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Council approves purchase of surface water rights for South Hill property
Summary
Council approved a resolution authorizing a water-rights purchase and transfer that adds roughly 3.5 CFS to an earlier 1.68 CFS holding, bringing the city's John Day Pool surface water rights to just over 5.0 CFS.
The Umatilla City Council voted to authorize a city manager-executed purchase and closing documents for surface water rights tied to the South Hill area, converting the rights for municipal use.
Brandon (city staff) told the council the Oregon Water Resources Department approved a transfer application converting the water right into municipal use. "That water right has been approved to be converted into municipal water right and is now eligible for us to move forward with the purchase," Brandon said.
Council documents and staff discussion show the additional purchase is roughly 3.5 cubic feet per second (CFS) of John Day Pool/Columbia River surface water; combined with an earlier procurement of about 1.68 CFS, the city will hold just over 5.0 CFS of surface water rights for the South Hill parcel. Brandon said the additional rights were priced on an acre-foot basis; staff referenced a figure of about 238.5 per acre-foot in the purchase calculations as presented to council.
The council passed the resolution retroactively authorizing the city manager to complete the purchase and sign closing documents. The council did not appropriate new funds beyond approving the agreement; the motion carried and was recorded as "the ayes have it."
Background: Staff said the water rights were acquired to support municipal water planning. The city's water master plan contemplates a future transition from groundwater wells to surface water by 2037; staff said no immediate domestic surface-water treatment systems are planned for the South Hill area but the converted municipal water right allows the city flexibility for industrial, commercial or residential municipal uses.
The resolution authorizes staff to finalize the acquisition and add the water right to city ownership; specific operational changes and treatment investments, if any, will be subject to future council decisions.
