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| Crooked River Fly water - ODFW by Jessica Sall |
Whether you call it the Crooked River or 'that river that is not straight', Tom Wolf forwarded some information from OCTU related to one of the central Oregon favorite waterways that will benefit everyone into the future. The Crooked serves not only as some of our premier fishing in the region but as most waterways also serves as the prime water source for a desert city [Prineville in this case]; add to that the agricultural aspect and water amounts and flows become critical.
Some folks got together and did some planning - and legislation to help the long term health for all....stakeholders included TROUT UNLIMITED and WaterWatch of Oregon.
12/11/14
Merkley, Walden Deliver Crooked River Agreement as Legislation Passes Senate
Bipartisan agreement is poised for passage in House; will deliver greater water security and economic growth for Central Oregon
WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative
Greg Walden announced they have reached an agreement on legislation to
implement a collaborative vision for water management along the Crooked
River, and that the bill passed the Senate unanimously this afternoon.
These developments set the stage for the bill to become law soon and
deliver improved water certainty and a stronger foundation for economic
growth and job creation in Central Oregon.
“This is a great
victory for Central Oregon,” Merkley said. “This collaborative plan,
which reflects enormous contributions from throughout the community,
resolves a 40-year fight over water. It’s a win-win plan that will bring
jobs and certainty to the region, ensuring water for economic
development, farming, recreation, and healthy streams. My thanks go out
to everyone in Central Oregon who helped make this plan a reality, as
well as to Congressman Walden and Senator Wyden, and I look forward to
seeing Central Oregon thrive with a win-win water management plan.”
“This bill is a win for jobs in Central Oregon,” said Walden. “It
provides much needed water to Prineville for city residents and
economic development, ensures certainty for farmers, improves fish
habitat for tribes and other fishermen, paves the way for energy
generation at Bowman Dam, and protects recreation. I want to thank all
stakeholders who worked in a collaborative way to get to this agreement
which benefits the region as a whole. And I’d like to thank Senator
Merkley for stepping up and working hard in this effort. Barring any
unforeseen delays, the House will soon pass this bill and send it to the
President’s desk to be signed into law.”
Senator Merkley and
Representative Walden have been working intensely to agree on
legislation and to clear a path for passage in both houses of Congress.
The legislation will implement the collaborative water management vision
developed by local stakeholders in Central Oregon, including the City
of Prineville, Crook County, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm
Springs, American Rivers, Deschutes Basin Board of Control (representing
the seven major irrigation districts in Central Oregon), NW
Steelheaders, Ochoco and North Unit Irrigation Districts, Portland
General Electric, Trout Unlimited, WaterWatch, and Central Oregon
Flyfishers.
The legislation will provide numerous benefits to water users and the Central Oregon region by:
- Meeting the municipal water needs for the city of Prineville long into the future so the city can continue to attract new businesses like data centers that require reliable water supplies;
- Providing greater certainty for the agricultural community that depends on the Crooked River for irrigation;
- Allowing water to be released from Bowman Dam to help maintain a healthy steelhead, salmon and trout fisheries, which are cherished by local fishermen;
- Moving the federal wild and scenic river boundary from the top of the dam, fixing an administrative error that has blocked efforts to retrofit Bowman Dam to generate clean hydroelectric power; and
- Creating a process to help better plan for dry years, in terms of the impact on fish habitat and fishing, as well as boating and other recreational activities.
