| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | AA | AB | AC | AD | AE | AF | |
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3 | Bin: Overallocation/ Groundwater Level Declines (See Issues List) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Strategy Type | Section #, Strategy # | Strategies to address critical issue (See Strategy List) | Recommended Actions (RAs) | Proposed Lead Entity for Developing/Implementing RAs | Has the proposed lead entity agreed? | Length of time, after Plan adoption, needed to begin implementation (Years) | Estimated cost to implement RAs | Potential Funding Sources | Status of Implementation | Recommend for consideration by the Division 512 rule-making? | Feasible through VA? | Desired Outcome/Objective of Implementation | Performance Metric (How the strategies will be measured to track progress and determine if the action has been successfully implemented) | Monitoring Metric (Ways in which the performance metrics can be calculated) | |||||||||||||||||
6 | Critical Issue 1: There are declining groundwater levels in the Greater Harney Valley Groundwater Area of Concern (GHVGAC) due to cumulative groundwater discharge, including both human uses (predominantly irrigation) and natural discharge, exceeding recharge. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | O | 1, 8 | Implement irrigation conservation measures to help slow the rate of decline and assist in achieving reasonably stable groundwater levels | Provide a clear explanation of the “ready, willing, and able” (ORS 540.610) to address irrigators’ concern about use it or lose it. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-2 | N/A | N/A | conversation started | N/A | N/A | To assist groundwater irrigators in using less water; To protect the water rights of an irrigator who conserves by changing their irrigation system to operate at a lower rate than what was originally permitted. | Monitor how much groundwater used for irrigation; monitor conservation measures being implemented | Change in groundwater irrigation use by direct measurement or ET estimate, groundwater static level measurement | |||||||||||||||||
8 | Demonstrate successes of irrigators reducing groundwater use for others to learn and to be encouraged (e.g. “demonstration farms”). | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 5-10 | ? | local irrigators | informal demonstrations ongoing | no | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | Obtain legal recommendations of where barriers lie in the Allocation of Conserved Water program (e.g., in statute, rule, etc.), and what options exist for overcoming those barriers. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | Provide incentives for irrigators who can prove reduction in their groundwater use. | OWRD | No | 5-10 | ? | ? | needs details | possible | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | Set benchmarks and timelines for reducing groundwater use. | OWRD | No | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | not started | possible | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | Implement the conservation implementation strategy by NRCS to reduce groundwater use by 3000 acre-feet/year. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-5 | $660,000 | NRCS | ongoing | no | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | F | 1, 2 | Research policy or planning mechanisms to ensure that conserved water remains in the ground | Obtain legal recommendations of where barriers lie in the Allocation of Conserved Water program (e.g., in statute, rule, etc.), and what options exist for overcoming those barriers. | OWRD | No | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | ? | no | no | To ensure that groundwater saved via conservation or efficiency strategies is protected from consumptive use | Change in Water Law or interpretation of Conserved Water Statutes | Change in Law or Rules that assures "in situ" conserved groundwater | |||||||||||||||||
14 | State agencies and others identify existing policy mechanisms to ensure that water remains in the ground. | State Agencies | No | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | needs leadership | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | State agencies and CBWP partners, such as The Nature Conservancy and/or others, explore development of a novel policy protection such as in-place (“in situ”) groundwater rights | State Agencies, CBWP Partners, WRC | No | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | outside efforts ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | Local-scale planning protections for conserved water, such as voluntary agreements and/or contractual obligations, are established for water users in the Harney Basin. These agreements or contracts could be entered into between or among private parties, OWRD, and/or a local governance body. | Private parties, OWRD, and/or local governance structure | No | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | Collaborative role? | no | possible | |||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | T | 1, 3 | Increase use of efficient irrigation technology | Identify incentives for adopting more efficient technology (e.g., finding equipment grants to help convert to more efficient technology, such as Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Bonneville Power Administration/Harney Electric Cooperative, Oregon Trail Electric Co-Op). | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1 | $660,000 | NRCS | ongoing | no | yes | To irrigate with less water by using more efficient technology to help stabilize or recover groundwater levels and maintain a “good” crop in an economically sustainable manner. | Percentage of pivots using LESA,Measured change in irrigation use from example wells | Change in reported groundwater pumped in converted systems, Change is percentage of irrigation using LESA, Change in crop | |||||||||||||||||
18 | Promote precision irrigation and irrigation scheduling, informed by data such as AgriMet data. | HCWC and HCSWCD | No | 2-5 | N/A | NRCS | ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | Support a full time equivalent (FTE) position in the basin to help support irrigators in utilizing efficient technology (i.e., a crop advisor for irrigation efficiency). | HC Court and OSU | No | 2-5 | $250,000/year | OSU/Harney County Court | ? | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | Demonstrate successful use of efficient technology to help gain local support to implement new conservation technologies (e.g., “smart farms” like in Columbia River Basin). | HCWC and HCSWCD | No | 2-5 | ? | ? | ? | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | Ensure technical support is available in the basin to help maintain the equipment (e.g., technicians, technician school/courses for people to educate themselves). | HCSWCD | No | 2-5 | $100,000/year | OWRD ? | ? | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | Continue researching irrigation technology, including sub-surface irrigation, and disseminate information (outreach) so irrigators know how to use the technology. | HC Court and OSU | No | 2-5 | ? | OSU ? | ? | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | Utilize data and data-collecting technology for increased water use efficiency (AgriMet). | HCSWCD, HC Farm Bureau, and HC Hay Growers Association | No | 1 | done | BOR | completed | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
24 | T | 1, 5 | Support, as a Collaborative, the CREP program described in the application to FSA and encourage voluntary enrollment by water users | The interagency team convened by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) develops a draft groundwater CREP proposal to be reviewed by Harney Basin stakeholders. The draft proposal should: a) meet federal requirements, including stewardship of enrolled lands (e.g., crop-cover and weed-management requirements), and b) have state willingness to participate. If the proposal lacks buy-in from stakeholders, the interagency team should create an avenue for further stakeholder input for improvement. | Interagency Team | Yes | 15 years | $60,000,000 | USDA OWRD | ongoing | no | yes | To reduce groundwater use through a groundwater CREP with enrollment of up to 20,000 acres. | Number of acres enrolled in program | Acres enrolled and reduced groundwater use calculated | |||||||||||||||||
25 | If the CREP proposal is funded and a program is implemented, the CBWP Collaborative helps conduct outreach to encourage irrigator enrollment. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 2-15 | $50,000/year | OWEB NRCS | ? | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
26 | Design a mechanism(s) that helps ensure that water ‘saved water’ through reduced use remains in the aquifer. | See strategy above | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
27 | O/I | 1, 8 | Recommend to OWRD that it take actions in the short term to reduce the amount of groundwater being pumped for irrigation, including permit compliance | Ask OWRD to enforce existing permit conditions | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | ? | ? | yes | To convey to OWRD the urgency of responsible water management, including permit compliance; To start reducing the amount of groundwater being pumped for irrigation; To implement short term actions that could start reducing the amount of GW being pumped. | Amount of groundwater pumped is reduced | If pumping reduced and compliance met, strategy successful (?) | |||||||||||||||||
28 | Ask OWRD to add metering & reporting requirement as rule | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | ? | yes? | yes? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
29 | Ask OWRD to evaluate where groundwater decline conditions exist and can be implemented | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | waiting for the groundwater report | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
30 | Ask OWRD if there are short-horizon actions that can be taken to reduce water use | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | ? | ? | ? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
31 | Ask OWRD if there are short-horizon actions that can be taken as a priority to reduce water use in areas of serious groundwater decline | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | ? | ? | ? | |||||||||||||||||||||||
32 | O/I | 5, 1 | Work with OWRD to enact improvements in its enforcements of water rights and well construction standards in a publicly transparent manner | Ensure all permits conditions and water use limits are met | OWRD | No | 1-5 | ? | OWRD | ongoing | possibly | possibly | Work with OWRD to prioritize compliance to ensure all water is being used legally within accordance of permit and certificates and has accountability to OWRD and the public; | Annual Report on progress made to ensure all groundwater use is properly accounted for | Increased public confidence in OWRD management | |||||||||||||||||
33 | Ensure all water right data, including water use data as required, is up to date and publicly available | OWRD | No | 1-5 | ? | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
34 | Ask Harney County to ask OWRD to enforce certificate conditions | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | ? | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||
35 | Include a recommendation for enforcement in the integrated plan | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
36 | Enforce well construction standards | OWRD | No | 1-5 | ? | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
37 | Support OWRD in ensuring that all illegal water use ceases | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
38 | Request OWRD collect data on illegal water use and produce an annual report regarding progress/implementation of RA above | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | new effort | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
39 | T | 6, 5 | Support, as a Collaborative, the CREP program described in the application to FSA and encourage voluntary enrollment by water users | The interagency team convened by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) develops a draft groundwater CREP proposal to be reviewed by Harney Basin stakeholders. The draft proposal should: a) meet federal requirements, including stewardship of enrolled lands (e.g., crop-cover and weed-management requirements), and b) have state willingness to participate. If the proposal lacks buy-in from stakeholders, the interagency team should create an avenue for further stakeholder input for improvement. | TNC | Yes | N/A | $100,000 | BOR OWRD | completed | no | possibly | To explore the potential of a voluntary groundwater market to reduce groundwater use in the Harney Basin, with declining allocation of shares overtime. | N/A (strategy completed) | N/A (strategy completed) | |||||||||||||||||
40 | If the CREP proposal is funded and a program is implemented, the CBWP Collaborative helps conduct outreach to encourage irrigator enrollment. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | possibly | |||||||||||||||||||||||
41 | Design a mechanism(s) that helps ensure that water ‘saved water’ through reduced use remains in the aquifer. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | BOR OWRD | ongoing | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||
42 | O/I | 6, 8 | Analyze the provisions for VAs (in Oregon Groundwater Law (ORS 537.745)) to explore whether using VAs could be useful in the Harney Basin. | Conduct legal review of the statute (eg Culp & Kelly and EDF Report) | Identify (to the best of our abilities) the legal requirements and limits of a Voluntary Agreement might bring to the communty | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
43 | Review how Voluntary Agreements from other locations (eg Culp & Kelly and EDF Report) reduce water use | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
44 | Explore whether any of these approaches could be useful to address groundwater use reduction in the Harney Basin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
45 | Critical Issue 2: Many groundwater users are being affected by seasonal and long-term declines in available water, which has unknown impacts on groundwater dependent ecosystems. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
46 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
47 | T | 2, 3 | Provide financial and technical solutions to domestic well users experiencing declines in groundwater quantity/quality due to declining groundwater levels | Explore ways to generate funding for domestic well owners such as how an insurance fund, where users pay a fee, that could be administered locally | CBWP collaborative Oregon Legislature OWRD | ? | 1-3 | $500,000 start | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | To ensure our community has adequate and safe domestic water | How many people take advantage of the cost share funding | Reduction in domestic well complaints | |||||||||||||||||
48 | Continue discussions on additional financial and technical solutions | CBWP collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | ? | OWRD | review following implementaion | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
49 | Continue discussions on eligibility, coverage, and administration of the insurance fund | OWRD CBWP collaborative | ? | 1 | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
50 | F | 3, 1 | Implement actions that protect and conserve GDEs | Identify and prioritize incentives (like CREP) to reduce groundwater use in areas where it would otherwise impact GDEs | OWRD CBWP collaborative | ? | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | possibly | Protect and conserve groundwater dependent ecosystems | Improved inventory of GDE distribution and use of that information in groundwater management | Public land management agencies address GDEs in their plans | |||||||||||||||||
51 | When data are available, identify areas that could impact GDEs from groundwater withdrawals | TNC OWRD | ? | 1-5 | $75,000 | BOR OWEB OWRD | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
52 | Encourage management of springs on public lands (BLM, USFWS, USFS) for ecological benefit including consideration for managing cold water refugia. | TNC USFWS BLM USFS | ? | 1-5 | ? | OWEB | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
53 | Identify management tools that could help reduce groundwater use where it would otherwise impact GDEs. | TNC USFWS BLM USFS | ? | 1-5 | $100,000 | OWEB | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
54 | Pursue more aggressive reductions in groundwater withdrawal in areas that affect GDEs | TNC OWRD | ? | 1-5 | ? | FSA OWRD | ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
55 | Assess what legal protections exist for springs | See strategy above on legal protection of groundwater | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
56 | O | 3, 2 | Implement a monitoring program for GDEs and priority plants and animals that depend on them | Recommend that OWRD implement groundwater monitoring for the basin, and other state agencies as needed, include specifically monitoring GDEs (water table, spring flow, etc.) | OWRD CBWP collaborative | ? | 1-5 | $150,000 | OWEB BOR OWRD | not started | no | no | To establish an understanding of baseline conditions for GDEs and monitor their response to water management. | More complete inventory of GDE's and public information on the distribution and significance of them | Statae policy on GDE conservation | |||||||||||||||||
57 | Request that state agencies (OWRD, ODFW, etc.) and other organizations develop a comprehensive GDE monitoring program that includes priority species of flora and fauna | OWRD CBWP collaborative TNC ODFW | ? | 1-5 | ? | OWRD USFWS OWEB BOR | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
58 | Utilize GDE monitoring data to inform the adaptive management and implementation of water management strategies. | CBWP collaborative | Yes | 2-10 | N/A | OWRD Oregon Legislature | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
59 | T | 4, 1 | Integrate water availability into land use planning | Build an understanding of City and County authorities, tools, and limitations pertaining to land use and water planning (can lay out a vision for the community that State cannot--Refer to OAR 690 10) | CBWP Collaborative Harney County Court | ? | 1-5 | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | no | To ensure development does not further deplete available supplies | County Review of groundwater permitting | County awareness of grioundwater use | |||||||||||||||||
60 | County planning department take up the issue of considering water under goals 3 and 5 given the info that has been developed by both the GW study and PBP effort | Harney County Court | No | 1-5 | ? | Harney County | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
61 | O | 4, 2 | Explore how OpenET or other remote-sensing applications could be used as a tool to assess water use | Continue participation of the Harney Basin as a pilot project of OpenET | EDF OWRD | Yes | ongoing | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | no | To use remote-sensing devices to explore groundwater hydrology in the Harney Basin for purposes of applying the information provided for water management. | Regular use of OpenET for both field scale management and regional groundwater management | Availability and awareness of Open ET | |||||||||||||||||
62 | Compare OpenET data with OWRD-approved water meter information to assess the effectiveness of OpenET, to potentially monitor water use in fields that are irrigated by temporarily broken meters, and to potentially monitor water use for points of diversion that did not have appropriate plumbing (in consultation with a technical committee described in Section 1, Strategy 11). Assess the ability of OpenET to measure water use of unmetered PODs adjacent to metered PODs; use that information to adaptively manage the implementation of the metering and reporting strategy. | OWRD | No | ongoing | ? | OWRD | ongoing | possibly | possibly | |||||||||||||||||||||||
63 | Explore how OpenET can be used for understanding and transparently communicating groundwater use in the GHVGAC | CBWP Collaborative OWRD | Yes? | ongoing | ? | OWRD | ongoing | N/A | N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||
64 | F | 1, 2 | Research policy or planning mechanisms to ensure that conserved water remains in the ground | Obtain legal recommendations of where barriers lie in the Allocation of Conserved Water program (e.g., in statute, rule, etc.), and what options exist for overcoming those barriers. | See above | To ensure that groundwater saved via conservation or efficiency strategies is protected from consumptive use | Change in Water Law or interpretation of Conserved Water Statutes | Changes in Law or rule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
65 | State agencies and others identify existing policy mechanisms to ensure that water remains in the ground. | State Agencies | No | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
66 | State agencies and CBWP partners, such as The Nature Conservancy and/or others, explore development of a novel policy protection such as in-place (“in situ”) groundwater rights | State Agencies, CBWP Partners, WRC | No | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | ongoing conversation | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
67 | Local-scale planning protections for conserved water, such as voluntary agreements and/or contractual obligations, are established for water users in the Harney Basin. These agreements or contracts could be entered into between or among private parties, OWRD, and/or a local governance body. | Private parties, OWRD, and/or local governance structure | No | 1-3 | ? | ? | not started | no | possibly | |||||||||||||||||||||||
68 | T | 1, 5 | Support, as a Collaborative, the CREP program described in the application to FSA and encourage voluntary enrollment by water users | The interagency team convened by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) develops a draft groundwater CREP proposal to be reviewed by Harney Basin stakeholders. The draft proposal should: a) meet federal requirements, including stewardship of enrolled lands (e.g., crop-cover and weed-management requirements), and b) have state willingness to participate. If the proposal lacks buy-in from stakeholders, the interagency team should create an avenue for further stakeholder input for improvement. | Interagency Team | Yes | N/A | $60,000,000 | USDA OWRD | ongoing | no | possibly | To reduce groundwater use through a groundwater CREP with enrollment of up to 20,000 acres. | Number of acres enrolled in program | Acres enrolled and reduced groundwater use calculated | |||||||||||||||||
69 | If the CREP proposal is funded and a program is implemented, the CBWP Collaborative helps conduct outreach to encourage irrigator enrollment. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 2-15 | $60,000,000 | USDA OWRD | ongoing | no | possibly | |||||||||||||||||||||||
70 | Design a mechanism(s) that helps ensure that water ‘saved water’ through reduced use remains in the aquifer. | See strategy above | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
71 | O/I | 5, 1 | Work with OWRD to enact improvements in its enforcements of water rights and well construction standards in a publicly transparent manner | Ensure all permits conditions and water use limits are met | OWRD | No | 5 | ? | OWRD | ongoing | possibly | possibly | Work with OWRD to prioritize compliance to ensure all water is being used legally within accordance of permit and certificates and has accountability to OWRD and the public | Improved reporting of compliance | Annual report on compliance checks | |||||||||||||||||
72 | Ensure all water right data, including water use data as required, is up to date and publicly available | OWRD | No | 5 | ? | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
73 | Ask Harney County to ask OWRD to enforce certificate conditions | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | N/A | OWRD | ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
74 | Include a recommendation for enforcement in the integrated plan | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | N/A | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
75 | Enforce well construction standards | OWRD | No | 5 | N/A | OWRD | ongoing | yes | yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||
76 | Support OWRD in ensuring that illegal water use ceases | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | N/A | OWRD | ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
77 | Request OWRD collect data on illegal water use and produce an annual report regarding progress/implementation of RA above | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-5 | ? | OWRD | ? | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
78 | O | 6,1 | Advocate for additional information with early focus on groundwater dependent ecosystems and economic effects of changing groundwater uses. When the USGS/OWRD groundwater study is available, identify other information needs. | Using the Step 2 documents, identify information needs and prioritize those that have a direct implication for groundwater management | TNC CBWP Collaborative | ? | 2-5 | ? | OWEB OWRD USFWS | not started | no | no | Continue to learn about groundwater conditions in the Harney Basin. | Additional information on groundwater and GDEs | Reports with more detail than the groundwater study | |||||||||||||||||
79 | Clearly identify what is known about aquifer structure as well as what is unknown about the structure, boundaries, and groundwater movements. | OWRD USGS | Yes? | 5-10 | ? | USGS BOR OWRD | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
80 | Recognize that most of the groundwater used is ancient and for all practical purposes non-renewable. | OWRD | No | 1-5 | N/A | N/A | awaiting groundwater study report | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
81 | T | 6, 5 | Explore and consider a voluntary groundwater market approach; Review feasibillity study (Upon review, the Collaborative should make a recommendation to implement or not) | CBWP partners, such as The Nature Conservancy, secure funding for a scoping assessment to determine potential implementation pathways of a voluntary groundwater market approach in the Harney Basin. | TNC | Yes | N/A | $100,000 | BOR OWRD TNC | completed | no | no | To explore the potential of a voluntary groundwater market to reduce groundwater use in the Harney Basin, with declining allocation of shares overtime. | N/A (strategy completed) | N/A (strategy completed) | |||||||||||||||||
82 | The CBWP Collaborative reviews the results of the assessment and evaluates different approaches | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
83 | The CBWP Collaborative determines whether it supports the establishment of a groundwater market in the Harney Basin as well as immediate next steps to support implementation | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
84 | O | 1, 6 | Develop a plan to help mitigate and respond to the impacts of drought on the basin’s groundwater. | Collect and summarize information to help understand how the Harney Basin is affected by and responds to the impacts of drought events, as related to water supply and use. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 2-10 | $50,000 | BOR OWRD | not started | no | possibly | To prepare for and strategically manage groundwater resources during drought events in a way that helps to meet the short-term needs of the Harney basin’s people, ecosystems, and economy, while helping to keep the basin on track with long-term groundwater-level goals | A detailed plan for groundwater coservation actions during drought times | Data and plan development and implementation measures | |||||||||||||||||
85 | Develop a basin plan with specific actions and tools to help mitigate and respond to meteorological drought impacts. Develop this plan in conjunction with, or as part of, the Harney County’s Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan, based on the Harney Community-Based Water Plan, and in consideration of other drought plans from similar basins (e.g., temporary fallowing programs for groundwater irrigated fields during times of drought). | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 2-10 | $150,000 | BOR OWRD | not started | no | possibly | |||||||||||||||||||||||
86 | Collect measurements that can be used to ground-truth remotely sensed and airborne data, and develop higher resolution Groundwater Drought Indicator Maps for the Harney Basin through the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) | CBWP Collaborative OWRD | Yes | 2-10 | ? | OWRD | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
87 | Explore the accuracy and utility of Arizona’s long-term drought mapping methods, and consider supporting similar methodology for Oregon to help provide drought projections for the Harney Basin | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 2-10 | ? | BOR OWRD | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
88 | O/I | 6, 8 | Analyze the provisions for VAs (in Oregon Groundwater Law (ORS 537.745)) to explore whether using VAs could be useful in the Harney Basin. | Conduct legal review of the statute (eg Culp & Kelly and EDF Report) | Identify (to the best of our abilities) the legal requirements and limits of a Voluntary Agreement might be | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
89 | Review how Voluntary Agreements from other locations (eg Culp & Kelly and EDF Report) reduce water use | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
90 | Explore whether any of these approaches could be usefu to address groundwater use reduction in the Harney Basin | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
91 | Critical Issue 3: Groundwater declines are not uniform across the basin or between shallow and deep groundwater, which can lead to management challenges. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
92 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
93 | T | 4, 1 | Integrate water availability into land use planning | Build an understanding of City and County authorities, tools, and limitations pertaining to land use and water planning (can lay out a vision for the community that State cannot--Refer to OAR 690 10) | CBWP Collaborative Harney County Court | ? | 1-5 | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | no | To ensure development does not further deplete available supplies | County Review of groundwater permitting | County awareness of grioundwater use | |||||||||||||||||
94 | County planning department take up the issue of considering water under goals 3 and 5 given the info that has been developed by both the GW study and PBP effort | Harney County Court | No | 1-5 | ? | Harney County | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
95 | T | 1, 5 | Support, as a Collaborative, the CREP program described in the application to FSA and encourage voluntary enrollment by water users | The interagency team convened by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) develops a draft groundwater CREP proposal to be reviewed by Harney Basin stakeholders. The draft proposal should: a) meet federal requirements, including stewardship of enrolled lands (e.g., crop-cover and weed-management requirements), and b) have state willingness to participate. If the proposal lacks buy-in from stakeholders, the interagency team should create an avenue for further stakeholder input for improvement. | Interagency Team | Yes | N/A | $60,000,000 | USDA OWRD | ongoing | no | possibly | To reduce groundwater use through a groundwater CREP with enrollment of up to 20,000 acres. | Number of acres enrolled in program | Acres enrolled and reduced groundwater use calculated | |||||||||||||||||
96 | If the CREP proposal is funded and a program is implemented, the CBWP Collaborative helps conduct outreach to encourage irrigator enrollment. | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 2-15 | $60,000,000 | USDA OWRD | ongoing | no | possibly | |||||||||||||||||||||||
97 | Design a mechanism(s) that helps ensure that water ‘saved water’ through reduced use remains in the aquifer. | See strategy above | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
98 | T | 6, 5 | Explore and consider a voluntary groundwater market approach; Review feasibillity study (Upon review, the Collaborative should make a recommendation to implement or not) | CBWP partners, such as The Nature Conservancy, secure funding for a scoping assessment to determine potential implementation pathways of a voluntary groundwater market approach in the Harney Basin. | TNC | Yes | N/A | $100,000 | BOR OWRD TNC | completed | no | no | To explore the potential of a voluntary groundwater market to reduce groundwater use in the Harney Basin, with declining allocation of shares overtime. | N/A (strategy completed) | N/A (strategy completed) | |||||||||||||||||
99 | The CBWP Collaborative reviews the results of the assessment and evaluates different approaches | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | ongoing | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||
100 | The CBWP Collaborative determines whether it supports the establishment of a groundwater market in the Harney Basin as well as immediate next steps to support implementation | CBWP Collaborative | Yes | 1-3 | N/A | N/A | not started | no | no | |||||||||||||||||||||||