The YTAHP RC&D committee is dedicated to a future Yakima Basin with healthy salmon, healthy streams, and healthy communities.

The Yakima Tributary Access & Habitat Program (YTAHP, “Y-Tap”) was developed in 2001 to provide assistance to landowners in restoring critical salmon habitat by implementing projects that protect, restore, and enhance riparian and floodplain habitat currently or historically used by salmon.  Program objectives are to screen irrigation diversions, remove manmade barriers (dams, culverts, etc), restore fish passage, and enhance stream habitat.  The YTAHP program is made possible through a collaborative effort between the SCW RC&D Council, local conservation districts, and many other local, state, and federal entities.  Projects are voluntary and are designed to serve the best interest of the landowner, salmon, and the community.

YTAHP Partners (CORE TEAM)

Our partners are the key to our success!  Through the YTAHP partnership, key agencies and staff are involved throughout every step of each project.  These partners include:

• South Central Washington Resource Conservation & Development Council
• Kittitas County Conservation District
• North Yakima Conservation District
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Yakama Nation
• Kittitas Conservation Trust
• Mid-Columbia Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group
• Benton Conservation District
• Washington Department of Ecology
• Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board

2010 YTAHP Meeting Schedule

Following is a list of estimated YTAHP meeting dates and locations:

*Locations: Ellensburg - Kittitas County Fire Department, 102 N. Pearl St.
                  Yakima - USDA Service Center, 1606 Perry St.

YTAHP Funding

Primary funding for the Program is from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) with additional project funding from the Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Washington Department of Ecology Water Quality Program, Community Salmon Funds, and other local, state and federal programs.

YTAHP Staff

Dave Myra
YTAHP program manager
(509) 454-5743, x128


Carol Ready
YTAHP program staff
(509) 929-7323

2009 Feature Story

Returning Salmon to Upper Currier Creek – Ellensburg, Washington

Taneum Creek / Bruton Dam Removal - The restoration of salmon habitat and passage is the # 1 goal of the Yakima Tributary Access & Habitat Program (YTAHP), a committee of the South Central Wa. RC&D. This committee is made up of 4 conservation districts, Yakama Nation, Kittitas Cons. Trust, Yakima Basin Fish & Wildlife Recovery Board, WDFW, and others. In Kittitas County several fish barrier issues have been addressed through YTAHP funding and facilitation, the most recent being the Bruton Diversion.

The Bruton Diversion in Taneum Creek is an irrigation diversion that lies along I-90, west of Ellensburg. Taneum Creek is a tributary to the Yakima River located in Kittitas County. The Bruton Diversion has long been a barrier to fish migration and movement into the high quality habitat of the Taneum drainage, despite the earlier construction of a fish ladder which had never functioned well. Fish that have been impacted include Summer Steelhead and Bull Trout, both culturally important species to the Yakama Nation. Additional species benefiting include coho and resident trout. Members of YTAHP have been targeting this structure for over six years as a critical project to increase anadromous fish habitat in historical breeding and rearing habitat in the Yakima watershed.

“Removal of the Bruton Diversion is the result of the combined efforts of numerous partners,” said Dave Myra, manager of YTAHP RC&D program. “Staff worked on the ground with landowners in the project area to explain the benefits of the project and assist in implementing upgraded irrigation systems,” Myra said. “This is a great project on a tributary which is vital to salmonid recovery efforts in the Yakima River basin – and the participation of the RC&D was instrumental in making it happen.”

The Bureau of Reclamation was an invaluable partner in providing alternative water delivery to landowners to allow this project to move forward. The final removal of the dam and fish ladder, and reconstruction of the channel occurred throughout 2009. The final celebration tour took place on November 12th. All partners were present, including leaders from the Yakama Nation and the press. It was a hugely important and successful project, requiring a high level of collaboration and cooperation. In addition, the Kittitas Conservation Trust released adult coho salmon into the creek, the first to freely migrate upstream into Taneum Creek in more than 120 years.

“This is a unique project because of the large amount of habitat being opened and the diverse groups that came together to make it a success,” said David Gerth, RC&D Director and executive director of the Kittitas Conservation Trust. “A wide variety of people found common ground for this project. Opening up this habitat in the Taneum Creek watershed will help restore salmon species in the upper Yakima River basin.”

click on the image for a larger image

Previous YTAHP Meeting Minutes

YTAHP Accomplishments

Since 2001, YTAHP has worked to develop, design, permit, and construct more than 50 projects.  Our accomplishments, as of 2008, have been:

• 75 total cubic feet per second (cfs) screened
• 24,000 acre feet (AF) screened
• 4.5 cubic feet per second (cfs) trusted to instream use
• 1,299 acre feet (AF) trusted
• 30 acres of riparian habitat revegetated
• 4 miles of habitat enhanced
• 20 miles of stream opened by barrier removal

YTAHP Reports

Natural resources now and for the future!