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Under Phase II of the Umatilla Basin <br />Project, similar water exchanges operate in <br />the Hermiston Irrigation District (HID) <br />and the Stanfield Irrigation District (SID). <br />SID historically diverted water from the <br />Umatilla River into their Furnish Ditch for <br />direct supply to irrigation district lands. <br />HID historically diverted water from the <br />Umatilla River in November through May, <br />stored it in Cold Springs Reservoir, and <br />then drew water from the reservoir for <br />summer irrigation. In both districts, <br />diversions have been reduced to leave <br />Umatilla River water instream for fish <br />passage; foregone Umatilla diversions have <br />been replaced by water from the Columbia <br />River. This has allowed flows to be <br />increased during critical spring and fall <br />salmon migration periods. <br />The 1988 law, while a significant step <br />forward, does not fully restore necessary <br />instream flows. At times, adult and young <br />migrating salmon must be trapped and <br />hauled around impassable reaches because <br />flows for instream migration are inad- <br />equate above TMFD Dam. If passed by <br />Congress, a proposed Phase III of the <br />project should provide flows sufficient for <br />a natural migration of the adults. <br />A Measure of Success <br />Success of the Umatilla Basin Project is <br />measured by the number of adult fish <br />returning to the basin. In 1996, about <br />2300 spring Chinook adults returned to the <br />Umatilla Basin. While this number is still <br />small compared to the historic migration, <br />it compares favorably with the 1996 return <br />of only about 6,000 spring Chinooks to the <br />much larger Snake River basin. Already, <br />Umatilla salmon are being harvested by <br />Indians and non-Indians in th.e Umatilla <br />Basin, the Columbia River and the Pacific <br />Ocean. Meanwhile, the local irrigation <br />economy continues to thrive. All of this <br />was accomplished without litigation. <br />For More Information Contact: <br />Jim Esget <br />Bureau of Reclamation <br />Pacific Northwest Region <br />Upper Columbia River Area Office <br />P.O. Box 1749 <br />Yakima, WA 98907-1749 <br />Phone: (509) 575-5848 ext.:'OS <br />Fax: (509) 454-5611 <br />Becky Hiers <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla <br />Reservation <br />P.O. Box 638 <br />Pendleton, OR 97801 <br />Phone: (541) 276-3449 <br />Fax: (541) 276-0540 <br />23 <br />