Deschutes Basin Board of Control

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Deschutes BasinBoard of Control
Bend May 8, 2009
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North Unit ID
Ochoco ID
Three Sisters ID
Tumalo ID
Swalley ID
Central Oregon ID
Arnold ID
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Deschutes Basin Board of Control
Irrigation Districts

• TSID 1895 - 7,568 acres
• Swalley 1899 - 4,359 acres
• COID 1900 - 44,784 acres
• Arnold 1905 - 4,384 acres
• Tumalo 1905 - 8,094 acres
• North Unit 1913 - 58,908 acres
• Ochoco 1928 - 20,145 acres
• TOTAL 148,242

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Irrigation DistrictConcerns

• Preserve water rights supplies
• Continue to serve patrons
• Wanting to support reintroduction
• ESA exposure
• No legal protections

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THE FEAR OF LOSS
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DBBC Action Steps

• Contacted Licensees
• CTWS PGE
• Contacted Congressional Delegation
• Meetings with NOAA, USFWS USBR
• Framework of Plan developed
• Immediate to Long Term

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Operating Framework

• Enforcement Discretion Letters to Irrigation
  Districts May 2010
• 10j Rule
• Experimental, Non-Essential
• Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)

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Enforcement Discretion Letters

• NMFS Will Not Legally Target Irrigation Districts
  2010
• Based on Unprecedented and Continuing
  Conservation Work
• Piping inefficient canals and placing water
  permanently instream over last 10 years

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10jExperimental, Non-Essential

• Proposed Rulemaking Underway by NOAA
• Requires Scientific Study
• Could Run 5-7 Years or More
• Protects All Who Operate Within the Law
• - Including Landowners, Cities, Counties, Farmers
  Ranchers

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HCP

• DBBC Leading the HCP Effort
• City of Prineville joined 2008
• DBBC Convening Stakeholders
• Seeking Long-Term Year Incidental Take Permits
• Contractual Commitment to Conservation
  Restoration Actions

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HCP

• Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
• Deschutes River Conservancy
• Trout Unlimited
• Bureau of Land Management
• ODFW

• Portland General Electric
• American Rivers
• Water Watch
• NOAA
• US Fish Wildlife
• Bureau of Reclamation
• Many others

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Challenges Ahead

• 500K per year for HCP development 5 to 7 years
• Grant funding of 306K thru Sept 2009
• Grant request not awarded for 2009-2011
• Desire to continue conservation projects during
  HCP development
• Funding for Conservation Projects
• Reclamation, Stimulus and Appropriations
• HCP success benefits all Parties but not all
  share the costs
• Minimize and mitigate to maximum extent
  practicable is not same standard for all Parties
• No guarantees on obtaining ITPs

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Deschutes BasinBoard of Control
Steve Johnson Manager COID