We all know it—water is the lifeblood of Central Oregon. It’s more than just a resource; it’s a playground, a sanctuary for incredible wildlife, and an essential element for our health and well-being. To celebrate and explore this vital element, We are delighted to share Backyard Media’s new two-part series, “Water is Everything.”
The Three Sisters Irrigation District On-Farm and Renewable Energy Project is a multi-partner initiative in Central Oregon that modernizes traditional irrigation methods to conserve water, reduce energy use, and improve ecological sustainability, transforming local farming practices in the face of persistent drought and climate change.
From the Cascades to Lake Billy Chinook, the Deschutes River has been over-tapped for decades. Fish, farmers, and families all depend on water supplies that are impacted by drought and climate change. The Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative, a consortium of more than 45 stakeholders, is working to accelerate funding, market-based solutions, and implementation of water conservation projects in the basin to help meet demand. Come learn about this work and give the Collaborative your feedback on how you see Central Oregon meeting its water needs in the future.
Did you know 80-90% of the water in rivers across the Western US is diverted for irrigation? Piping leaky canals and upgrading on-farm irrigation saves water, making farms more productive and efficient while allowing more water to remain instream. Learn how these tools have worked to restore Whychus Creek and how they are being used to help fish and farms across the Deschutes Basin.
There are many pieces to a conservation puzzle. Learn about how everything fits together for species management in the Upper Deschutes Basin.
Water has a profound cultural importance to the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the Tribes’ water rights date to time immemorial. Learn how water, salmon, and future generations are all interconnected.
Learn where the City’s water comes from, where it goes, and how the cities are conserving water and planning for growth into the next century.
This seminar will focus on current trends in the regional aquifer system and the unique connection between groundwater and surface water. Join us on October 10, 2022, in-person or online, for this important conversation. The replay will be available after the event date.
We’re living in a region with limited water supplies and imbalanced distribution. Water banks create flexibility in how water can be distributed to meet needs. Find out how we can use water banks in Central Oregon to enable the flexible and voluntary market-based reallocation of water, particularly during drought conditions.
