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Most of the Deschutes River Basin’s water is used for irrigation and waste happens at every step in the process. It is time for irrigation districts to step up and truly embrace reform at the local level.
What do we want Deschutes County to look like in 20 years? The County is asking for your input on its draft update to the Comprehensive Plan.
It’s clear there is an appetite amongst irrigators for solutions to wasteful irrigation practices, improved irrigation infrastructure, and policy reform to allow easier reallocation of water to those who need it the most.
It is time to focus on solutions to water waste to ensure that both our frogs and our farmers get the water they need - and time is of the essence as climate change tightens its grip.
Take the survey by June 15th and help shape a water strategy that prioritizes stronger protections for instream flows and improved management of groundwater.
What’s in the Oregon Spotted Frog Recovery Plan? We need more from the draft plan. Take action by May 1 and ask U.S. Fish and Wildlife for specific and tangible conservation actions.
It doesn’t take an expert to see the growing conflict over the scarcity of water supplies in Central Oregon, intensified by drought and the impacts of climate change. But the Oregon spotted frog is not to blame for our water woes, nor are the farmers whose livelihood depends on water for crops.
Earlier this month, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced an updated version of the River Democracy Act.
OWRD recognizes there is an issue with over-allocation of groundwater resources. Right now, they are seeking our input on how to move forward and shape a groundwater permitting system that supports the quality of our aquifers while also serving the senior water rights holders and current domestic well uses in each basin.
This past year, Central Oregon saw the launch of the Deschutes Water Bank Pilot Program. This program is an innovative, voluntary, and market-based solution to addressing water shortages in the Deschutes Basin.
Central Oregon recently made national headlines when The Washington Post hailed local water infrastructure projects as “the future of the American West.” Indeed, improving the efficiency of our century-old water infrastructure is key to ushering in a modern era of water management–but it’s far from a panacea.
Right now, Oregon has the chance to designate the Metolius River as an Outstanding Resource Water.
Oregon has the most miles of “impaired” waterways nationwide according to a recent report from The Environmental Integrity Project.
This needs to be our last season of water scarcity. It’s time for reform. First, Oregon needs to modify how “beneficial use” of water is defined, monitored, and regulated to realign water priorities to meet 21st-century needs.
Groundwater in Central Oregon is declining. But it should be an infinite resource. What’s really going on?
At the places where rivers begin and end, we find the ephemeral streams and tributaries that connect a diverse network of waterways.
The ongoing drought remains at the forefront of our minds as summer draws to a close. Isn’t it time to work together to change our water policies and eliminate wasteful practices? We all stand to benefit.
The Deschutes was once a very stable river. Before Wickiup Dam was completed in 1949, the Deschutes River exhibited very consistent seasonal flows. It’s common for most rivers to experience high flows with the onset of spring rains and melting snow and very low flows by the end of the summer.
During this time of year, you can visit the Deschutes twice on the same day and see two very different rivers. On Saturday, May 1, we took a trip to Benham Falls and caught the river just south of Bend.
This river holds the soul of Central Oregon. Photos still take our breath away. But, if you look closely towards the banks, you can see a river in dire want of restoration. The Deschutes still needs our help.
On February 3, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley introduced the River Democracy Act to Congress. This bill, the most extensive Wild and Scenic Rivers effort in U.S. history, would add 4,702 miles of Oregon rivers and streams to the national Wild and Scenic Rivers system.
The Oregon spotted frog highlights where the Habitat Conservation Plan falls short.
The Northern spotted owl may be the most controversial animal in the Pacific Northwest. The owl was pushed into the national spotlight in the early 1990s…
Part 5 as we dive into U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s conservation plan for the Deschutes River Basin. What’s going on in the Crooked River? Uncontracted water.