Deschutes River Basin groundwater issues in spotlight amid concerns over proposed state rule changes

Officials urge giving cities priority allocation, to meet local needs and state housing goals

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- For many rural residents in Deschutes County, low well levels and even dry wells have become common occurrences in recent years. County Commissioner Phil Chang says he's been working with the state and Water Allocation Committee on concerns over proposed changes to state groundwater rules created 20 years ago.

"In the Redmond area, in the Bend area and in some parts of south county, we have seen declines in groundwater levels, in some places 20 feet over 20 years." Chang said Thursday.

It's what he and many others call a complicated issue, with many parties and factors involved.

Deschutes Basin Watermaster Jeremy Giffin with the state Water Resources Department said, "Our surface water and groundwater are highly connected in the Deschutes River Basin. So as we enter into a drought, we start to see declining groundwater levels at the same time, because the groundwater table is linked to the precipitation that we receive in the High Desert."

The Oregon Water Resource Commission met in September to discuss new rules for groundwater allocation in the state, initially deciding all water permits would be treated the same, whether the application came from an incorporated city, a new rural residential subdivision or a proposed destination resort.

Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch is working with Chang and other officials who are urging the state to prioritize groundwater needs for incorporated cities.

"That rule would prohibit anyone from getting water if there was a certain level of decline in the aquifer," Fitch said. "So from our perspective, the Deschutes Basin has to be looked at as an individual basin, not melded in with all of the other aquifers in the state, because our basin is 1,300 feet deep, as opposed to some other aquifers which might be only 200 or 300 feet deep."

The city of Redmond's newest water permit submitted to the state would benefit future expansion for the city. But Mayor Fitch knows the permit could be denied.

"There is a statute which requires our application to be reviewed under the current law, which requires us to put water back into the river in exchange for this groundwater, which we'e prepared to do, and have the sufficient water right to do so," he said. "So I think we can work through that process. But the bigger issue is long term, how are we going to protect the resource? How are we going to make it available?"

The new allocation rules would determine not what, but who would be the priority in groundwater allocations. Chang, writing in an open letter to the department, encouraged officials to be more precise in their rules, saying the issue requires a "scalpel," not an "axe".

He also said it would impact Gov. Tina Kotek's order directing creating 36,000 new affordable homes across the state, explaining it would be difficult for cities to meet those goals and expand housing without priority for needed groundwater.

"In my opinion, our incorporated cities should get first dibs on that water, because they are these are the places where the state land use planning system says the majority of growth is supposed to come," Chang said.

In an email to NewsChannel 21, the Water Resources Commission said they are reviewing the groundwater rules due to public comment from citizens and local officials. They said any decisions on revised rules will not be made for a while.

Below is Commissioner Phil Chang's letter to committee members: