Work on Nelson Dam Project to Result in Temporary Road Closures

Work continues on the Nelson Dam removal and replacement project and will result in temporary road closures during the next two weeks.

Work includes pouring concrete for a new fish screen structure, requiring temporary closure of South Naches Road at Powerhouse Road on the following dates:

  • Wednesday, June 1st, from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm
  • Tuesday June 7th, from 6:00 am to 5:00 pm

As always, the schedule for this type of project is subject to change daily dependent on weather, equipment failure, and emergencies.

Nelson Dam, on the Naches tributary of the Yakima River, was built in the 1920s to divert irrigation water for Yakima and the Naches-Cowiche Irrigation Association. The original design did not allow any fish passage.

The dam has held back tons of sediment and silt over the years, raising the river bed and causing the Naches River to overflow its banks and pour into the surrounding community during even minor flooding.

The Nelson Dam removal and replacement project will improve fish passage and sediment continuity to improve habitat, increase flow conveyance to decrease flooding risks for nearby landowners, and improve water supply reliability.

The City of Yakima and Yakima County have been collaborating on the design and implementation of the project for more than a decade. The dam removal and related work is one of several major public works projects initiated by the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan.

Additional information on Nelson Dam is available at Nelson Dam project | Media (yakimawa.gov)

For more about the project, contact City of Yakima Assistant Public Works Director David Brown at 509-575-6154 or David.Brown@yakimawa.gov