|
<br />5
<br />natural lake, Keechelus Lake’s capacity and discharge is controlled
<br />by Keechelus Dam, a 128-foot high earthfill structure built in 1917.
<br />The US Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)
<br />manages Keechelus Lake’s storage reservoir capacity of 157,800
<br />acre-feet.
<br />¥ Kachess Lake - Kachess Lake is a lake and reservoir along the
<br />course of the Kachess River. The upper part of the lake, north of a
<br />narrows, is called Little Kachess Lake. The Kachess River flows into
<br />the lake from the north, and out from the south. The lake is used as
<br />a storage reservoir for the Yakima Project, an irrigation project run
<br />by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). Although a natural lake,
<br />Kachess Lake's capacity and discharge is controlled by Kachess
<br />Dam, a 115-foot high earthfill structure built in 1912. As a storage
<br />reservoir, Kachess Lake's active capacity is 239,000 acre-feet. The
<br />name Kachess comes from an Indian term meaning "more fish", in
<br />contrast to Keechelus Lake, whose name means "few fish”.
<br />¥ Lake Easton – the Kachess River flows into the lake from the
<br />north and out from the south through the 1929 Easton Diversion
<br />Dam at an elevation of 2,165 feet. Lake Easton is located south of
<br />Interstate 90 and northwest of Easton and is the primary attraction
<br />of Lake Easton State Park. The Palouse to Cascade Trail (PCT –
<br />formerly Iron Horse Trail) is located immediately south of the lake.
<br />The Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) operates Lake Easton as a
<br />storage reservoir.
<br />¥ Cle Elum Lake - is a lake and reservoir along the course of the
<br />Cle Elum River located at an elevation of 2,223 feet. Cle Elum Lake
<br />is used as a storage reservoir for the Yakima Project, an irrigation
<br />project run by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). Although a natural
<br />lake, Cle Elum Lake's capacity and discharge is controlled by Cle
<br />Elum Dam, a 165-foot high earthfill structure built in 1933. As a
<br />storage reservoir, Cle Elum Lake's active capacity is 436,900 acre-
<br />feet.
<br />
<br />The total storage capacity of these lakes on the Yakima River in the
<br />upper Kittitas Valley is 1,031,700 acre-feet.
<br />
<br />Wetlands
<br />Small wet spots, bogs, peat and muck deposits of from 1 to 3 acres
<br />and larger ponds and water bodies are scattered throughout the
<br />river eddies and back channels located along the Yakima River
<br />drainage corridor supporting diverse wildlife habitat.
<br />
<br />Wildlife
<br />
<br />Habitat conservation areas are critical to the survival of the Yakima
<br />River’s diverse plant and wildlife communities. Habitats encompass
<br />a variety of areas including large parcels of contiguous
<br />undeveloped land, special areas like streams or wetlands, and
<br />structural elements like rocky shorelines or standing dead trees.
<br />
<br />The ecological value of these areas depends on the quantity,
<br />quality, diversity, and seasonality of the food, water, and cover that
<br />are provided wildlife species. A particular site's value also depends
<br />on proximity to other usable habitats, the presence of rare species,
<br />and the rarity of the habitat type.
<br />
<br />Wildlife habitats are generally classified as marine, estuarine,
<br />freshwater, and terrestrial categories. Many wildlife species rely
<br />upon most, even all, of these habitat categories for survival. The
<br />Yakima River has 2 categories of wildlife habitat.
<br />
<br />Freshwater habitat
<br />Freshwater bodies include lakes, rivers, creeks, wetlands, riparian
<br />areas, and all other types of water bodies not included in estuaries
<br />or marine habitat that have a low ocean salt content. Freshwater
<br />habitat supports different wildlife than saltwater systems,
<br />particularly species that depend on wetland vegetation. However,
<br />87% of all wildlife and fish species are estimated to depend on
<br />streams, wetlands, or other freshwater bodies during some part of
<br />their life cycle for drinking water, foraging, nesting, and migratory
<br />movements.
<br />
<br />Riparian areas - are the wooded or vegetated corridors located
<br />along the Yakima River’s streams and springs. These riparian
<br />corridors support free flowing water or moist conditions that
<br />support high water tables, certain soil characteristics, and
<br />vegetation that are transitional between freshwater and terrestrial
<br />habitat zones. The transitional edges are usually defined by a
<br />
|