Jason Sheehan, member of the Save Family Farming Board of Directors, Lower Yakima Valley Dairy Farmer, and member of the Roza Irrigation District Board of Directors issued a statement regarding the recent announcement of Yakima Basin water restrictions.
“The recent announcement that the Yakima Basin will face unprecedented water rationing should be a wakeup call to our state’s leadership. The biggest concern for farmers in a shortage like this is trying to irrigate our crops, because when you’re short on water, you’re short on one of the key nutrients that crops need to grow. But just as importantly, we’re also worried about making sure there’s enough water for fish and habitats. We can’t afford to sacrifice fish populations.
“As a dairy farmer and someone who serves on the Roza Irrigation District Board, we received the water forecast back in March, based on the snowpack and the reports that came through. We’ve known for months that this was going to be a tough year. Irrigation districts know every drop of water we have access to, and we have a plan in place to steward every drop wisely to make sure we can meet the needs of both crops and fish as best as possible. That’s why we knew when to shut down our canals and preserve the water we had in reserve.
“One of the biggest strengths in our area specifically has been the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan. It’s one of the best examples of collaboration I’ve ever seen, with stakeholders coming together to figure out what’s best for all of us. Through that plan, we’ve built a script that we can all follow when things get tough. Water is always a hard issue, and it naturally creates tension, but when everyone agrees to a plan ahead of time, it helps us make the right decisions under pressure. The key is to follow the plan, not to start making decisions on the fly once the crisis hits.
“The challenge we face now is ensuring that government agencies understand their role in that plan. Too often, the people making decisions in courtrooms or offices aren’t the ones who have to live with the consequences on the ground. The better path forward is for all the stakeholders to come to the table, work together, and stick to the plan we built collectively.
“We are calling for our leaders to trust the stakeholders on the ground, to trust the people making the decisions who will also be impacted the most by those outcomes. We have a plan, and we each have a role. The tribes have a role, the farmers have a role, and the government has a role. The plan works best when we’re proactive, when each party upholds their end of the script, when we take the hard steps to ensure sustainable water for every community in this state, and when we anticipate a crisis instead of reacting to it. Anything less is not enough and not acceptable.”