Black Rock backers eye property tax

by David Lester
Yakima Herald-Republic

A property tax imposed across Yakima, Kittitas and Benton counties is one possible funding source being advanced to pay for the Black Rock reservoir and a series of other improvements to restore fish runs.

Backers of a plan to build the 1.6 million acre-foot lake east of Yakima and add fish ladders at existing dams say the tax would be one small piece of a multibillion-dollar package.

Black Rock, built behind a 600-foot-high dam near State Route 241, would provide at least a 70 percent supply for all irrigators during dry years and support future municipal growth

The Yakima Basin Storage Alliance, a grass-roots group that sees Black Rock as the only viable answer for meeting future needs, unveiled a possible funding mix this week along with draft legislation it hopes will rally all basin interests behind the controversial proposal.

The Black Rock reservoir plan carries a $6.7 billion price tag. The figure includes construction costs, interest, contingencies and a century of operating costs.

The draft bill is tentatively called The Yakima River Basin Environmental and Salmon Restoration Act.

But mobilizing support may be difficult given criticisms of the reservoir's costs and potential environmental impacts associated with worsening radioactive pollution in groundwater under the Hanford nuclear reservation to the east.

Black Rock would draw water from the Columbia River at Priest Rapids Dam to meet the needs of Lower Valley irrigators. The exchange of Columbia River water will leave more Yakima River
water available for improving fish flows and habitat

Now, with the first suggestion of area landowners helping to finance the plan through property taxes, more attention is sure to be drawn to the proposal.

"We have to list that at least," Sid Morrison, alliance chairman said of the tax angle. "If the (drought) concern is great enough and we can't get the numbers to add up, that might have to be considered."

Some county commissioners, however, were reserved in their reaction to the funding package.

Claude Oliver, chairman of the Benton County commission, said he sees the proposal as simply a draft.

"Folks will have to work a lot more numbers from a lot more different places before I get too worried about that one being in there," Oliver said in a voice mail message.

Mike Leita, a Yakima County commissioner who has taken the county lead on water resource issues, had little comment on the approach.

"We understand anything of this magnitude will take a collective effort. When you start talking about a tax assessment, we put on another hat," he said of commissioners. "We would have to look thoroughly and extensively at what is being requested.

In addition to a property tax, the alliance is looking at state and federal funds to cover more than 80 percent of the total cost. The remainder must come from local sources.

Among those local sources are proratable irrigators, who account for more than half the 460,000-acre Yakima Irrigation Project. The financing plan calls for those users to pay a per-acre annual charge of $18. Proratable users, also known as junior users, have their supplies reduced in times of shortage so the needs of older rights can be met fully.

The per-acre fee would be charged to all 225,000 acres of land with junior rights to raise more than $4 million.

Not estimated as possible funding sources are power generation revenues and recreation benefits from land development around the 10-mile-long lake, which the alliance believes could provide substantial benefits that make the reservoir economically feasible.

The federal-state contribution is similar to existing federal law that authorized the 14-year-old basin water enhancement program. The enhancement provides funds for improvements to irrigation facilities and to buy land and water rights for habitat needs.

The bill doesn't have all costs itemized, such as those for fish passage at existing basin storage dams and habitat improvements.

Morrison said the alliance wants the proposed bill introduced once the Bureau of Reclamation concludes an environmental impact statement on the Black Rock plan.

A final impact statement on Black Rock and other storage alternatives is due out at the end of the year.

Morrison said the draft bill is the alliance's attempt to show the benefits Black Rock can provide as a way to rally support. The major advantage, he said, is restoring migratory fish runs. The Yakima River is considered one of the best places in the continental United States to promote healthy fish runs because of the potential habitat for spawning and rearing of young fish.

"This is not a mad rush to get this into the halls of Congress. This is an effort to get everyone talking before we go there," Morrison said. "The only way to make a dramatic step forward is we need everyone together. Right now, they are all over the place."

Some basin interests, primarily the influential Yakama Nation and the Roza Irrigation District, are pursuing alternatives to Black Rock. Those alternatives include expanding Bumping Lake.

The state Ecology Department is in the midst of a fast-track review of alternatives brought up by those who commented on the bureau environmental review. The state study is looking at smaller water storage alternatives, fish passage, improved habitat and modernized irrigation facilities.

A final report on the state's work is scheduled to be done about the time the bureau issues a decision whether to ask Congress to authorize and fund Black Rock.

Environmental groups have panned the idea of building a huge reservoir.

One concern is the seepage of water from the reservoir that could worsen existing radioactive pollution under the Hanford nuclear reservation.

Bureau planners will soon release a study on how to reduce the seepage impact at Hanford, one Morrison said planners have indicated will suggest seepage can be controlled without environmental damage.

 

* David Lester can be reached at 577-7674 or dlester@yakimaherald.com.

 

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