How We Got Here

After years of drought, water rights conflicts, and wildlife loss, Congress authorized the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Program (YRBWEP) in 1979 to help mitigate the basin’s water supply issues. Since then, Congress has authorized three subsequent YRBWEP Phases. Phase I built fish screens and ladders; Phase II implemented water conservation measures for agriculture and instream flows; and Phase III initiated a watershed-scale balanced approach to Yakima Basin water supply management called the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan (YBIP).