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Drought Information
Welcome to the Kennewick Irrigation District drought information page. 
A little bit of good news! ❄️ Our snowpack is up to 76%, thanks to recent storms in the Cascades. This is a big improvement from 68% last month. Reservoirs are also showing slight improvement. But there’s more to the story. The Bureau of Reclamation projects we’ll receive 72% of our water allocation. While this isn’t terrible, it’s important to remember: In 2015, we started with a similar 72% allocation, only to see it drop to 45% in a couple months due to El Niño. El Niño often brings hot, dry summers, which could impact us again.
 
So, what are we doing?
 
We’re planning to start the 2024 irrigation season with a VOLUNTARY watering schedule (See below) This encourages water conservation, but isn’t mandatory (yet). We’re hoping for a slow snow melt to stretch our water supply.
 
Looking ahead: Early reports suggest a return to La Niña in the fall, which historically benefits our water resources. ️
Stay tuned for updates! We’ll keep you informed on here and our website as the situation unfolds.
 

We encourage you to read this page carefully and take steps to conserve water now so that your lawn can stay healthy despite watering restrictions.

Drought News

Drought Tips

Retraining Your Lawn  –  Learn tips for preparing your lawn for a low water year.

Watering Tips from KID –  Do you need a few suggestions on ways to conserve water or to landscape more intelligently for a drier climate?

Xeriscaping  – Gardening with native plants can cut water use by up to 65% compared to traditional lawns.  The Heritage Garden Program is a free service through the Benton Conservation District dedicated to helping residents create waterwise gardens through the use of native and drought tolerant plants.  Learn more and schedule a free site visit.  

Native Plant Nurseries and Grower Locations – A resource, including a list of helpful books, for anyone interested in planting native and low-water vegetation.

Plant Hardiness – Go here and enter your zip code or select Washington to help determine which plants will do best in your area.

Irrigation  –  Information for irrigators on fish screening, irrigation efficiency conversions and irrigation water management.

100+ Ways to Conserve  –  When it comes to conserving water, small adjustments can have a big impact. Here you can sort through nearly 200 water-saving tips, download and print tip posters or share your favorites on social media.

Watering Tips  –  Your local WSU Extension Service Master Gardener can be called at (509) 736-2726. Master Gardeners are usually available at their offices (5600 W Canal Place in Kennewick) from 10:00 a.m. until noon and 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

A Brown Lawn is not Necessarily a Dead LawnGrass is not like a tree. When a tree turns brown over the summer, it’s more than likely dead. Grasses, particularly cool-season species, are built to turn brown.

Dormant Grass VS Dead Grass – Can you tell the difference?

How to Adjust Your Sprinkler Timers

Frequently Asked Questions

Drought Resiliency Policy