By Melissa Wagoner It’s not about a dam – though one has become the face of the problem. It’s not even about the fish – though they feature prominently in the discussion. What the controversy around the proposal to add a dam on Drift Creek really comes down to is water – who has it, who wants it and where […]
By Kristine Thomas The city of Silverton needs to replace its aging water treatment plant. The city of Mt. Angel wants to improve the quality and taste of the water it provides its residents. The East Valley Water District has concerns on how it will water its crops and how to store water to use in the summer months. The […]
When Marion County Circuit Judge Claudia Burton ruled in favor of the East Valley Water District’s request to be have permission to go onto the property of Victor Point landowners along Drift Creek, she also stated she sees what is happening as a potential political disaster – one that must be looked at by the state legislature. As the law […]
By Kristine Thomas Chalk up a victory for the East Valley Water District in its quest to build an irrigation reservoir on the property of Victor Point landowners. On Jan. 5, Marion County Circuit Judge Claudia Burton ruled in favor of the East Valley Water District’s request to be granted permission to go onto the property of Victor Point landowners […]
By Kristine Thomas East Valley Water District board members Duane Eder and Dave Bielenberg and Victor Point landowners Joel Rue and Bruce Jaquet all say they are farmers – not experts on legal matters. Yet, all four are now immersed in learning as much as they can about land use laws due to the disagreement over EVWD’s proposal to build […]
By Kristine Thomas A Drift Creek reservoir moved one step closer to becoming a reality July 22. That’s when the Oregon Water Resources Department issued a proposed final order or PFO to the East Valley Water District on its plan to construct the reservoir and store public waters. The PFO outlined several conditions that must be meet before the OWRD […]
By Kristine Thomas If a neighboring farmer needed to borrow equipment, Victor Point farmer Joel Rue wouldn’t hesitate to lend it. There’s an unwritten rule about farmers helping a fellow farmer, he said. That’s what makes the current disagreement with farmers belonging to the East Valley Water District (EVWD) unpleasant. “I consider many of the farmers in the East Valley […]
