The Yakima Basin Clean Water Partnership
Who Are We?
The Yakima Basin Clean Water Partnership shares similar goals with many other water quality efforts in the Yakima Basin, but this RC&D Committee offers a unique approach: to provide efficiency and focus of conservation efforts through the development of an Ecosystem Services Market. Our mission is: To lead in developing, promoting, and advancing market based strategies to improve water quality for the benefit of all communities in the Yakima Basin.
The Committee was formed to fill a niche that will help reach clean water goals of both the RC&D Council, their partners, and other organizations in the Yakima Basin, more cost and time effectively and efficiently. Our unique role is to provide:
- Cleaner water faster using a market-based approach, with a focus on the Yakima Basin.
- A proactive and results oriented group.
- Grass roots, locally-led, and voluntary participation.
- Accountability, transparency, inclusiveness, and credibility.
- An adaptive management approach.
In addition, the Committee was formed to help bring together cutting edge science, political resources, and collaboration to improve water quality work in Yakima Basin.
Strategic Planning
The Yakima Basin Clean Water Partnership has identified six Strategic Priorities that will guide decision making regarding project selection and committee activities. They are:
- Technical Tools
- Market Based Strategies
- Policy Guidance and Influence
- Regional Collaboration
- Education
- Operations & Funding
Find out more about our efforts by downloading and reading the Executive Summary of our 5 year workplan:YBCWP - Workplan Executive Summary (docx, 938k)
Resources
Also you can view this powerpoint describing how an Ecosystem Services Market might look like in the Yakima Basin: Yakima Basin Ecosystem Market Presentation (pptx, 2258k)
More resources:
- USGS - Assessment of Eutrophication in the Lower Yakima River Basin, Wa.
- Washington State Conservation Commission - Washington Conservation Markets Study Final Report
- American Farmland Trust - Guide to Environmental Markets for Farmers and Ranchers
- Ecosystem Marketplace - State of Watershed Payments An Emerging Marketplace, Executive Summary
- World Resources Institute - How Baywide Nutrient Trading Could Benefit Pennsylvania Farms
Contact Us
For more information on the Committee or to attend a meeting, please contact Heather Simmons-Rigdon at: