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February 17, 2017 CapitalPress.com 5 Wolf count, management plan update delayed By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press A linear irrigation system operates in a corn field in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. State water regulators want to increase water right transaction fees by 15.88 percent over four years, the third hike since 2009. Water regulators propose third transaction fee hike Bill would increase fee rates by 15.88 percent over next four years $100 management fee on water rights — isn’t passed, said Mary Anne Nash, pub- lic policy counsel for the group. The cost of processing water right transactions is currently split evenly between water users and OWRD. The Farm Bureau wants the agency to continue shouldering half the ex- pense instead of shifting more of the burden on irri- gators, Nash said. Oregon’s heavy snow in January caused problems for wildlife staff who track the state’s wolf population. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said ex- treme weather in northeast Oregon, where most of the state’s wolves live, interrupt- ed airplane, helicopter and ground surveys of wolfpacks. As a result, the annual wolf report has been delayed a month and won’t be delivered to the ODFW Commission until its April 21 meeting in Klamath Falls. The report usually is re- leased in March and typically includes an updated wolf pop- ulation count and information on the number of breeding pairs in the state. The count provides an information base- line as the commission con- siders updates to the state’s Wolf Management and Con- servation plan. The plan is reviewed every five years, and the commission will most likely adopt an updated ver- sion later in 2017. Although heavy snow and an extended cold snap delayed Courtesy of ODFW Adult wolves from the Walla Walla Pack were caught on a remote trail camera last year in Umatilla County, Ore. Extreme weather in northeast Oregon interrupted wolfpack surveys. ODFW’s field work, depart- ment spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy said it probably didn’t harm Oregon’s wolves. “Wolves typically do quite well during the winter,” she said by email. “Winters that are hard on deer and elk may actually be easier on wolves. There is winter (prey) loss to scavenge and it is harder for ungulates (deer and elk) to es- cape in the deep snow.” Oregon had a minimum of 110 wolves at the end of 2015, according to figures re- leased by ODFW in February 2016. At least seven wolves died in 2016. Four members of Wallowa County’s Imnaha pack, including venerable al- pha male OR-4, were shot by ODFW in March 2016 after repeatedly attacking, killing and eating livestock. Wildlife biologists speculated at the time that the group began at- tacking livestock due to OR- 4’s advanced age and the fact that his longtime mate limped from an injured leg. They had two yearlings with them, and the four appeared to have sep- arated from or been forced out of the main Imnaha pack. In addition, a female wolf designated OR-28 was found dead in October 2016 in south-central Oregon. Of- ficials have not said how the wolf died, and Oregon State Police are investigating. A $20,000 reward for informa- tion is available. State police also are inves- tigating a wolf found dead in northeast Oregon in March 2016. In May 2016, a sheep herd- er shot a wolf from the Walla Walla pack that was attacking sheep. State police judged the shooting was lawful under the “caught in the act” provision that allows producers to kill wolves that are wounding, biting, killing or chasing live- stock, according to ODFW. By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Oregon water regula- tors want to raise fees for water right transactions by nearly 16 percent over four years to avoid pro- cessing slowdowns for irrigators. The Oregon Water Re- source Department’s re- quest to state lawmakers, House Bill 2295, would mark the third such increase since 2009. Some groups represent- ing irrigators are uneasy about the proposal, par- ticularly in light of anoth- er bill that would impose a new $100 management fee on every water right in Oregon. Under HB 2295, a trans- action fee increase of 15.88 percent would be phased in over four years and a sunset on previous hikes — set to expire this year — would be eliminated. If the fee schedule were to revert back to 2009 lev- els, OWRD would have to cut 5.5 full-time posi- tions, effectively extend- ing the time that irrigators must wait to develop or transfer water rights, said Tom Byler, the agency’s director. The increase is also nec- essary to maintain OWRD’s dam inspection program, which oversees roughly 900 large structures, he said. “These are all very import- ant functions for the agen- cy.” Fees must be raised just to keep these services at current levels due to climb- ing expenses for salaries, benefits and retirement plans for state employ- ees, Byler said at a Feb. 13 hearing of the House Com- mittee on Energy and the Environment. The Oregon Water Re- sources Congress, an irri- gator group, wishes that fee increases wouldn’t occur so frequently but nonethe- less supports HB 2295, said April Snell, its executive director. The Oregon Association of Nurseries also testified in favor of the bill. “Water transfers are a big part of how we do busi- ness,” said Jeff Stone, ex- ecutive director of OAN. Nurseries typically rely on water right transfers when they expand production onto newly bought or leased property. Water for Life, an irri- gator group, is concerned about the rate at which costs are growing, said Richard Kosesan, its lobbyst. “Wa- ter for Life is not enamored with the fee increases.” The Oregon Farm Bu- reau is neutral regarding HB 2295 and won’t oppose the hike as long as another piece of legislation — House Bill 2706, which imposes the 7-2/#4N
