Manastash Creek is an important Yakima River tributary, which drains a 100-square mile watershed in Kittitas County lying west of Ellensburg, Washington.     Approximately 30 miles of potential high-quality salmonid habitat remains in the upper portions of the watershed, which lie primarily within the Wenatchee National Forest.  

On March 25, 1999, NMFS listed the Middle Columbia River Basin steelhead ESU as "threatened," effective May 24, 1999.   64 Fed. Reg. 14,517.  This ESU includes the Yakima River and its tributaries.  On February 16, 2000, NMFS designated the Yakima River and its tributaries as critical habitat for Middle Columbia River steelhead.  65 Fed. Reg. 7779.

In February 2001, the Washington Environmental Council (WEC) sent the WDFW, and the largest private water users on Manastash Creek, the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) and the Westside Irrigating Company (Westside)  a draft notice of intent to sue under Section 11(g) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), 16 U.S.C. § 1540(g).  The draft notice alleged that continued operation of the six irrigation diversions on Manastash Creek would result in an unlawful "take" of threatened steelhead under Section 9 of the ESA, 16 U.S.C. § 1538(a). The WEC contended that prior to the advent of irrigated agriculture, Manastash Creek produced steelhead, coho and spring Chinook salmon.

WEC invited the water users to work in a collaborative process which would protect both threatened fish and the future of Manastash Creek related irrigated agriculture in Kittitas County. The collaborative efforts proceeded and a relationship of cooperation and trust between the parties has developed.  The WEC's goal is to eliminate fish passage barriers, eliminate unscreened diversions and improve instream flows.  The irrigators' goal is to cooperate in the improvement of fish habitat on Manastash Creek while at the same time remaining whole and being able to manage and operate their land and water rights as a viable agricultural enterprise.  

A watershed restoration plan, along with an MOA among all parties and a plan for implementing flow improvements, are the fruits of these many months of collaborative efforts.  The overall restoration involves two efforts.  In one, the major water diversions on Manastash Creek will be reconstructed so as to eliminate manmade barriers or impediments to fish passage and all unscreened diversions.  This work will involve  consolidation of 4 of these diversions at the MWDA site- MWDA, Reed, Anderson and Hatfield.  The consolidated diversions will be decommissioned and the sites restored. The goal of the flow enhancement portion of the project is the restoration of more natural summer/fall flows in the lower part of Manastash Creek while at the same time protecting the vested water rights of the Manastash Creek water users. This piece is already underway under contract with KCCD.

BPA has approximately  $2.0 million through the F&W program to address fish screening and passage at the Manastash diversions (Phase 1). Earlier efforts included a water conservation study that laid out conceptual plans for remedies to the fish passage problems, along with rough schematics and cost estimates, initial permitting activities and pre-design.  This release with FishPro is to finalize planning, permitting  and design for the fish passage improvement effort, assist BPA with access appraisals and provide construction management for the MWDA and Keats-Jensen Facilities.