TVW is premiering a new one-hour documentary on Thursday evening titled “Watershed Agreement: The Truce Ending Washington’s Water War.”
The piece explores the history of the $4 billion Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, designed to ensure that farms and fish in Central Washington will survive droughts. After decades of contentious battles and lawsuits over water rights, a diverse group of farmers, irrigators, Native Americans, conservationists and government officials set aside their self-interests to cooperate and develop one of the biggest water projects.
The documentary looks at the history of the water wars in Washington, what convinced the sides to finally come together, the projects each group will get in return, and why some believe the plan spends too much taxpayer money for too little payoff in the face of a changing climate.
Watch the documentary below: