MANAGER’S REPORT
13 November. 2007
The
first winter stock run should be underway on the Central
Oregon Canal
as of today running to Friday the 17th, and the Pilot Butte
Canal run scheduled for
November 17th – 20th.
There are four winter stock runs scheduled this winter with the next run
scheduled for early January and is always dependent on the weather cooperatively.
Crane
Prairie reservoir is holding steady around 31,000 acre feet with Wickiup
reservoir filling so far at a rate consistent to last year and is currently at
89,000 acre feet. The anticipated
precipitation this week should benefit both reservoirs. The precipitation outlook for this winter is
positive due to a La Nina effect being present in the Pacific
Ocean. La Ninas usually
portend a “wild & wet” winter represented by frequent storm fronts moving
through the Northwest. If this occurs
consistently through the winter then the chances of higher winter flows in the Deschutes River increases.
The
opportunities pursued this past month include, but are not
limited to:
·
COID has been invited to participate in a
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) formed to discuss and work with the City of Bend and Deschutes
County on Bend’s UGB and URA expansion process. COID intends to be involved with the TAC going
forward.
· Both
the NUID and Deschutes River Conservancy legislative bills have been introduced
in the US Senate and US House. Other federal efforts pertaining or
impacting irrigation districts are monitored by COID through its participation
in the OWRC and the National Water Resources Association (NWRA).
· The
2007 Farm Bill activity in Washington,
DC continues. While the House of Representatives has passed
their version of the Farm Bill, the US Senate is still working on their
version. The latest version has now
passed the Senate Agriculture Committee.
It is anticipated that a final version will not be voted on by the
Senate until early 2008. COID in
conjunction with the Oregon Water Resource Congress is heavily involved with making
its views known for expanded provisions for irrigation districts under the
proposed Regional Watershed Enhancement Program as part of the established EQIP
program.
· A
Master Agreement with Crook
County is underway to
address both entities’ authorities and requirements for road development and
improvement projects.
·
Reinitiated discussions with PacifiCorp regarding
the expiration of the lease on the Cline
Falls land and evaluation
of COID taking over the small hydroelectric facility already on site. Several steps need to be evaluated with
regards to the facility including state and federal licensing requirements and
costs of upgrade. To date the evaluation
of licensing requirements on the state side are minimal, and a formal
determination application to FERC for federal licensing is in process. Once the
licensing issues are resolved then a more formal evaluation of upgrade and
transfer of facilities costs will be undertaken.
The
challenges presenting themselves:
·
The State of Oregon has filed a petition for review of
the Oregon Court of Appeals Ft Vannoy decision to the Oregon Supreme
Court. The next step is to wait and see
if the Supreme Court decides to accept the petition. This will likely be known within a few
months.
·
The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP)
process is still proceeding with conversations and negotiations with other
basin stakeholders on a number of issues, including the intended scope of the
HCP and interim measures. COID and the
DBBC hosted a two-day field trip within the Deschutes
basin for organizations and governmental agency staffs not familiar with the
irrigation districts and the conservation work accomplished to date. Attendees included US Fish and Wildlife
Service, NOAA Fisheries, ODFW, American
Rivers, Trout Unlimited,
Central Oregon Fly Fishers, and Native Fish Society. All attendees expressed their thanks for the
effort and were more appreciative of the conservation efforts extended by the
irrigation districts.
·
COID and the DBBC hosted a meeting with the
Regional Directors of both NOAA and the Bureau of Reclamation in Portland to discuss
funding and accompanying issues with the Steelhead reintroduction. The discussions centered not only on
recognition of the positive efforts of the irrigation districts to date, but
also Federal Budget issues not allowing NOAA to place the resources necessary
to expedite a 10j rule making.
Reclamation did announce a grant of $50K towards the costs of
facilitation of the HCP process and acknowledgement that the DBBC will be
pursuing federal budget increases for the funding of conservation projects by
the irrigation districts. COID provided testimony to the Bend City Council on a
specific subdivision proposed to be built near the CO Canal off of Reed Market Road. COID expressed concern that “off-site”
mitigation projects for traffic impacts of the new sub-division included the
construction of two bridges over the Canal and that COID was not consulted. COID has concerns with regards to any
additional structures along this stretch of the canal effecting
the integrity of the canal banks and stressed that this section of canal needs
to be piped to eliminate these concerns.
· A report on the Deschutes Basin Mitigation Program will be
presented to the Oregon Water Resource Commission in January 2008. This report will provide data and information
on instream flows in the Deschutes
River. The instream flows that will receive
particular attention will be the flows at the Culver Gauge as these flows are
to be protected from “excess” ground water withdrawal. While not on the Commission’s agenda but is
being discussed amongst basin stakeholders is the issue of the cap on
mitigation permits to be issued by OWRD.
The cap is at 200 cfs cumulative for any groundwater permits as a
condition of the Mitigation Program.
OWRD has received applications in excess of the 200 cfs cap and there
are questions arising from this condition and how is OWRD going to address the
issue. At this point, applications
received above the 200 cfs cap are being accepted but not acted upon by
OWRD. There will likely be pressure in
the coming months for the Commission to address the mitigation cap to increase
the cap.
STATUS REPORT
Deschutes
Water Alliance
· Deschutes
Water Alliance Water Bank is continuing to allocate urbanized water rights from
the COID and Swalley irrigation districts to the cities of Bend
and Redmond,
Avion Water and the DRC. 2007 targets
are nearly completed for COID and the Bank members are meeting near the end of
November for discussion of 2008 targets of supply and demand. The Water 2025 grant for the bank is now
finished with a final report due to the Bureau of Reclamation by Dec 31, 2007.
·
Discussions are underway to prepare and
formalize an Inter-Governmental Agreement between the governmental parties
associated with the Bank.
Status – On going
David Evans & Associates
· Assisting
District on Juniper Ridge hydroelectric project
Status – Preliminary pipeline design and hydro facility
completed
· Assisting
District on evaluating retention structures in Dry Canyon
Status – Landowner contacted COID regarding potential
crossing of Dry Canyon in Powell Butte area and transfer of water rights to
west side of canyon. Opportunity may
exist to build small retention structure and eliminate any tailwater flows
continuing down canyon towards the Crooked
River. Grant sources being researched for project.
· Assisted
District in evaluation of excavation work being done along North Canal Blvd in Redmond. Will be involved in the
development of standards for electrical utilities.
Status – Standard Operating Procedures in development.
Follow up discussion with PacifiCorp to be scheduled.
·
Cooperative evaluation of potential 50-100 acre
re-regulating structure on Central
Oregon Canal
with Audia-Gordon LLC. Geotechnical work
and elevation specifications are underway.
Status – On Hold, No
progress
Real
Estate
· A
Quiet Title action has been initiated by COID on the partitioned 40-acre parcel
near Deschutes Market Road
and Hwy 97 and a few other parcels along the Pilot
Butte Canal
in Bend. Resolution will require formal court action
and should occur sometime in 2008.
Status – In Process
· DesertScape
and COID executed a new option agreement for acreage in east Redmond.
DesertScape, COID and the Redmond
School District are proceeding on
filing for rezoning changes of the 250-acre parcel in east Redmond. The draft Redmond TSP has been received
but only included the COID 250 acre parcel under its current OSPR zoning. A second TSP is being pursued to assess the
traffic loading with the COID 250 acre parcel under its proposed zoning as
filed with the City of Redmond
under the Master Plan.
Status – In Process
·
Surveying
and Conditional Use permitting is being pursued for COID owned lands along Teal Road. Once completed the Board will evaluate for declaring
surplus depending on market conditions and financial requirements of the
District.
Development
· Coordination
agreements with Deschutes County and the City of Bend are required under Oregon Revised
Statute (ORS) Chapters 195 & 197 for the establishment of new Urban Reserve
and Growth Boundaries. Both entities have begun the conversations with
likely effected irrigation districts and other special districts. City of Bend
legal counsel has filed testimony that an agreement with COID is not necessary,
but COID and Deschutes
County legal counsels
have filed testimony that an agreement is necessary and required. COID and Swalley have committed to City of Bend planning staff a
first draft of the 195 agreement desired.
Status – Discussions held and ongoing
· Direct
communication with City of Bend and Redmond public works and planning staff on
resolving issues of canal safety and impacts of development that will require
piping.
Status – In Process.
Preliminary discussions held, issues ongoing, no resolution expected for
some time.
ON
THE RADAR SCREEN
· Bull
Trout Critical Habitat Final Rule amendments
· Funding
for the Habitat Conservation Plan work associated with the Steelhead
reintroduction.