Polk County approves IGA with Independence, Monmouth to study regional Willamette intake

Polk County commissioners on Tuesday approved an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the cities of Independence and Monmouth to study a regionally sized intake on the Willamette River and help preserve Polk County’s existing Willamette water right.

The IGA, approved unanimously on a motion directing county counsel to finalize the agreement for signature, funds a phase‑1 technical study to evaluate whether a shared intake or rate collector would work for the county and neighboring cities and sets a governance and cost‑share framework for further work if the study advances.

County staff told commissioners the county’s Willamette permit — obtained to address projected water deficits identified in an early 2000s study — expires in 2030 and must be put to beneficial use or extended. "My recommendation is that you, approve the IGA, with you leaving some latitude for our legal counsel to make technical legal changes without changing the substantive matter of the IGA," said Austin Strossen, the county presenter, describing the staff recommendation and next…