A Critical Ingredient to Washington’s Hops

Written by Kara Karboski, Kirstin Taggart, & Ryan Anderson, Washington Resource Conservation & Development Council Washington State is a land shaped by fire and water. Toward the Yakima Valley, the Naches and Yakima Rivers flow out of the Cascade Mountain’s forested slopes in central Washington State and into the Columbia River. The water that runs from the snow and forests of the Cascades has become a vital economic driver in modern times. The valley’s sun, soil, and irrigation supply, along with its hard working community, have created a hop industry that supplies approximately 70% of the nation’s hops.