Wild trout in Whychus Creek need cold, clear water
Action Alert: Help protect local springs and streams!
Lower Whychus Creek Canyon where the creek meets the Deschutes River. Photo: U.S. Forest Service
Thornburgh Resort, a proposed destination resort between Bend and Redmond, should not be allowed to move forward until it can prove it has the mitigation water to offset the effects of its enormous groundwater withdrawals on fish and wildlife.
It has been established that the resort's consumptive use of groundwater will have adverse effects on surrounding springs and creeks. We’ve already seen our fish and wildlife stressed from record-breaking heatwaves and a water supply stretched thin.
By law, the resort is required to fully mitigate for all impacts on fish and wildlife from the resort, including the impacts on Whychus Creek.
The resort initially obtained County approval by stating it would get its fish and wildlife mitigation water from certain cold-water sources.
Now that the County is considering allowing the start of resort construction, it turns out the cold, clear water Thornburgh Resort promised for fish and wildlife may no longer be available.
The resort says it has the migitation water, but it's part of a "secret" agreement that the resort won't show anyone. The resort's representations about the current availability of mitigation water are not reliable.
For years, Deschutes County has allowed the resort to delay showing it can make good on its promises of mitigation water.
Raise your voice to the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners and tell them, "Enough is Enough!"
Deschutes County should require the resort to either demonstrate publicly that the resort has the mitigation water that the original approval is based on, or go back to the drawing board. The public has a right to see that any effects on fish and wildlife will be fully mitigated for in Whychus Creek and the Deschutes River.
Take ActioN: Attend the hearing
Our land use system relies on public participation, so please get involved. We are calling on our supporters to take action. One way to get involved is to attend Tuesday’s hearing.
We need to let Deschutes County know that the public is concerned about water use in our region. Anyone can attend the upcoming hearing either in-person, through Zoom, or via mail/email.
When: Tuesday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m.
How to participate: Find the meeting agenda and details here.
Join via Zoom (click here for the link)
Call in via telephone. Dial 312-626-6799. When prompted, enter the Webinar ID: 848 6623 0051 and password: 041680
Show up in person at the Deschutes County Building, 1300 NW Wall St. The hearing will take place in the Barnes Sawyer Room.
Submit written remarks
Anyone can submit a written comment to the County.
Update: All comments will be accepted until Tuesday, August 31.
In written comments, be sure to reference “August 24th Remand Hearing for LUBA No, 2018-140.
Email comments to Senior Planner William Groves at william.groves@deschutes.org.
Drop off written comments in person. The County accepts all printed documents, dropped off at 1300 NW Wall Street.
Mail-in written comments to:
Deschutes County Community Development Planning Division
Anthony Raguine
P.O. Box 6005
Bend, OR 97708-6005
Comment in person: If you wish to speak during Tuesday's public hearing, either over Zoom or at the County offices, please notify William Groves, Senior Planner, of your plans to comment by 5 pm on Monday, August 23, 2021. He can be notified at 541-388-6518 or William.Groves@deschutes.org.
Suggested Talking Points
Click here to get some ideas for talking points to use in your comment.