A recent story in the Bulletin, “Madras-area farmer testifies to U.S. House panel on impacts of endangered species”, failed to provide context.  The story outlined how U.S. Congressman Cliff Bentz, chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources, recently held a hearing where a patron of North Unit Irrigation District testified that the Endangered Species Act is reducing water supplies to farmers in Central Oregon and endangering their livelihoods.  As informed Central Oregonians know, this is a gross simplification and misrepresentation of what is going on.  Unfortunately, clarification was not provided by the Bulletin.

UPDATE 7/25/23: The Bulletin printed this post.

There is no chance that the Endangered Species Act will be repealed or significantly modified with the current makeup of the U.S. government.  Sadly, this hearing was nothing more than grandstanding by Rep. Bentz.  If the congressman really wants to help local farmers, there are things he could do.  There are ways to deliver more water to real farmers while also restoring the ecosystems that are the backbone of Central Oregon’s current lifestyle-based economy.  Scapegoating frogs benefits no one.

Here’s the context missing in the Bulletin’s story.  The single biggest issue for all local irrigators is a heating planet, causing the snowpack to diminish, evaporation rates to increase, drier soil, and the aquifer to drop.  These are scientific facts.  A hotter planet means a less stable, less reliable water supply for everyone.  Rep. Bentz could help implement policies that reduce the rate of planetary heating before it is too late.  He better move fast if he wants to be part of the solution, the tipping point is rapidly approaching.

Additionally, changes should be made in water allocation and delivery.  Even with less water available, plenty remains to grow food, support an agricultural economy, restore ecosystems, and provide for municipal use.  Over 80% of water consumption in Central Oregon is by irrigators but not always by economically viable farms and is widely wasted.  The principal of “first in time, first in right” worked well to encourage settlers to move West in the 1800’s (the first people to settle an area received the most senior water rights) but continuing water allocation from the settler’s land rush in covered wagons is ridiculous.  Locally, the most productive farmland typically has the most junior water rights.  Rep. Bentz could work on this problem.

Despite all the press around canal piping and installing on farm water efficiency systems, very little of it has been done.  Water waste remains widespread.  Even North Unit Irrigation District, frequently lauded as a model of water efficiency, has a porous, inefficient main canal that has not been piped and there are no plans to do so in the short term.  At the current pace, it will take decades and require far more money than has been identified, to perform the needed water system upgrades.  Of course, even when accomplished, significant amounts of water will continue go to hobby farmers who might be simply enjoying a few fruit trees, a nice pond, or private meadow, rather than to economically viable and beneficial agriculture.   Rep. Bentz could work on this problem.

We are in a water crisis, one that is not being taken seriously enough.  Using the Endangered Species Act as a scapegoat is not helpful to anyone.  There are real potential solutions.  Water right seniority should be reallocated to economically viable farms, i.e., water should be used so that it also benefits the owners of the water, the people of Oregon.   The pace of main canal piping needs to dramatically increase.  A mandatory timetable for piping private lateral canals as well as the installation of sprinkler systems and other on-farm efficiency must be created with the forfeiture of water rights at stake.  Water use fees should be created to encourage efficiency and water rights transfers.

I hope that Rep. Bentz will get off his grandstand, roll up his sleeves, and work on real solutions.  Time is running out.