Groundwater in Central Oregon is declining. But it should be an infinite resource. What’s really going on?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Read MoreThe 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…
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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.
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Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) has piped most of its canals and possesses the modernized infrastructure needed to manage water with control and precision.
Read MoreThe Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) is an enforceable agreement between irrigation districts and federal agencies meant to reduce the harmful effects of irrigation, but the plan currently put forth is woefully inadequate to address the health of the River, the needs of our farmers and the welfare of fish and wildlife.
Read MorePart 2 of our new series, as we dive into the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s conservation plan for the Deschutes Basin.
Read MoreHow does the HCP affect the Deschutes and how do our recommendations compare to what has been proposed in the final plan?
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A final habitat conservation plan and environmental impact statement announced today by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Upper Deschutes River, Whychus Creek and Crooked River largely preserves existing management of the river in the near term and fails to adequately help threatened bull trout, steelhead and Oregon spotted frogs.
Read MoreIt is time to change the rules of the game and set new streamflow goals for the Upper Deschutes River. We can restore the River to its proper functioning condition while providing irrigation water to the efficient farmers who need it. The time to act is now!
Read MoreThe irrigation districts have a water distribution problem – too much water available to properties that engage little in farming and not enough water to our large agricultural producers or the river.
Read MoreFor decades, LandWatch has been on the frontlines of defense against the negative impacts of destination resorts.
Read MoreA recent guest column author argued that the solution for water shortages in the Deschutes River Basin is large canal piping projects for irrigation districts funded by the public, instead of much cheaper water market solutions. What he completely ignores is the cost of the large pipes, around $1 billion. In this economic crisis that is absurd. It will cost too much and take too long. Climate change, threatened fish and wildlife, degraded rivers and farmers without water security compel us to act quickly to solve this problem.
Read MoreThe beloved Ochoco National Forest and its precious habitat for elk, wolves, native fish and other species is once again threatened. Just over one year after Central Oregon LandWatch’s coalition victory in federal court to protect the area, the “Black Mountain” project proposes 22 miles of new roads and damage to riparian habitat without sufficient regard for the species that would be impacted.
Read MoreCentral Oregon Irrigation District’s (COID) latest watershed plan would pipe only 7.9 miles of the more than 400 miles of its canals and cost a whopping $568,000 per irrigator. The cost would be more than four times the price of conserved water generated by other similar piping projects in COID in recent years.
Read MoreWe worked closely with and directly supported the efforts of the community movement 30/30 for the Deschutes to advocate for a healthy river. Overall, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service received more than 1,700 comments from the public asking them to assure that an improved plan for the Deschutes River is developed!