Yakima, WA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)

Yakima city irrigation customers are served through the Water/Irrigation Division (2301 Fruitvale Blvd., 509-575-6154; manager Daniel Tiliano, 509-576-6480). The standard irrigation season is April 1 through October 15, governed by city water rights with that established period of use. In 2025 the city's irrigation shutdown was moved to Monday, October 6 due to curtailment orders from the Washington Department of Ecology. Under RCW 90.03 (the State Water Code), Ecology administers surface-water rights and may curtail use when supply fails. The Yakima Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan governs allocation among the five federal reservoirs and the proratable and non-proratable irrigation districts (Roza, Sunnyside, Kittitas Reclamation, Wapato, Yakima-Tieton). On Oct. 1, 2025 Ecology announced an unprecedented halt to surface water use in the basin from Oct. 6 through the end of October, affecting more than 1,500 water right holders; pro-ratable districts including Kittitas Reclamation (shut off Aug. 13) and Roza (shut off Sept. 24) had already exhausted their allotments at 40% of normal. As of the 2026 water year, the basin is in a fourth consecutive drought, with April-September supply for proratable rights estimated at 44% of normal. The City's Water Conservation page advises lawns need watering only 2-3 times per week in summer and once per week in spring and fall, and to water during early morning hours.