Washington State Route 10 winds past the Yakima River (©2004 Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust)

The Yakima River south of Union Gap

The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in eastern Washington state, named for the indigenous Yakama people. The headwaters are Keechelus Lake, near Snoqualmie Pass, located in the Cascade Range, northwest of Cle Elum, Washington flowing through that town, past the city of Yakima, Washington, and continuing southwest to Richland, Washington, where it empties into the Columbia River. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1638x1200, 404 KB) Summary Washington State Route 10 along the w:Yakima River in w:Kittitas County, Washington. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1638x1200, 404 KB) Summary Washington State Route 10 along the w:Yakima River in w:Kittitas County, Washington. ... Legend Washington State Routes < Route 9 Route 11 > Washington State Route 10 is a highway in the state of Washington, U.S.A. It parallels Interstate 90 for about 16 miles in Kittitas County, terminating about 3 miles northwest of Ellensburg. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1000x456, 281 KB) Summary The Yakima River just south of Union Gap. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1000x456, 281 KB) Summary The Yakima River just south of Union Gap. ... Union Gap is a city located in Yakima County, Washington. ... Columbia River Gorge, Washington or North side The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river situated in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 18th 184,824 km² 385 km 580 km 6. ... Snoqualmie Pass is the name of a pass through the Cascade Range and of a town located in Kittitas County, Washington. ... Mount Adams in Washington The Cascade Range is a mountainous region famous for its chain of tall volcanoes called the High Cascades that run north-south along the west coast of North America from British Columbia to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. ... Cle Elum is a city located in Kittitas County, Washington. ... City seal Yakima (IPA: ) is a city in central Washington and the county seat of Yakima County, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 71,845 and a metropolitan of 229,094. ... Richland Police Station in foreground. ... Columbia River Gorge, Washington or North side The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river situated in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. ...

The Yakima River provides irrigation for the dry but fertile land in the Yakima River Valley. A significant portion of Washington's famous apples are grown in the Yakima River Valley. Hops for the production of beer are grown in the valley, and a significant wine industry has formed in the area. High-altitude aerial view of irrigation in the Heart of the Sahara (, ) Irrigation (in agriculture) is the replacement or supplementation of rainfall with water from another source in order to grow crops. ... Species Malus domestica Malus sieversii Apple is the fruit (pome) of the genus Malus belonging to the family Rosaceae, and is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. ... Species Humulus lupulusL. Humulus japonicusSiebold& Zucc. ... A selection of bottled beers A selection of cask beers Beer is the worlds oldest and most popular alcoholic beverage. ... Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of grapes and grape juice. ...

The Yakima River Basin consists of approximately 6,150 mile² (1590 km²) located in south central Washington State. It is bounded by the Cascade Mountain Range on the west, the Wenatchee Mountains on the north, and Rattlesnake Hills and Horse Heaven Hills to the east and south respectively. The Yakima River Basin encompasses the areas the State of Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) calls the Upper Yakima, Water Resource Inventory Areas (WRIAs) 38 and 39, and the Lower Yakima, WRIA 37, with the dividing line between these northern and southern sections being the confluence of the Naches and Yakima Rivers.

Major landowners include federal and state agencies and the Yakama Indian Nation. The Yakama Nation is the largest landowner with over 1 million acres (4000 km²) held in trust. The Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakima Nation, or Yakama Nation, is a Native American group with nearly 9,000 enrolled members, living in Washington (state). ...

The forested areas in the northern and western portions of the basin occupy approximately 2,200 mile² (5,700 km²) and are used for recreation, wildlife habitat, timber harvest, grazing, and Tribal cultural activities.

Range lands comprise about 2,900 mile² (7,500 km²) and are used for military training, grazing, wildlife habitat, and Tribal cultural activities.

This irrigation canal receives its water from the Yakima River. This canal and many like it supply the water necessary for the crops grown in the valley.

Irrigated agriculture, the economic mainstay of the basin, covers about 1,000 mile² (2,600 km²) and includes irrigated pastures, orchards, grapes, hops, and field crops. Download high resolution version (640x929, 135 KB)From http://www. ... Download high resolution version (640x929, 135 KB)From http://www. ... The Canal du Midi in Toulouse, France. ...

Major population centers in the basin include the cities of Yakima and Richland. Population growth for the 1990s was projected at 7.9% in Kittitas County, 19.7% in Yakima County and 22.7% in Benton County. While much of the growth in Benton and Yakima counties has been in and around the incorporated areas, most of the growth in Kittitas County has been in unincorporated areas. The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive. ...

The major economic driving forces in the basin have been timber harvest and processing, cattle, agriculture crops and outdoor recreation. With the significant reduction in timber harvesting on federal lands and the implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan to protect the endangered Northern Spotted Owl, the economic base attributed to timber has greatly been eroded in the past five years. The close proximity to the high population areas of the Puget Sound region of Washington State have caused a rapid increase in the demand for outdoor recreational experiences in the basin.

(Source: United States EPA Performance Plan)