LEGAL PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 87 Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 4/28/2015. The sale will be held at 10:00 am by CERTIFIED AUTO REPAIR 2880 22ND ST SE, SALEM, OR 2007 Chevrolet 3500 Van VIN=1GAHG39U071203764 Amount due on lien $1,090.00 Reputed owner(s) Gregory Garrett Westlake Financial Svcs James Schneider PURSUANT TO ORS CHAPTER 819 Notice is hereby given that the following vehicle will be sold, for cash to the highest bidder, on 4/28/2015. The sale will be held at 10:00 am by PRECISION TOWING & RECOVERY IN 7575 3RD STREET SE, TURNER, OR 2008 GMC Sierra VIN = 1GTEK29039Z161370 Amount due on lien $4,105.00 Reputed owner(s) Merle McClure Merle McClure Citizens Auto Finance Legal-16-2-2/#4 Legal-16-2-4/#4 John O’Connell/Capital Press Pasture is irrigated in Firth, Idaho, with a snowcapped mountain in the backdrop. Below-average snowpack, an early start to the irrigation season and a poor outlook for natural river flows have led to an 89,000 acre foot obligation for groundwater users in the Surface Water Coalition water call. LOS ANGELES — An ap- peals court decision striking down punitive water pricing that was intended to encourage con- servation had water agencies re- viewing rates Tuesday and some residents exploring whether to bring similar challenges. The ruling Monday that found San Juan Capistrano’s water rates unconstitutional came amid a severe drought as agencies try to meet the gover- nor’s mandate to cut water use statewide by 25 percent. The 4th District Court of Ap- peal said charging heavy users incrementally more per gallon without showing it cost more violated a 1996 voter-approved law that prohibits government agencies from overcharging for services. The decision that Gov. Jerry Brown said puts a “straitjacket” on local government makes it harder for cities to adopt simi- lar billings and may bring down some of the higher rates, said Ken Baerenklau, an associate professor at the University of California, Riverside who has studied tiered water rates. Water departments are being pulled in different directions by Brown’s administration that de- manded hitting residents in the pocketbook to save water and the legal uncertainty of charging guzzlers higher rates. “If you have courts telling you one thing and governor tell- ing you something else, maybe that’s a reason to sit tight,” he said. Water districts were careful- ly going over the ruling to figure out if their rates were in jeopar- dy or how they could develop a pricing scheme that would encourage conservation but not