Bend Bulletin - Agencies, cities convene to discuss water conservation in Central Oregon

By Michael Kohn, Bend Bulletin

REDMOND — Cities, towns and rural areas in Central Oregon face challenges in using water amid drought and growth. Navigating the various options for conservation and collaboration dominated talks here on Thursday during a three-hour meeting of regional leaders.

The meeting at Redmond City Hall focused squarely on a groundwater rule proposed by the Oregon Water Resources Department that could impact urban areas across the High Desert. If adopted, the rule would put a cap on groundwater use across the state to prevent the draining of aquifers.

Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch has been an outspoken critic of the rule, telling meeting participants that it could prohibit cities from accessing new groundwater permits they would need for growth.

“That is not a really great move, because we have requirements under law to have certainty long term for water, so we have a conflict between what (the Oregon Water Resources Department) is doing and what our obligations are under state law and federal law,” said Fitch on the sidelines of the conference.

Finding a balance

Fitch said the purpose of the Redmond meeting was to find a balance between protecting the thousand-foot-thick aquifer under Central Oregon soil and ensuring that cities can get the water they need for their residents.

“For me, the balance comes through conservation,” said Fitch. “Enhanced stewardship of this water resource, with conservation and appropriate planning and xeriscaping, all those kinds of factors we can provide water in the future and do it in a way that is not going to impair the aquifer.”

Other potential solutions could include a tiered water rate that would charge people more when they use higher amounts of water, Fitch said. School districts and municipalities can do their part by replacing turf with desert landscaping.

“All those things can take place, but it doesn’t happen instantaneously. This is like a five-year project on implementing those issues,” said Fitch.

Cities may not have that much time to implement changes before the Oregon Water Resources Department takes action.

The groundwater rule is currently in a public comment period until June 14, and the agency could make a decision on the proposed rule before the end of the year.

Emelie McKain, a senior water adviser with the department, said comments will be taken into consideration by the commission.

“Central Oregon cities have been an integral part of our rulemaking advisory committee so they have been part of this process from the get-go and we welcome their continued involvement,” said McKain.

Conservation improvements

Cities in Central Oregon have been getting better at utilizing their water resources. Bend said its water use has declined in recent years, thanks to various water-saving measures and technologies.

“We have gotten better at conservation over the past 20 years, and we think we will get better over the next 20 years,” said Mike Buettner, utilities director for the city of Bend.

Several of the attendees described the meeting as an opportunity to collaborate between different entities within the region. In addition to officials from Bend, Sisters, Redmond and Prineville, the meeting was also attended by irrigation district general managers, environmental groups and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

For many, it offered a better understanding of what might come down the road if groundwater allocations are tightened.

“It has been challenging for cities to understand exactly how we are supposed to meet the needs of the future in terms of housing mandates, for our communities, for the next 20 years and beyond and still comply with the rules,” said Buettner.

Buettner said a quick fix to water challenges is unlikely and multiple sessions like the one on Thursday will be needed to hammer out solutions and find the funding needed to make changes.

“It is going to take a variety of discussions and sessions like this with different stakeholders at the table for us to flesh out what those concepts might be and have some agreement collectively as a basin.”

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