Bateman Island Causeway Restoration

The Bateman island causeway is located in Richland, Washington at the Yakima River delta at the confluence of the Yakima and Columbia River. The causeway was installed between 1939-1940 for agricultural purposes by the Army Corps of Engineers, along with other funding supplied by local duck and geese hunters to alow further access to hunting area. Since its installation salmon and steelhead populations have been threatened by the warming and slowing of the water in the Yakima River delta due to the causeway. The causeway is source of income as many farmers use the water from the delta for irrigation. Other than agricultural purposes the causeway is also used recreationally for boating, fishing, hiking, bird watching, etc. There is ongoing conversation about the removal of the causeway and resoration projects supported by the Yakama Nation and the Confeterated Tribes of the Umatilla in hopes to remove the causeway to improve migration of salmon and steelhead in the Yakima River.