Political Quotes

“I am introducing today legislation that will allow the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct a feasibility study on ways to improve water management in the Malheur, Owyhee, Powder and Burnt River basins in northeastern Oregon. An earlier study by the Bureau identified a number of problems on these four Snake River tributaries, including high water temperatures and degraded habitat. These types of problems are not unique to these rivers; in fact, many rivers in the Pacific Northwest are in a similar condition. However, Oregon has a unique approach to solving these problems through the work of Watershed Councils. In these Councils, local farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders sit down together with the resource agencies to develop action plans to solve local problems. The Council members have the local knowledge of the land and waters, but they don't have technical expertise. The Bureau of Reclamation has the expertise to collect the kinds of water flow and water quality data that are needed to understand how the watershed works and how effective different solutions might be. One class of possible solutions includes small-scale construction projects, such as upgrading of irrigation systems and creation of wetlands to act as pollutant filters. This legislation would allow the Bureau of Reclamation to partner with the Watershed Councils in determining how such small-scale construction projects might benefit both the environment and the local economy.”