Guest Column: Attack the Reservoir of Wasted Water
Tod Heisler, Rivers Advocate at Central Oregon LandWatch
This article was originally published in the Bulletin on 8/6/2023
Oregon spotted frog near Wickiup Reservoir: Brome McCreary, USGS
In a recent Bulletin article, irrigators use the same old, tired arguments about how flow restoration in the Deschutes River hurts farmers. It is time to move beyond these stale, simplistic “farm vs. frogs” views, see the reality of our rapidly changing world in the grips of climate change, and work to solve the real problems that confront us.
The current rate of environmental change and species loss is unprecedented in human history. A 2019 UN Report on Species Extinction Rates predicts that up to 1 million species are threatened with extinction in the next few decades.
Despite our best efforts and policies like the Endangered Species Act, plant and animal species are disappearing at an alarming rate, and we are failing to stem the tide. It is a global problem exacerbated by our rapidly warming planet and has no easy solution. But one thing is certainly true: it does not make sense to solve one problem by making another problem worse. It does not make sense to supply water to irrigators by depriving water for the Oregon Spotted Frog and other important aquatic species in the river. This is particularly true when there is such a large volume of water being wasted today that could provide food-producing and commercial farms in our region all the water they need.
A recent survey by Oregon Values and Beliefs Center showed that a majority of Oregonians support food-producing agriculture, particularly family farms. Here at Central Oregon LandWatch, we advocate strongly for a more reliable water supply for farmers who are engaged in food production and other commercial-scale agriculture, where farmers need water for their livelihood.
Oregonian Beliefs about Farming and Agriculture: Oregon Values and Beliefs Center
“First in time, first in right”
Unfortunately, the state’s antiquated water laws do not prioritize these farmers; water goes first to those properties with the oldest water claims (first in time, first in right). To make matters worse, most irrigators in Central Oregon are not actually in the business of food production or commercial-scale agriculture. So, most of the water goes to non-productive uses which deprive food producers of the water they need to stay in business.
This is precisely the dynamic that exists between North Unit Irrigation District and Central Oregon Irrigation District. According to a 2019 study by Aspect Consulting, small acreages on 22,000 acres in Central Oregon Irrigation District waste up to 68,000 acre-feet of water per year through seepage losses, tailwater losses, and overwatering. This loss is equal to 34% of the water capacity of Wickiup Reservoir, and is water that family farms in North Unit Irrigation District are desperate to have. Water waste is clearly the biggest water problem we face in the basin, and it also represents the biggest potential solution.
The low flows of the Upper Deschutes: Paul Riedmiller
So rather than trying to take back the small amount of water being allocated to improve river flow and sustain its species, I call on NUID farmers and Representative Bentz to go for the biggest untapped reservoir we have — the reservoir of wasted water. Eliminating waste does not hurt anyone. Hobby farmers can use significantly less water and still maintain their lifestyle. There are plenty of ways to accomplish this in voluntary, non-regulatory ways if the state will simply enforce its existing rules.
Water is to be put to beneficial use without waste. It is time to focus on solutions to water waste to ensure that both our frogs and our farmers get the water they need. And time is of the essence as climate change tightens its grip.
For more information on our water conservation efforts in the Deschutes River Basin, reach out to Kristy Sabo, Environmental Planner, at kristen@colw.org