(Image | AI generated)
It’s no secret that winter did not supply Central Oregon with the same snowpack that it normally does. With record-breaking fire seasons and hot weather occurring more often than ever recorded, there is obvious concern about snowpack and water levels as the region moves into the warmer months of spring and summer.
With an uncharacteristically dry and warm winter, snowpack levels in the nearby mountain ranges are historically low. In the Cascades just west of Bend, the snowpack sat between 38 percent and 26 percent of yearly averages. In the Ochocos, the situation is worse, with extremely low-flow predictions for the Prineville and Ochoco Reservoirs; Prineville is predicted to be 18 percent of its average spring and summer levels.
Across the region, lakes, rivers and any other waterways are going to be affected. Sami Godlove, the Central Oregon field associate for Oregon Wild, spoke about how conditions like these can impact a region for years. “In the years to follow, we rely pretty heavily on the snowpack from winter and spring to recharge our aquifers,” he said. “Major droughts or low snow levels, such as these, can lead to drought that lasts more than one summer, and sometimes even for years into the future. That will be felt by everyone, from fish and wildlife who rely on water quality and quantity for survival, to farmers who need irrigation to farm.”
If low levels continue, it is completely possible that water availability for cities like Bend will be affected. Recreation could see a decline with lower water levels in the Deschutes National Forest, affecting the many lakes and waterways that drive tourism.
Jeremy Austin from Central Oregon LandWatch added that the water situation is worse for certain water rights. “The Deschutes basin for surface water was allocated by 1914. One hundred years later, we have some entities with senior water rights, and some entities with junior water rights, like rivers and streams. In times of scarcity, those more junior water rights are impacted heavily. In years like this with little snowpack, it is very concerning for all parties, especially those with junior rights.”
Oregon’s water laws are based on the principle of prior appropriation. This means the first person to obtain a water right on a stream is the last to be shut off in times of shortages. When water is limited, senior water rights holders can use all the water specified on their water right. Junior water right holders may receive less water or even no water at all. Under Oregon water law, rivers themselves did not legally have water rights until the State passed the Instream Water Rights Act in 1987. Therefore, the water right attributed to the Deschutes River has a priority date of 1987, making the river the most junior water rights holder in the basin.
Austin also echoed the statement that drought conditions like these will take years to recover from. “For the last few decades, we’ve been experiencing drought in a way we haven’t in a long time,” he said. “It’ll take years of good snowpack to pull us out of this, where we are not having different parts of rivers and streams impacted by water scarcity. Whether you value ecology, or agriculture, or you’re a community member benefiting from the tourism economy and recreation, this is impacting everyone.”
When it comes to taking action, Austin and Godlove give similar advice. There are simple steps one can take as an individual to lower their water use, like being more water conscious when showering or using the sink, and replacing their lawn with native landscaping. However, systemic issues are not always solved with that kind of individual action. Both Austin and Godlove acknowledge that another kind of individual action can have a strong impact.
Everyone has a role to play when it comes to deciding how water is used. Everyone has a voice for conversations, and a vote for elections and measures. Water comes from public lands, and the public has a say in how it is used, so long as the public recognizes this and decides to use their collective voice. Austin and Godlove recommend reaching out to politicians, attending public hearings and doing what one can to make their voice heard.
