The Icicle Strategy

Water Supply Solutions for the Icicle Watershed

The Icicle Creek Subbasin

Icicle Creek is a major tributary to the Wenatchee River and is located within Chelan County, Washington. Flows from Icicle Creek supply a variety of demands, including domestic water supply, agricultural irrigation, artificial aquatic habitat (fish rearing) for hatchery fish raised at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery (LNFH), natural aquatic habitat for wild fish, and recreation. Taken together, water needs in the subbasin are often greater than the available supply. That means minimum instream flows in Icicle Creek are not being met, interruptible water users are often denied irrigation water, and significant problems exist regarding fish habitat and passage, tribal fishing rights, and sustainable operation of the LNFH.

Lake with reflective surface framed by pine trees
Lake with reflective surface framed by pine trees

Klonaqua Lake is one of the alpine lakes in the Icicle Subbasin

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Icicle Workgroup

In December 2012, Ecology’s Office of Columbia River and the Chelan County Natural Resource Department formed a  workgroup , bringing local, state, and federal agencies, tribes, irrigation and agricultural interests, municipal/domestic water managers, and environmental organizations together to find solutions to these problems.

Collage showing workgroup members around tables arranged in a horseshoe shape.

Icicle workgroup meeting.

The Icicle Strategy

The resulting plan, called the  Icicle Strategy , balances out-of-stream and instream water demand and resolves habitat and fisheries issues by providing 97  cubic   feet per second  (cfs) and 31,958 acre-feet of total water benefit, of which 88 cfs and 28,458 acre-feet benefit instream flows. 

Graphs showing water benefits of the Icicle Strategy

Projects

The Icicle Strategy implements a number of projects increasing water supply and reliability for families, farms, and fish.

House, Tractor, and fish icons representing families, farms and fish

Alpine Lakes Reservoirs Optimization, Modernization, and Automation

A suite of projects modernize and automate the outlet and gate infrastructure at seven Alpine Lakes within the Icicle Creek Subbasin. The projects improve management and releases of stored water based on changing conditions to meet the Subbasin’s needs. They increase streamflow for fish and improve reliability and operation of stored water for agricultural use and the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery.

Man on rickety plank standing on small, decrepit concrete structure turning a valve in a in lake

Opening outlet at Eightmile Dam

Icicle-Peshastin Irrigation District (IPID) Irrigation Efficiencies

Projects improve irrigation delivery and on-farm efficiencies by lining or piping canals and instituting on-farm efficiency upgrades, providing drought resiliency and reliability to district users. These projects also benefit fish by increasing streamflow.

Graphic showing that piped and unpiped canal and the the leakage and evaporation that occurs with the former

Piping a canal conserves water lost to leakage and evaporation.

Cascade Orchards Irrigation Company (COIC) Irrigation Efficiencies

COIC’s point of diversion will be moved from its existing location on Icicle Creek to a location downstream near the creek's confluence with the Wenatchee River. Other water saving measures, such as piping the delivery system, will also be taken. This project improves irrigation water reliability and benefits fish by increasing streamflow.

Photo showing a concrete platform extending into a creek.

Current COIC diversion

Domestic Conservation Efficiencies

Conservation projects in the City of Leavenworth and Chelan County save water by reducing lawn size, detecting and repairing leaks, installing meters, and implementing other water use reduction measures. These projects improve domestic supply.

a variety of bushes, grasses, and flowers.

Heritage gardens and xeriscaping use native and arid climate plants to provide attractive, low water alternatives to lawns. This xeriscaped garden belongs to Ecology alumnus Debra Kroon.

Eightmile Lake Storage Restoration

Over the years, wildfire, storm events, ice, and flooding have damaged Eightmile Dam’s structure, raising safety concerns and reducing the reservoir's water storage capacity. This project will address the safety issues and restore usable storage to historical and permitted levels. It will increase streamflows for fish, meet domestic water needs, and improve reliability and drought resiliency for agricultural users. Additionally, water for the City of Leavenworth will be pursued on the Wenatchee River to reduce impacts to Icicle Creek.

Photo of a man standing in the wooden spillway of Eightmile Dam. The left side of the dam is a couple of feet lower than it should be. Tumbled rocks lie below it.

Erosion at Eightmile Dam

Tribal and Non-Tribal Fisheries

These efforts ensure that projects and actions taken under the Icicle Strategy do not have negative effects on tribal fishery activity in the Icicle Creek Subbasin. Projects enhance fishery effectiveness and implement improvements, while protecting Tribal Treaty and federally protected harvest rights and non-tribal harvest.

Native Americans fishing from wooden platforms extending into Icicle Creek.

Tribal fishers on Icicle Creek (USFW photo)

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery Improvements

A suite of projects are underway to reduce surface water use and improve access to groundwater. These projects may include onsite reuse, an effluent pump back, and well field enhancements for year-round benefits. It would also increase streamflow for fish and improve access to reliable water for the hatchery’s operations. Additionally, these projects improve water quality in Icicle Creek.

Aerial view of LNHF showing buildings and long, narrow rearing ponds with rounded ends.

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery (USFW photo)

Habitat Protection and Enhancement

Stream restoration and protection projects such as riparian plantings, engineered log jams, and conservation easements will improve stream habitat and ecosystem health.

Logs strewn in a flooded creek

Engineered log jams like this one on Indian Creek in the Teanaway Community Forest will restore natural floodplains in the Icicle subbasin.

Instream Flow Rule Amendment

A modification of the  instream flow rule’s  interim domestic reservation of 0.1 cfs to a final level of 0.5 cfs. This helps meet domestic water needs through 2050. The rule amendment also requires instream flow and habitat restoration.

Small waterfalls in rocky creek flowing under a footbridge.

Icicle Creek

Fish Passage

Projects improving fish passage by assessing and removing barriers, so fish have better access to healthy habitats. This will include improved operations at LNFH's structure 2 and clear obstacles to fish passage at the boulder field. Improved passage will increase the amount of habitat fish can access within the subbasin.

a concrete structure from which a waterfall flows and a bolder strewn creek

Structure 2 and a portion of the boulder field

Fish Screening

This project will upgrade fish screens on diversions so that they meet current standards. It will bring the major diversions on Icicle Creek into compliance with Washington State and federal screening requirements. These upgrades will reduce fish mortality.

A screen

Fish screen at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery diversion

Water Markets

A water market will be created and seeded with an initial 1,000 acre-feet of water for agriculture use in the Icicle Creek Subbasin and Wenatchee River Basins during shortages.

Graphic of shaking hands inside a water drop.

Klonaqua Lake is one of the alpine lakes in the Icicle Subbasin

Icicle workgroup meeting.

Opening outlet at Eightmile Dam

Piping a canal conserves water lost to leakage and evaporation.

Current COIC diversion

Heritage gardens and xeriscaping use native and arid climate plants to provide attractive, low water alternatives to lawns. This xeriscaped garden belongs to Ecology alumnus Debra Kroon.

Erosion at Eightmile Dam

Tribal fishers on Icicle Creek (USFW photo)

Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery (USFW photo)

Engineered log jams like this one on Indian Creek in the Teanaway Community Forest will restore natural floodplains in the Icicle subbasin.

Icicle Creek

Structure 2 and a portion of the boulder field

Fish screen at Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery diversion