Malheur, Owyhee, Powder, Burnt River Water Storage Assessment Study |
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Overview |
Existing reservoirs in Oregon’s Powder basin provide supplemental irrigation water to 15,600 acres annually; yet late summer water demand and instream flow targets exceed the available stored water. Powder Basin residents, irrigators and other stakeholders see an opportunity to capture the snowmelt that leaves the Powder Basin in vast quantities every year, and to control that water for later release for the benefit of fish, wildlife, recreation, agriculture, municipalities, and hydroelectric producers. The first step is to analyze water availability within the Powder Basin’s drainages that includes the Powder River, Burnt River, and Brownlee Reservoir drainages. In 2005, the communities in the Powder Basin formed a coalition called the Powder Basin Water and Stream Health committee (WASH) to pursue additional water supply opportunities in the basin. Powder Basin WASH committee and Reclamation are working together on a preliminary, appraisal level study. The focus of this study is to identify the existing water supply, evaluate current and future water demand in the basin, and identify and evaluate additional water supply opportunities within the Powder Basin. Only the most environmentally and economically feasible sites will be identified and pursued. WASH committee has asked Reclamation to include two previously proposed dam sites in this evaluation. The appraisal study will screen and evaluate an array of options and identify at least one potential solution. Proceeding to a more detailed, feasibility study will depend on the results of the appraisal study and would require Congressional action. |
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| Meetings | The study will include two working group meetings to inform the public and government agencies about the study area and associated problems and opportunities; ensure that public and agency concerns are addressed; keep the public and agencies apprised of the study goals and progress; and meet local, State, and Federal environmental requirements. These meetings are tentatively scheduled for late August and early October. Prior to the two working group meetings a two-hour orientation session will be held in Baker City. More information about exact times and dates will be announced soon. | ||
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Reference Material |
05/2008 | PDF 1.5 mb | |
| 05/2004 | Powder River Subbasin Plan | PDF 6.1 mb | |
| 05/2004 | Burnt River Subbasin Plan | PDF 5.2 mb | |
| 11/2004 | Powder and Burnt Subbasin Plan Supplement | PDF 28 kb | |
| 06/1999 | Reservoirs of Opportunity Final Report | PDF 1.7 mb | |
| 10/1997 | Bull Trout Life History, Genetics, Habitat Needs, and Limiting Factors in Central and Northeast Oregon, 1996 Annual Report | PDF 1.3 mb | |
| 08/1967 | The Fish and Wildlife Resources of the Powder Basin and their Water Requirements | PDF 3.6 mb | |
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Contacts
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Christina Caswell, Activity Manager Bureau of Reclamation Lesa Stark, Program Manager Bureau of Reclamation |
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Last Update: July 29, 2008 4:15 PM |
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