Water Resources Commission Convenes in Burns

The Oregon Water Resources Commission received staff guidance and public comment on a number of issues during a May 30 meeting in Burns, Or, including an aggressive budget proposal by the Water Resources Department for the 2009-2011 biennium. 

The overwhelming focus of the budget proposal was on the $50 million dollars the Department proposed for funding Water Conservation and Supply Infrastructure.  Senate Bill 1069 directs OWRD to establish a grant program for both planning studies and project development.  As part of this program, the Commission and the Department have begun to formulate an Integrated Water Conservation and Supply Strategy.  While the program is still in its infancy, the Department expects the need for project implementation to occur soon.  Thus, they see the $50 million as necessary seed money to begin a grant program for funding projects such as the Umatilla Basin Aquifer Recovery Project.

The budget proposal prompted several public comments.  Both the WaterWatch of Oregon and the Nature Conservancy had concerns with moving forward on any projects before more studying and planning was able to proceed first.  However, the Special Districts Association of Oregon and the League of Oregon Cities both came out in support of the proposal.  They agreed with the Department that the Commission should not delay in moving forward with the project component of SB 1069.  The Commission will decide whether or not to support the budget request later this year.  If approved in total by the Legislature, the Department would see their budget triple from the $32.3 million allocated in the current biennium to $95.9 million for 2009-2011. 

The Commission also voted to adopt rules establishing special well construction areas for Eola Hills Ground Water Limited Area and Pete’s Mountain Area.  The Department received substantial public comment on the matter and ultimately decided to require at least a six-inch diameter casing on all new wells and a 3/4-inch dedicated measuring tube in all water supply wells at the time of pump installation or repair.

Lastly, several local groups took advantage of the remotely-held meeting and updated the Commission on a few issues in the region.  The Owyhee Irrigation District shed some light on a unique situation developing in the far southeast corner of the state.  In particular, the District is concerned about efforts by the Shoshone Tribe to shore up treaty rights to water in Nevada that the tribe had previously failed to develop.  The Owyhee flows through Oregon, Idaho and Nevada and the states do not have an interstate compact governing the allocation of the system’s water.

A representative from the City of Bend also participated in the public comment session and echoed support for funding Conservation and Supply Infrastructure.