SALEM, OR — Governor John Kitzhaber announced the progression of his water initiative designed to improve year-round water management, state-wide. Two task forces charged with developing program guidelines will meet to discuss the initiative on Friday. Governor Kitzhaber hopes to build on bipartisan support to develop a program that supports rivers and streams, and makes better use of water during the wet winter and spring months to meet needs during the dry summer and fall.
Potential projects include water storage, reuse or conservation, along with establishing a financing structure to encourage private investment and job creation.
The first task force will develop recommendations for the Oregon Water Resources Commission on guidelines for projects that store winter and spring stream flows. The task force also will recommend criteria for deciding when state funds should be used to support those projects. The task force is expected to make its recommendations later this year. The second task force will review the structure of the program and how the state can support water supply projects. This task force is expected to make its recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature later this year.
The joint task force meeting will be held at the Oregon Water Resources Department on Friday, August 15, 2014, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. OWRD is located at 725 Summer Street NE, room 124, in Salem. The meeting is open to the public. For more information, including a roster of task force participants, please visit the State’s Website.
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