STATE Wallowa.com Wednesday, April 6, 2022 A15 Sierra Dawn McClain/Capital Press Irrigation systems on a farm near Mount Hood. Deadline for classified ads 10:00 am Monday Find the crossword puzzle on page A6 WALLOWA COUNTY SENIOR Meal sites are open for in-dining! Meal site information: Wallowa 886-8971, Enterprise 426-3840, Home delivered meals 426-3840. Mon. Apr. 11: Roast beef, mashed red potatoes & gravy, buttered carrots, mixed fruit & apple crisp (sponsored by Wallowa Assembly of God) Wed. Apr. 13: Baked ham, roasted red potatoes, seasoned green beans, broccoli salad & strawberry shortcake (sponsored by Rotary Club) Fri. Apr. 15: Chicken fajita with salsa & sour cream, Spanish rice, green salad, pears & brownie (Thank you volunteer Meals on Wheels drivers) ENTERPRISE SCHOOLS (Milk, fruit & vegetables served with all meals) Mon. Apr. 11: Breakfast: Bacon & eggs Lunch: Pork chops w/mashed potatoes & corn Tue. Apr. 12: Breakfast: Ham & potatoes Lunch: Tacos & refried beans Wed. Apr. 13: Breakfast: Pancakes Lunch: Mac & cheese and broccoli Thur. Apr. 14: Breakfast: Biscuits & gravy Lunch: Corn dogs & fries Fri. Apr. 15: Breakfast: Waffles Lunch: Pizza To sponsor a senior meal, call 426-3840 or stop by the Community Connection office. Nine water rights tools for Oregon farms and ranches facing drought term tool for a farmer who does not have water right. According to Howard, a farmer can apply for a lim- SALEM — As much of ited water license to estab- Oregon faces another year lish a crop for which further of drought, water experts say irrigation won’t be required, farmers and ranchers should such as a vineyard or hazel- be aware of all the tools nut orchard, or to mitigate available to them under the the impacts of drought when state’s water laws. water is needed “to At a seminar avoid irreparable Tuesday, March 31, damage to the user’s Elizabeth Howard, crop.” Oregon water law • Exempt water attorney, and Lind- uses: Howard said say Thane, natural it’s also useful for resources attorney, farmers to be aware Howard both of Schwabe, of exempt water uses Williamson & in Oregon — oppor- Wyatt, spoke about tunities to use water nine tools for farm- within limitations ers through the state without applying for Water Resources a permit. Department, or Farms may qual- OWRD. ify for the surface “There are tools water stock water Thane available to water exemption, commer- users, especially in cial and industrial drought years,” said Thane. uses exemption and domes- • Drought transfers: If tic water rights exemption. Oregon’s governor issues • Conserved water a drought declaration for a rights: A conserved water county, water users in that right allows a farmer to county can then access emer- shrink a water right tempo- gency water use tools, one of rarily and move the balance which is a “drought transfer.” to other places, such as to According to Thane, a in-stream fl ows that benefi t farmer can apply for an expe- fi sh. dited, short-term drought • New water right: A transfer of their water right farmer can also apply for a to change its type of use, new water right, but these place of use or location of are diffi cult to get. the point of diversion. “It’s pretty much impos- • Temporary emergency sible to get a surface water water use permits: This right in Oregon right now tool is also only available to because basically all the drought-declared counties. water has been allocated,” According to Thane, if an said Howard. existing surface water right Thane said getting a new doesn’t have enough water groundwater right is more during drought — for exam- plausible, but OWRD has ple, a stream dries up — then labeled some parts of Oregon the farmer can apply for an as “groundwater restricted emergency permit to tempo- areas” where new wells can’t rarily tap into groundwater. be drilled. These expedited applica- • Stored water right: tions should take 10 days to The fi nal tool is called a process. stored water right, enabling • Temporary transfers: a farmer to create a A temporary transfer allows farmers to move water to areas of critical need. Applicants need not come from a drought-declared county. A farmer can change the place of use, point of diver- sion or type of use of a cer- tifi ed water right and can move water on their own property or temporarily transfer to another farmer. Unlike the fi rst two tools, a temporary transfer takes longer to apply for and process. “This isn’t a particularly speedy process most of the time,” said Thane. Howard said this tool “is really good to think about for long-term planning.” • Agriculture water use transfers: Howard said an agriculture water use trans- fer can be useful during hot and dry years. The tool enables a farmer with an existing irrigation water right to use that right for purposes other than irri- gation — “incidental agri- cultural uses” including dust control, keeping farm ani- mals cool or giving drink- ing water to livestock within limitations. • Limited licenses: A limited license is a short- By SIERRA DAWN McCLAIN Capital Press water from a reservoir or pond for a specifi c purpose. The right to store water is separate from the right to use the stored water. pond or reservoir. For this tool, said How- ard, a farmer needs two rights — the right to store water and the right to remove Spring is coming! Save 50% on heating costs with Rinnai Propane Heaters!* Heaters and other HVAC Parts & Services not just propane! *Addtional rebates up to $100 apply . East Hwy 82 Ed Staub & Sons Enterprise, OR 201 • 541-426-0320 Energy Community Service. It's Spring! 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