Yakima Basin water supply update

On April 8, we declared a statewide drought emergency, the fourth in a row for the Yakima Basin. Declaring a drought allows us to provide $3 million in drought relief grants to address hardships on agriculture and communities.

We're working with our partners in the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan to address water supply challenges, both today and in the future. Here are the water supply conditions that may lead to restrictions on water use later this summer.

Continued drought despite December floods and reservoir storage

2025 brought the warmest December since 1895. Throughout this warm winter, precipitation fell as rain instead of snow, causing historic flooding at the end of last year. None of that water was stored in snowpack, so it won't be there when we need it this summer and fall.

These record rains and little snow nearly filled the Yakima Basin's five reservoirs. However, only 15% of the basin's land area drains through a reservoir. Without a healthy snowpack, what's stored in these reservoirs isn't enough to keep us out of drought. The basin depends on snowpack to meet over 60% of its demand for water.

We call this type of water shortage a "snow drought," which is when statewide average snowpack is less than 75% of normal.

Your water right could be restricted, so check online

Because of last year's unprecedented drought, we issued restrictions on nearly all surface water users in the Yakima Basin last October. These orders were necessary to protect the most senior water rights.

This year, we are launching a new resource to keep you updated on water supply conditions and water right restrictions. If you have a surface water right in the Yakima Basin, visit our Yakima water resource page where you'll find:

• Current and upcoming restrictions on water rights
• An interactive map to find out if your water right is affected
• More information about how water supply levels could affect your water use

Checking the website is the quickest, easiest way to find out whether you can use water. How you're affected depends on your water right priority date, which is the date when your water right was established. Low water supplies mean that even senior water rights could be restricted later this year.

After three previous years of drought, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation estimated on April 9 that proratable water users will receive only 52% of their normal water supply. This means junior water rights won't receive any water. Proratable users need to receive 100% of their normal supply before junior users can access whatever remains.

What you can do

If you live in the Yakima Basin, drought may feel like old news, but each drought creates unique challenges. We are continuing to invest in water-saving projects through partnerships like the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan.

The best way you can help is to stay mindful of your water use.

If your water comes from a city, any water you conserve stays in the river to help farms, fish, recreation, and other downstream users. Contact your water supplier to find out how they are saving water and how they are coordinating with basin-wide efforts.

If you don't need to use your water right, you can donate or sell it to protect instream flows for fish. Get in touch with us to learn more.

The takeaway

Dry summers and consecutive droughts are happening more frequently due to climate change. Research estimates that by the 2050s, Washington will see snow droughts seven out of every 10 years, on average. This means an increase in warmer winters, leading to reduced snowpack and lower streamflows when we need them most from spring to early fall.

Visit our Yakima water resource page to stay informed about upcoming restrictions and learn about short- and long-term solutions for drought resilience.

Water shortages will happen more often and impact us more severely. This year's drought only underscores the importance of conserving and better managing water so there is enough for people, farms, and fish.