NOTES from the DESK of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOD HEISLER Even an Eternal Optimist Like Me Is Enhancement Board
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Summer 2009 VOLUME 3 NUMBER 1 NEWSLETTER OF THE DESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY The mission of the DRC: To restore streamflow and improve water quality in the Deschutes Basin. The McKenzie Canyon Conserved Water Project entailed piping 8 miles of a canal serving the Lower Bridge area located between Sisters and Redmond. The project will result in 6 cubic feet per second (cfs) of permanent streamflow restoration in Whychus Creek, a stream that is critical to the reintroduction of steelhead. The DRC has successfully restored over 15 cubic feet per second (cfs) to Whychus Creek, a small stream that used to run dry through the town of Sisters during summer months. NOTES FROM THE DESK OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TOD HEISLER Even an eternal optimist like me is Enhancement Board. Working with the To honor Jim, we would like to help surprised by the DRC’s continued success Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, instill an even greater passion for the and growth during the economic down- the Crooked River Watershed Council Deschutes River in you. In coopera- turn that is being felt so hard throughout and the Deschutes Land Trust, we de- tion with local outfitters, the DRC is Central Oregon. 2008 was the DRC’s veloped and initiated almost $4 million offering a variety of river outings, each best year ever, surpassing $6 million in of projects under this new program. one designed to give you a wonderful expenses and achieving more than 160 Also, we must recognize that much of experience of our most prized natural cfs of protected flows in our rivers and our work would not be possible without resource, the Deschutes River. We streams. Thanks in part to economic the great partnerships we have with the hope that you will take advantage of stimulus funding committed to the DRC irrigation districts in Central Oregon. these opportunities, and that you will by the Bureau of Reclamation in April, In 2008, the DRC partnered with the be reminded of how important the this year is shaping up to be just as good districts to conduct a wide array of clear cold waters of the Deschutes River as 2008. The stimulus funding will activities including water conservation, are to all of us in our daily lives. mean an acceleration of large-scale leasing, and banking. canal piping, big construction proj- On a sad note, the DRC lost one of ects that create jobs and conserve water its founding fathers, Jim Noteboom, FEATURED IN THIS to restore streamflows. In addition, to leukemia in November last year. some of these piping projects will be SPECIAL ISSUE: We are still feeling the enormous void accompanied by small-scale hydroelec- left behind. Jim’s wisdom and insight tric projects with electrical generation THE about the importance of the collab- 2008 capacities up to five megawatts. orative approach to conservation were DRC ANNUAL REPORT None of this success would be possible instrumental in the formation of the without superb collaboration with our DRC in the mid-nineties. His passion many partners. In January, we completed for the Deschutes River, his leader- DRC RIVER & the first year of the Deschutes Special ship and perseverance created the solid ADVENTURE OUTINGS Investment Partnership, a new grant foundation on which today’s successes program from the Oregon Watershed have been built. DESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY 1 [ BOARD OF DIRECTORS ] [ DRC PARTNER HIGHLIGHT ] John Allen US Department of Agriculture, Deschutes National Forest THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF WARM SPRINGS Rick Allen Jefferson County Leslie Bach < Delvis Heath is the Chief of the Warm Springs Tribe. Environment Bobby Brunoe The Confederated Tribes of THE CONFEDERATED TRIBES OF WARM Warm Springs SPRINGS QUICK FACTS Bruce Bischof At Large The Warm Springs Reservation encompasses Tom Carlsen At Large 640,000-acres, which is located in Central Vacant Oregon. The population in Warm Springs is US Department of the Interior approximately 5,000. Tribal headquarters are Wayne Elmore The Deschutes Basin is home to the in Warm Springs, Oregon. Crook County sovereign Confederated Tribes of the Warm Ellen Grover, Secretary Karnopp Petersen Springs Reservation which includes the Warm The main businesses on the reservation are Kyle Gorman Springs, Wasco and Paiute Indian Tribes. The Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprise, State of Oregon Tribes were very important to the founding Water Resources Department Warm Springs Forest Products, Warm Springs Steve Johnson of the Deschutes River Conservancy. The Composites Products, Kah-Nee-Ta Resort and Irrigation DRC is the product of a cooperative project Casino, The Museum at Warm Springs and Julie A. Keil initiated in 1992 by the Confederated Tribes Warm Springs Ventures. Hydroelectric of Warm Springs Reservation and the Envi- Richard Macy Native languages spoken are Kiksht (Wasco), Irrigated Agriculture ronmental Defense Fund to “investigate and Bob Main promote sustainable development and eco- Numu (Paiute) and Ichishkiin (Sahaptin). At Large system protection strategies in the Deschutes Jim Manion, Chair Warm Springs Power & Water Enterprises River Basin.” Jade Mayer, Treasurer As a part of this partnership, the publication: At Large Restoring Oregon’s Deschutes River: Developing Jim Mead At Large Partnerships and Economic Incentives to Improve Gregory McClarren Water Quality and Instream Flows was produced Environment in 1995 to provide a framework for our work Damien Nurre Recreation & Tourism in the Deschutes Basin. In the publication Ron Ochs foreword, Senator Mark Hatfield stated, “In Sherman/Wasco County the case of environmental decision-making, Jim Ramsey Grazing/Livestock the Warm Springs Tribes and Environmental Jim Rozewski Defense Fund have demonstrated that people At Large can indeed come together to find solutions John Shelk Timber to natural resource issues that, at times, may William Smith seem insurmountable.” Land Development Amy Stuart Thirteen years after the publication, the State of Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Confederate Tribes of Warm Springs are still Ray Tien very instrumental to the work of the DRC. On-reservation water management and monitoring is At Large Together, we are accomplishing great things. conducted by the Tribes’ Natural Resources Department. Alan Unger Deschutes County [ STAFF ] The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs are so Tod Heisler Executive Director much more than just a stakeholder on the DRC Tamara Weaver Director of Finance/Admin board. It is the Tribes’ values for clean water, abun- Scott McCaulou Program Director dant fish and healthy forests and their long term Julie Hotchkiss Development Director Bea Armstrong Marketing Director perspective about the importance of good natural Kate Fitzpatrick Program Manager resources management that created fertile ground Genevieve Hubert Programs Manager for the formation of the Deschutes River Conser- Zachary Tillman Transfers Manager vancy. The Tribes’ insistence that we work together Andy Fischer Conservation Project Manager Brett Golden Program Manager to resolve conflicts over natural resources and their Aaron Maxwell Project Manager strong desire to be a “good neighbor” helped to The Tribes co-manage the Pelton-Round Butte Dam Complex with Portland General Electric. They manage Jean Lambert Office Manager establish a culture of cooperation so important to timber, water, salmon and other reservation resources for Debbie Conners Office Coordinator the DRC’s success. —Tod Heisler, DRC Executive Director the benefit of all Tribal members. Valerie Blume Financial Specialist 2 DESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY DESCHUTES RIVER CONSERVANCY REMEMBERS FOUNDING FATHER JIM NOTEBOOM, 1945–2008 Jim’s commitment to the basin and protection of the Jim devoted his whole career to the representation of the resource will be seen through the actions carried out by Warm Springs Tribes. He was a real friend of the Tribes the DRC. It was Jim who was the initial author of the and very highly respected by the Tribes and the leadership bill that formed the DRC. at the Tribes. —Jim Manion, DRC Board Chair & President of Warm Springs —Jim Petersen, Karnopp Petersen Power & Water Enterprises On November 27, 2008, DRC Founding multi-stakeholder board in the Deschutes Delvis Heath, Chief of the Warm Springs Father Jim Noteboom passed away due Basin. Thanks to Jim’s vision and leader- Tribes, fondly remembers his good to complications from leukemia. Jim ship, the DRC is a thriving entity today. friend and colleague: “We really en- played a key role in the formation of the As the organization began to grow, Jim joyed spending time together playing Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC). In played a pivotal role in advising the DRC golf. What I’ll miss most is the help he the early 1990s, Jim and a small group of Board to narrow its mission and focus gave to the Tribes. He put a lot of time dedicated men envisioned an organiza- on restoring streamflow and improving into us.” tion unlike any other in Central Oregon. water quality in the Deschutes Basin. He Jim representing the law firm of Kar- wholeheartedly believed in the collabora- Jim will be remembered for his legacy nopp Peterson, Jim Manion from The tive approach to streamflow restoration and the imprint he left on all whom Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and natural resource management. A true he encountered. A dedicated fam- Ron Nelson formerly with the Central testament to Jim’s guidance, the DRC ily man, his infectious sense of humor Oregon Irrigation District and Zach Wil- has now successfully restored over 160 and incredible drive marked a brilliant ley from Environmental Defense Fund cubic feet per second of streamflow to the career that included 39 years in the came together as the Deschutes Basin Deschutes River and its tributaries. military and overlapped with his 31 years Working Group. The group focused on of practicing law. He was instrumental cost-effective solutions to water manage- Jim, also known as “Boomer” because of in many basin-wide policy decisions and ment problems in the region.