Healthy Crops Now and Forever

Washington State is renowned as one of the largest producers of premium agricultural products in the country. That recognition wouldn’t have been possible without the vision of our forefathers one-hundred years ago when they envisioned, then built the reservoir system that provided irrigation to meet their needs and prepared the Yakima Basin for the agricultural expansion that was ahead. Now it is our turn. Today, the Yakima Basin has water needs that outstretch the system of yesterday, and will not meet the needs of tomorrow. Now is the time to develop a new water storage area to meet the increasing and future needs of the Yakima Basin. Increased needs for salmon recovery, increased population, agricultural growth, and on-going climate change will place insurmountable demands on the region’s current water supply. The Yakima Basin needs a stable source of water. Black Rock is the answer.

• Our progressive agricultural industry is utilizing a water storage infrastructure built in 1933.
• Our population has increased more than ten fold during these past 74 years.
• Climate changes have caused the decline of mountain snow packs.
• Droughts have become more frequent causing reduced water allocations among all water rights users.
• Black Rock will provide enough water to handle all future municipal demands for the next 50 years.
• Water withdrawals for irrigation from the Yakima River can be reduced by approximately 600,000
  acre feet
• Modifying water management in conjunction with appreciable storage, the Yakima River flow will
  return to its more natural, pre-irrigation level enabling fish recovery.
• The fish and wildlife programs designed for restoration and recovery need clean, cool and abundant water to assure successful reintroduction into their native habitat.
  
  Black Rock will ensure that Washington State will continue to be one of our country’s largest producers of premium agricultural products.