Technical Assistance Project for the Umatilla County 2050 Water Plan

Sketch of the Umatilla Basin hydrogeology, courtesy of Kate Ely, hydrologist with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla.

The IWW is partnering with the OSU Institute for Natural Resources (INR) to design and prepare a concise synthesis document that clearly summarizes water studies, and the history of water management in the Umatilla Sub-Basin. The document will be prepared for the Umatilla County Critical Groundwater Task Force as part of their development of a Umatilla Sub-Basin 2050 Water Plan. The synthesis document will help the Task Force, Umatilla County and their stakeholders and constituents understand the need for a long range water plan, as well as serve as an approved foundation to help design an effective scope and vision for the planning process.

The document will summarize:

• water quantity and quality problems of both surface and groundwater resources,
• how water uses effect water supply throughout the Umatilla Sub-Basin, and
• how existing constraints and limitations under Oregon Land Use and Water Law limit the State of Oregon and local jurisdictions’ authority to proactively plan and manage ground and surface water resources.

Read more in a November 18, 2005 article in the Hermiston Herald and the East Oregonian.

Link the Groundwater Task Force Web page.

View a Conceptual Hydrogeologic Model of the Umatilla Sub-Basin (PDF format, 1.2 MB).

As part of this project, Todd Jarvis has made presentations at many area schools. View some of their thank you letters and news stories from those visits:

• Thank you from McKay Creek Elementary (McKay_Creek_Elementary.pdf; 900k)
• Thank you from Ione ( Ione.pdf; 688k)
• An article in the Hepner Gazette-Times (Ione_HepnerGazette.pdf; 1.3 Mb).