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Every community across Washington is feeling the impact of our economic crisis.
As jobs are lost and people tighten their belts yet another notch, any outside money to help stimulate local economies is appreciated.
Just in time, Walla Walla County citizens have received a welcome boost thanks to the Walla Walla County Conservation District (WWCCD) and a series of Touchet River projects.
For over one hundred years, farmers in Walla Walla County have been served by Hofer Dam on the Touchet River, a tributary to the Walla Walla River.
Yet, while making irrigation possible for thousands of acres, the dam and ditched irrigation system posed a problem for fish.
The dam itself proved to be a barrier to fish attempting migration up and down the stream; fish were often trapped in diversion channels; and the amount of water diverted for irrigation sometimes caused low stream flows in the summer season.
The WWCCD
took the lead on resolving these issues.
Through stakeholder planning and work with partner groups, WWCCD helped irrigation districts build projects that met the water needs of people and fish while pumping thousands of grant dollars into Walla Walla’s local economy.
Projects included a new fish ladder, new self-cleaning fish screens on diversion outlets, and a new pressurized system (pumping plant and pipelines to replace open irrigation ditches on the Eastside and the Westside.)
These projects, starting in 2005 and due to be completed in 2010, not only made the delivery of irrigation water for farmers more efficient, they also brought $3,975,000 in grant dollars to the Walla Walla community in the form of wages and purchase of local materials.
Fish greatly benefited too since they now have a barrier-free migration path and no chance of ending up in irrigation channels.
In addition, 3,134 acre-feet of water per year (saved by the new, efficient pipelines) will be dedicated to stream flows.
This is clearly a win-win situation for fish and people!
WWCCD provided the dedicated leadership and coordination of these projects.
Grants were provided by the following partners:
- Salmon Recovery Funding Board
- Tri-State Steelheaders
- Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
- WA Department of Ecology
- WA State Conservation Commission
Upper Left:
New Eastside/Westside
pumping station.
Upper Right:
Installing pipe for new pressurized system.
Lower Left:
Hofer Dam with new fish screens above the fish ladder.
Lower Right:
Fish ladder operating as designed.
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