In talking to community members to date, we have heard a lot of concerns about water and the future of water availability in Wasco County.
The Planning Department works with several partners who manage things like water rights and water health. A critical partner is the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD).
OWRD has a public draft available on their website of the 2017 Integrated Water Resources Strategy and will be accepting comments until July 19th. This document updates an original strategy adopted in 2012, and houses guiding principles to meet Oregon’s need on the water systems statewide.
You can find contact information and get a pdf copy of the draft by visiting their site here: http://www.oregon.gov/owrd/Pages/law/integrated_water_supply_strategy.aspx#2017_Public_Review_Draft_Integrated_Water_Resources_Strategy
The Planning Department is currently working with partners to better understand our local water issues and potential strategies, so stay tuned for more updates!