Kittitas Reclamation District
Welcome to
Kittitas Reclamation District
KRD OFFICE INFO
KRD - COVID-19
To all our valued customers:
After very careful consideration, in response to the COVID-19, the Kittitas Reclamation District has made the decision to temporarily close our office to in-person visits. Until the office resumes normal operating hours, please contact staff by phone. Customers are also encouraged to take advantage of the drop box located on the front door or the US postal system. We apologize for the inconvenience.
HOURS: 7am to 5pm, Monday - Friday
(office will be closed all major holidays)
Phone: 509.925.6158
Fax: 509.925.7425
MAILING ADDRESS
PO Box 276
Ellensburg, WA 98926
OFFICE ADDRESS
315 N Water St
Ellensburg, WA 98926
Water Starting Date: April 19, 2021
Water Orders: Call between 7:00am-7:45am to speak with your Ditch Rider. 509.925.6158
NOTIFICATIONS
WATER TURN ON - 2021
On April 7, 2021 the Bureau of Reclamation announced the April forecast for the 2021 Yakima Basin water supply. The Total Water Supply Available forecast for the Yakima Basin indicates the water supply that junior water right holders will receive is estimated to be at 100 percent of entitlement for this irrigation season. As a result of the current conditions and this forecast the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) has set the water allotment for 2021 at 2.5 cubic feet per second which equals 5-acre feet per assessed acre. The KRD will start accepting water orders on April 19, 2021. It is important to remember that the April forecast for the year is based on flows, precipitation, snow pack and reservoir storage as of April 1, along with estimates of future precipitation and river flows. Other future weather conditions that determine the timing of the snowmelt and the demand for water also are critical in determining stream flows, proration levels and the extent to which the reservoirs fill.
About KRD
The Kittitas Reclamation District is located in Central Washington in the Kittitas Valley.
KRD facts:
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Approximately two thirds of all the irrigated acres in Kittitas County, approximately 60,000 acres, are serviced by the KRD's 330 miles of canals and laterals.
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It is the 6th largest irrigation district in Washington State.
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Thirty siphons, the longest is 3325 feet in length, and eleven tunnels help the canal keep as much elevation as possible.
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From its start at Lake Easton Dam to its terminus on the Turbine Lateral where it spills to the Yakima River the canal only loses 310 feet in those 78 miles.
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The KRD has a pro-ratable water right. In a drought year, when there is less water than it takes to fulfill all of the non-prorated water rights in the Yakima River basin, the KRD will receive less than its full entitlement. The last major shortfalls were in 2001, 2005, 2015, and 2019.
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The KRD budget is funded by landowner assessments. The rates of assessment, as well as all KRD policies, are determined by a Board of Directors who are elected from landowners within the District. Board meetings are open to the public and are usually held the first Tuesday of every month at the KRD office.