Nearly all customers of Kennewick Irrigation District will be without irrigation water for up to 10 days as the pumping facility that supplies its canals undergoes repairs. 

The irrigation district told its customers on April 30 that it will temporarily halt water deliveries from May 8-18 so that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation can repair its Chandler Pumping Plant, which is the primary diversion point for KID’s canals. 

“During this period, water deliveries will be unavailable, with limited exceptions,” KID said in its statement. “Service will be restored as quickly as possible once the repairs are complete.” 

KID provides irrigation water to more than 20,000 acres in and around Kennewick. While many of its customers are residential, it also supplies agricultural areas such as Badger Canyon and wineries in the Red Mountain wine-growing area near West Richland. 

Currently only one of the two pumps at the plant, located between Benton City and Prosser on the Yakima River, is operational, with the other shut down due to problems found during maintenance, KID said in a statement. While the single pump can meet current demand, both pumps will be needed by June to meet growing seasonal water needs. 

“While the District does not control the plant, we are working closely with Reclamation to minimize impacts to our community and keep you informed,” the district said. 

To view KID’s water status map, go to: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/d6223bd61ba74f54a77281dfb024977a