Next Watershed Council meetings will be January 16, February 20 and March 19, 2024 The Watershed Council regularly meets on the third Tuesday of the month from 5:30 – 7:30pm. Please contact the council office if you would like a Zoom invite to the meeting!! |
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The next Community Based Water Planning Full Collaborative meeting will be a hybrid in-person and virtual Zoom meeting. Scheduled for Thursday, January 25, and February 22, 2024. Those wishing to meet in person can gather at the Harney County Community Center. A working dinner will be provided. Please contact the Council office for the Zoom invite, or check the CBWP calendar on this website to access the log-in information. The website for Community Based Water Planning can be found here Harney Water Future |
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The CREP proposal has been finalized and the draft EIS is available at the Watershed Council office. The program should be up and running shortly, applications can be made to Graham Thomas with OWRD. Requirements for lands to be included in the program: Applicants must demonstrate that the enrollment of their field will result in a clear and direct reduction in groundwater use. to be eligible for the Harney Valley Groundwater CREP, fields must be irrigated by groundwater, and have documentation of using at least 2.0 acre-feet/acre/year for irrigating purposes. The applicant must demonstrate how the clear and direct reduction in groundwater use will be achieved. Eligibility will be reviewed by OWRD. Lands eligible must meet the following:
Comply with all CRP eligibility requirements:
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Groundwater Study Advisory Committee A final wrap up session was held Wednesday, October 12th at the Community Center in Burns. Presentations outlining the results of the study were presented and OWRD shared the next steps to forming the Rules Advisory Committee were shared. A Rules Advisory Committee will be convened before May 2023 to update the Basin Rules regarding Irrigation into the future. The USGS/OWRD report has completed Peer Review and has now been published!! (April 2022) Basin Rule-making will be reconvened within 1 year of the study being published (see below). A public meeting to discuss results of the study and pending Basin 512 rule changes was held on November 3, 2022 at the Community Center!! Links to the Published Groundwater Study can be found below SIR 2021- 5103: Groundwater resources of the Harney Basin, southeastern Oregon (usgs.gov) SIR 2021-5128: Hydrologic budget of the Harney Basin groundwater system, southeastern Oregon (usgs.gov) USGS_Harney_Fact_Sheet_final_2022_08_Fact_Sheet_2022_3052 (1)Harney_Basin_Groundwater_Study_OWRD_factsheet_2022NOV06 (1) |
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Division 512 Rules Advisory Committee meetings are scheduled for: Wednesday, January 24, 2024, Wednesday, March 6, 2024, April 17th, May 30, 2024. Discussion on a Critical Groundwater designation and sub-areas will continue. Recommendations to the Oregon Water Resources Commission are scheduled for fall of 2024. |
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