With this drought season being a rough one, the Columbia Irrigation District tried their best to do everything they could to make sure they can get all their customers the water they need. A lot of weeds are clogging up the Yakima River preventing it from flowing into a canal near the Wanawish Dam.
The warmer water temperatures made more weeds grow and the water levels this year are almost down two feet. Normally the district would spend more than $200,000 to use chemicals to clear the weeds in the canal, but they hope this new option is cheaper.
An aquatic weed harvester has been called in to cut and collect aquatic vegetation. The harvester opened channels creating more water flow. The harvester worked very well.