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Water and River News Updates

Collected and curated media Articles about the water and rivers in the western united states

 

 

 

 

Sep 25, 2019 - Source Weekly - GUEST OPINION: CRYSTAL BALL: IRRIGATORS, FEDS PLAY TRUMP CARDS TO SHORTCHANGE THE DESCHUTES AND CROOKED RIVERS

GUEST OPINION: CRYSTAL BALL: IRRIGATORS, FEDS PLAY TRUMP CARDS TO SHORTCHANGE THE DESCHUTES AND CROOKED RIVERS

On Oct. 4, a long awaited proposal from eight irrigation districts and the City of Prineville called a Habitat Conservation Plan (Plan) will be made public. The Plan, and an accompanying draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will outline and analyze the actions that the irrigation districts propose to take in return for 30 years of immunity under the Endangered Species Act for killing and harming imperiled species. Much of the carnage results from the districts using the Upper Deschutes as an irrigation ditch. The Plan is a big deal for the Deschutes Basin, giving the districts a get out of jail free card for 30 years.

 

 

 

Sep 18, 2019 - Bend Bulletin - Guest column: The grim outlook for Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead

Guest column: The grim outlook for Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead

Bonneville Dam is the lowest of many on the Columbia River. All salmon and steelhead moving upstream to rivers like the Deschutes, John Day, Grande Ronde and further into Washington and Idaho pass through Bonneville where they are counted. As of Sept. 11th, a total of 123,504 fall chinook and 60,867 (including 31,946 unclipped) summer steelhead have been counted. This may sound like a lot, but it is a fraction of their historical numbers.

 

 

 

Aug 28, 2019 - Source Weekly - Guest Opinion: Restoring Salmon

Guest Opinion: Restoring Salmon

A recent guest opinion told Source readers we should consider "feasible alternatives" for salmon reintroduction above the Pelton Round Butte Hydroelectric Project—the facility Portland General Electric and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs co-own and operate near Madras. But the alternative suggested would not meet the goals of the reintroduction project: to restore self-sustaining and harvestable runs of Chinook, sockeye and steelhead to the upper Deschutes Basin.

 

 

Aug 07, 2019 - Bend Bulletin - Guest column: ‘My Way or the Highway’ is not collaboration

Guest column: ‘My Way or the Highway’ is not collaboration

It is easy to label alternative points of view as uncooperative, when in fact they so often lead to major advances in our society. But when it comes to water management in Central Oregon, unless you subscribe to the points of view of irrigation managers and boards, you are accused of holding grudges or picking fights. Dissenting views are critical to genuine, effective collaborative work. To that end, I spent fifteen years as executive director of the Deschutes River Conservancy where irrigation, tribal, environmental and government agency perspectives were all represented.