House could vote on WW River bill today

SALEM – The Oregon House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on Sen. Bill Hansell’s (R-Athena) bill that would see the state of Washington and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation cooperating on a plan that would deal with fish passage on the Walla Walla River.

Senate Bill 1567 has already passed the Senate with only one vote in opposition. It is now before the House of Representatives with a recommendation to pass from the House Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources, and Water Committee. Additional sponsors in the house include Rep. Bobby Levy (R-Echo) and Rep. Greg Smith (R-Heppner).

The measure directs the Oregon Water Resources Department to collaborate with the CTUIR and Washington to implement and guide water management in the Walla Walla River Basin.

“It’s the only river on the main stem of the Columbia River where the headwaters are in Oregon but the mouth is in Washington,” Hansell said. “Any water we conserve in the river, which we’ve done quite a bit of, we lose jurisdiction and ownership of when it crosses the state line. Washington doesn’t have to pay any attention.”

The bill directs that the water should be put through an integrated water resource approach that follows the Walla Walla Water 2050 Strategic Plan. An advisory committee would implement the changes. Members of that committee are to include representatives from the agricultural and environmental sectors as well as federal, tribal, state, and local governments.

MyCB file photo

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Elkhorn Media Group

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