Rivers' low levels endanger salmon

YAKIMA — This year's drought has left water levels dangerously low in some Central Washington rivers, and fisheries managers and water experts say drastic measures may be needed to help salmon eggs survive the winter.

On the Cle Elum River, north of Yakima, an unknown but substantial number of spring chinook egg nests are in jeopardy because the lake that feeds the river, Lake Cle Elum, was drawn down to meet irrigation needs this summer.

Farther north, the Wenatchee River dropped to a record seven-day low Tuesday and could still dip to the lowest flow ever recorded before fall rains arrive. The average river flow over seven days was 263 cubic feet per second, down from the previous low of 271 cubic feet per second in October 2001.

The low Wenatchee River flows are threatening the city of Cashmere's water supply, cutting water to irrigators and causing pollution problems in private wells.

Federally protected fish in the river also may face a threat if the shallow river freezes over in a cold snap, said Mike Kaputa, natural-resources director for Chelan County. Juvenile steelhead and chinook salmon, both endangered, and threatened bull trout all spend a winter in local waters before migrating to the ocean.

"Things could be lining up for a pretty big fish kill this winter," Kaputa said.

Water managers are considering drastic steps to protect the spring chinook nests in the Cle Elum River. The eight-mile river connects Lake Cle Elum to the Yakima River.

Lake Cle Elum has a capacity of 436,900 acre-feet of water. However, the lake held just 14,579 acre-feet of water this week. An acre-foot is enough water to cover an acre of land with one foot of water.

There is enough water in the lake and river to cover the spawning runs this fall. But fisheries managers say the water level in the lake is so low that the normal release of water by gravity will be inadequate to protect the chinook eggs until they hatch in the spring.

The Bureau of Reclamation is considering measures that could include pumping water out of the lake bottom or installing straw bales in the river to direct water over the nests. A decision is expected before the spawning season ends in mid-October.

Fish managers said they warned the bureau earlier this summer to save enough water for the winter period, when the eggs incubate in the river's gravel.

"I realize they have had a difficult time. But we should not be facing the possible loss of a significant portion of the spring chinook fish production in the Cle Elum River," said Jeff Thomas, a fish biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Yakima.

Chris Lynch, a bureau engineer in Yakima, said the agency makes assumptions to forecast water supplies for the season. "We don't design for the worst possible conditions," he said.

Overall precipitation since last October has been 65 percent of normal, and the basin winter snowpack was well below normal. The state declared a drought emergency in the spring.