McKay Creek Water Rights Switch

The McKay Creek Water Rights Switch aims to restore natural flow in McKay Creek's middle reach, benefiting both fish and landowners. McKay Creek, extending 37 miles and is predominantly used for livestock and forage production, suffers from reduced flow and high temperatures due to irrigation diversions. The switch enables landowners between river miles 6 to 12 to exchange their creek water rights for more reliable rights from the Ochoco Irrigation District, sourced from Prineville Reservoir. This trade will return 11.2 cubic feet per second of McKay Creek water rights instream, improving conditions like flow, temperature, and fish passage. Benefits include more dependable water rights and potential property value increases for landowners, enhanced habitat and survival rates for fish, and increased patronage stability for the Ochoco Irrigation District.