CBWP Document Clearinghouse – Groundwater Planning

Foundational Resources:

• For a complete history of the CBWP Collaborative, please visit the Community-Based Water Planning page.
• Senate Bill 266 (2015)
• OWRD Place-Based Planning (PBP) Draft Guidance (2015)
  • Step 3 Guidance
  • Step 4 Guidance
  • Step 5 Guidance

Key Background Resources For Groundwater Planning Phase:

• For a complete list of and links to presentations given to the CBWP Collaborative, please visit the CBWP Relevant Presentations page.
• OWRD Technical Assistance Request Memo: Groundwater Use for Irrigation (12/2020)
• OWRD Technical Assistance Request Memo: Groundwater Level Declines (12/2020)
• OWRD Technical Assistance Request Memo: Water Rights Analysis (05/2019)
• OWRD Technical Assistance Request Memo: Groundwater Permitted Acres (08/2018)
• OWRD Open File Report: Generalized Geologic Compilation Map of the Harney Basin (04/2021)
• OWRD Open File Report: Methods & Results for Estimating Groundwater Pumped, Returned, and Consumed for Non-Irrigation Uses in the Harney Basin, Oregon (04/2021)
  • Full Report (09/2021)
• DEQ Statewide Groundwater Quality Monitoring Program: Harney County (05/2021)
• OWRD Open File Report: Methods and Results for Estimating the Hydraulic Characteristics of the Subsurface Materials in the Harney Basin, Oregon
• OWRD Rules Advisory Committee: General Operation Principles
• OWRD/USGS Groundwater Study (04/2022)
• USGS Groundwater Study Fact Sheet

PBP Step 1 | CBWP Working Agreement:

According to OWRD’s Place-Based Planning (PBP) Draft Guidance (2015), Step 1 should “create a structure and process that fosters collaboration, bringing together various sectors and interests…ensure a balanced representation of interests and a meaningful process…”

• CBWP Working Agreement

 PBP Steps 2-3 | Working Group Reports + Key Takeaways Documents: 

According to OWRD’s Place-Based Planning (PBP) Draft Guidance (2015), Step 2 should “describe and assess current water supplies, water quality, and the status of ecosystem health to determine any existing challenges and potential opportunities” whereas Step 3 should “quantify existing and future needs/demands.”

• Ecological Working Group, Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Reports:
  • Step 2 Report
  • Step 3 Report
  • DRAFT Key Takeaways Document
• Exempt Uses Working Group, Harney Basin Rural Domestic and Municipal Groundwater Use Reports:
  • Step 2/3 Report
  • DRAFT Key Takeaways Document
• Groundwater Agriculture Use Working Group, Agricultural Groundwater Use Reports:
  • Step 2/3 Report
  • DRAFT Key Takeaways Document

PBP Steps 2-3 | Small Group Discussions on Sub-Areas & Spreadsheet Materials:

• Sub-Area Map (For discussion purposes only; adopted from a 2020 TA Request)
• Spreadsheet

PBP Steps 2-3 | Rural Domestic Well Questionnaire:

• Questionnaire Results
• Key Takeaways Document

PBP Step 4 | Strategies/ Solutions:

According to OWRD’s Place-Based Planning (PBP) Draft Guidance (2015), “integrated solutions for meeting long-term water needs” should be developed in Step 4.

• Critical Groundwater Issues List
• Strategy One-Pagers
• Workflow
• Strategies
  • CREP
    • DRAFT Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) Proposal (short version- 2 pages)
      • To access the full CREP Proposal, click here (long version- 44 pages)
    • DRAFT CREP Schedule
    • Environmental Reviews for CREP Agreements – Fact Sheet (May 2022)
  • Groundwater Market Feasibility Study
    • See CBWP Relevant Presentations page for slides
    • Consideration 1 (Water Shares Concept)
    • Consideration 2 (Reduction in Groundwater Withdrawals); Follow-up Q+A
    • Consideration 3 (Legal Opportunities and Constraints)
    • Consideration 5 (Permit Exempt Wells + Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems)
    • Consideration 6 (Groundwater Governance Structure)
    • Harney Basin Groundwater Market Feasibility Study Final Report 
  • Voluntary Agreement Analysis
    • Draft 1 Voluntary Agreement Analysis Report (04/2022)

PBP Step 5 | Groundwater Portion of the Integrated Water Plan:  

According to OWRD’s Place-Based Planning (PBP) Draft Guidance (2015), planning groups should “formally adopt the plan” in Step 5.

• DRAFT 1 Groundwater Plan (January 2022)
• DRAFT 2 Groundwater Plan (March 2022)
• DRAFT 3 Groundwater Plan (April 2022)
• Draft 4 Groundwater Plan + Appendices (May 2022)
• Draft 5 Groundwater Plan (June 2022)
• Final Groundwater Plan (April 2023; Supported by Interagency Plan Review Team)
  • Draft Implementation Framework for Groundwater Strategies
  • Graphic Designed Groundwater Plan

Interagency Plan Review Team Comments on the Groundwater Plan, received from OWRD November 2022:

• Response Letter from OWRD
• Strengths
• Required Improvements
• Considerations