Deschutes Basin Board of Control Bend – May 8, 2009

North Unit ID Three Sisters ID Ochoco ID Central Oregon ID Tumalo ID Arnold ID Swalley ID

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Deschutes Basin Board of Control Irrigation Districts TSID ,568 acres Swalley ,359 acres COID ,784 acres Arnold ,384 acres Tumalo ,094 acres North Unit ,908 acres Ochoco ,145 acres TOTAL 148,242

Irrigation District Concerns  Preserve water rights & supplies  Continue to serve patrons  Wanting to support reintroduction  ESA exposure -No legal protections

THE FEAR OF LOSS

DBBC Action Steps  Contacted Licensees  CTWS & PGE  Contacted Congressional Delegation  Meetings with NOAA, USFWS & USBR  Framework of Plan developed  Immediate to Long Term

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

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

10j Experimental, 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

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

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

Challenges Ahead  $500K per year for HCP development – 5 to 7 years Grant funding of $306K thru Sept 2009 Grant request not awarded for  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

Deschutes Basin Board of Control Steve Johnson – Manager COID