Campfires are restricted year-round on the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area.
The I-82 Ponds Unit has 17 separate parcels that form a narrow, discontinuous strip of ownership stretching from Union Gap to the Zillah interchange along Highway I-82. This unit has very diverse habitat, include healthy riparian areas; 7 ponds are visible from the interstate. Access to the unit includes 4 parking areas directly off of a highway or county road.
The unit can be accessed from Donald Road (exit 44 from I-82) and Buena Loop (exit 50 from I-82).
The I-82 Ponds Unit is located within the Lower Yakima River watershed in the Columbia Plateau. Surrounding lands are prodominantly privately owned agriculture.
This unit is part of the Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area.
Game Management Unit: 372
Getting there
Maps and directions to WDFW-managed access points for this unit. Opens Google Maps in a new tab.
Recreation and public access
A Discover Pass is required on WDFW lands -- including water access areas, wildlife areas, and campgrounds -- unless you already have a Vehicle Access Pass issued with the purchase of an eligible hunting or fishing license. Recreate responsibly on public lands: please know the Public Conduct Rules.
Public facility information:
- Parking areas
- Restrooms
Recreation and access advisories
- Open during daylight hours only.
Hunting
This unit offers opportunities to hunt deer, waterfowl, Eurasian collared dove, mourning dove, quail, pheasant, and small game.
Fishing
This unit provides many points for public access to the Yakima River and several ponds that were created when borrow pits for the construction of the interstate flooded with groundwater. Several of these ponds get stocked with trout.
Wildlife viewing
This unit has diverse habitats that include Yakima River shoreline with riparian woodlands and backwater sloughs, multiple ponds, wetlands, and drylands, which offer opportunities to view a variety of wildlife.
High-quality woody riparian habitat associated with the Yakima River creates an important corridor for neo-tropical migrants as well as nesting, brooding, and winter cover for waterfowl and upland birds.
Search for potential birding opportunities on or near a wildlife area unit by using eBird Northwest, a citizen science database portal that provides freely-shared bird lists at 'hotspots' and interactive maps plus other birding information updated daily.
Conservation
This unit consists of 17 separate parcels that form a narrow, discontinuous strip of ownership stretching from Union Gap to the Zillah interchange along Hwy I-82. These parcels include a narrow, but high quality woody riparian corridor that transitions into dryland habitat to several ponds that were created when borrow pits for the construction of the interstate flooded with groundwater. Open water and wetlands comprise about 25 percent of the area. The Yakima River accounts for some of the open water in the form of backwater sloughs as well as the main riparian habitat, which is dominated by hardwoods such as cottonwood trees.
Special habitats and species
This unit has habitat that offers excellent nesting, brooding and winter cover for both waterfowl and upland birds, and also has an important corridor for Neotropical migrants and resident non-game birds. The unit has components of resident and anadromous fish in the Yakima River. Rainbow trout are resident while spring and fall chinook salmon and steelhead trout are migratory.
Conservation goals
- Maintain and restore shrubsteppe, upland and floodplain habitat
- Protect and enhance habitat for state and federal listed species
- Maintain and restore wetland habitat
This unit has habitat that offers excellent nesting, brooding and winter cover for both waterfowl and upland birds, and also has an important corridor for Neotropical migrants and resident non-game birds. The unit has components of resident and anadromous fish in the Yakima River. Rainbow trout are resident while spring and fall chinook salmon and steelhead trout are migratory.
- Maintain and restore shrubsteppe, upland and floodplain habitat
- Protect and enhance habitat for state and federal listed species
- Maintain and restore wetland habitat
Land stewardship
About half of the parcels comprising this unit were obtained from the Department of Transporation when the interstate was built. The remaining parcels were acquired from private parties in subsequent years in an effort to protect the riparian zone.
Acquisition history
The parcels making up this area were purchased between 1963 and 2017.
| Funder | Fund |
|---|---|
| Power, dike & irrigation districts | Mitigation Funds |
| US Army Corps of Engineers | Snake River Mitigation Account |
| US Fish and Wildlife Service | Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program |
| US National Park Service | Land and Water Conservation Fund |
| WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife | State Migratory Waterfowl Fund |
| WA Dept of Fish and Wildlife | WDFW Game Fund (now Wildlife Fund) |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | Boating Facilities Program |
| WA Recreation and Conservation Office | State Bond Account |
Management planning
2020 Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Management Plan
Every eight to 10 years, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) revises management plans for each of its 33 wildlife areas to document current conditions, address new agency initiatives, and identify new management priorities and actions. In between those major revisions, WDFW updates plans every two years to outline short-term objectives and accomplishments. In 2014, WDFW began the process of updating existing plans, many of which were written in 2006. The new plans are being developed with significant public participation and input.
Planning Advisory Committee
Sunnyside-Snake River Wildlife Area Advisory Committee