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Sweet Home council declares state of emergency over Green Peter Reservoir drawdown
Summary
Sweet Home City Council passed Resolution No. 20 (2025) declaring a local state of emergency in response to planned drawdown operations at Green Peter Reservoir, citing risks to Foster Lake water quality and the ability to seek state and federal assistance.
The Sweet Home City Council on Tuesday passed Resolution No. 20 (2025) declaring a state of emergency for the city in response to planned drawdown operations at Green Peter Reservoir that city officials say could affect water quality in Foster Lake, the community’s primary drinking-water source.
City Manager Ogden told the council that last year an early declaration helped halt a previous drawdown and protected the city’s water system, and urged acting early again. “When Sweet Home acts early, we succeed,” Ogden said.
The proclamation read by Mayor Susan Coleman cites ORS chapter 401 and the Sweet Home Municipal Code as the legal authorities that empower the city manager and council to act during an emergency, and lists turbidity and potential contaminants entering Foster Lake as the core risks prompting the declaration. “I, Susan Coleman, mayor of the city of Sweet Home, do hereby proclaim with City Council authorization a State of Emergency in the City of Sweet Home,” the proclamation reads.
Council members voted 6-0, with Councilor Sanchez recorded as absent, to approve the resolution. The council did not set a fixed end date in the resolution; the proclamation states the local emergency “shall continue until terminated by the mayor of the City of Sweet Home.”
City staff told the council that Sweet Home has increased filtration capacity and is monitoring turbidity and other water-quality measures; staff said current operations indicate the city’s water remains safe. The proclamation also notes the city has engaged in litigation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over prior drawdown plans and that a recent court order approving the Corps’ drawdown plan without modification prompted the renewed emergency declaration.
The council’s action authorizes the city to coordinate with Linn County, neighboring cities and state agencies and to access state and federal support if needed during the drawdown period. No additional emergency expenditures or specific procurement actions were identified in the public discussion at the meeting.
Councilors and staff emphasized the declaration is intended as a preparatory measure. “Good leadership doesn’t wait for a crisis,” Ogden said. The city will continue to monitor turbidity and communicate with the public about water safety and any operational changes.
