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House approves temporary water-lease tool to boost streamflows in Walla Walla Basin
Summary
Senate Bill 761 allows irrigation districts in the Walla Walla Basin to temporarily lease portions of their water rights for in-stream use without sacrificing long-term water access; the bill includes safeguards to prevent injury to other water rights.
The House passed Senate Bill 761, a measure intended to convert planning work into an operational tool for improving stream flows in the Walla Walla Basin. The bill authorizes irrigation water districts to temporarily lease a portion of their water rights for in-stream use while preserving their long-term irrigation access.
Supporters said the bill is voluntary and temporary and includes safeguards. Representative Levy, who carried the measure, said Oregon Water Resources Department approval is limited to leases that do not injure existing water rights and that require consistent historical measurement of water use. The bill also requires real-time measurements and prevents lease terms that would increase aggregate water use or acreage.
Advocates and several members described the measure as a product of multiyear collaboration among stakeholders, including the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the state of Washington. Representative Owens called the bill a “win-win-win,” saying it exemplifies the sort of collaborative adaptive management needed for water conflicts.
Legislators emphasized intergovernmental coordination: conservation actions in Oregon must account for downstream and cross-border effects in Washington. The House declared the bill passed after debate. Backers said the temporary leases are intended to supplement broader water management and conservation strategies already under way in the basin.
