May 8, 2017

Last week, Congress​​ approved​​ a large​​ “omnibus”​​ appropriations bill for nearly all government activities for the remainder of​​ fiscal​​ year 2017. ​​ The​​ Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations section of the bill, co-authored by Agriculture Subcommittee Ranking Member Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR),​​ includes​​ $150​​ million​​ for​​ water conservation, flood protection, fish and wildlife restoration and other water-related projects, which meet specific criteria.  ​​​​ 

Deschutes Basin​​ irrigation districts​​ will be eligible to compete for these funds​​ to​​ continue​​ implementing their​​ successful​​ water conservation and fish and wildlife restoration projects.​​ This federal program, which requires a 50% cost-share, will be administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.​​ 

The Deschutes Basin Board of Control, which represents eight major irrigation districts,​​ has been working with Oregon’s Congressional delegation,​​ led by​​ Senator Merkley, for several years to secure a viable, cost-share for​​ their​​ projects. ​​ This is the first​​ major​​ appropriation for these voluntary, collaborative conservation and restoration projects.​​ Congress will have to approve the omnibus legislation, and the​​ President will​​ have to sign it into law,​​ before the funds become available later this year.​​ 

Please call Mike Britton, President, Deschutes Basin Board of Control, if you have any questions about this appropriation or the conservation/restoration projects the districts are undertaking. Mike can be reached at (541)​​ 475-3625.