The Bend City Council took action on Friday to reconfirm that the City’s water withdrawals from the Bridge Creek source will not increase from current levels. Bridge Creek is Bend’s main source of drinking water. This surface water supply is sometimes supplemented by wells fed from the Deschutes Aquifer. In times of peak demand, both sources are needed.
In Friday’s special meeting, the Council unanimously voted to amend the Bend Code to limit diversions from Bridge Creek to 18.2 cubic feet per second (cfs), which is the current maximum. The 18.2 cfs limit is also enforced through the Special Use Permit issued by the U.S. Forest Service that allows Bend to use water from the Deschutes National Forest.Although the maximum rate of withdrawal is 18.2 cfs, the City’s new controls at Bridge Creek will allow Bend to use much less than the maximum for much of the year, leaving more water in the stream when municipal demand is lower.
The Council’s supporting resolution also renews the City’s ongoing efforts to work collaboratively with irrigation districts, non-profit agencies, tribes and other stakeholders to continue to increase the amount of water in Tumalo Creek, a Deschutes River tributary. The resolution acknowledges the important mission of groups working in the basin, including Deschutes River Conservancy, Trout Unlimited and Upper Deschutes Watershed Council.
As the operator of a water utility and the largest municipality in the Upper Deschutes Basin, Councilors say Bend is in a position to continue its leadership role in long term water supply planning and coordination. “The City Council is formally acknowledging our continuing commitment to protect the environment, improve habitat and water quality to benefit fish and the environment, and to identify additional conservation and enhancement measures for Tumalo Creek,” says city manager Eric King.
