BEND, OR -- Central Oregon Landwatch claims a recent study they conducted shows climate change may decrease water levels so much in Tumalo Creek, it would threaten the city's water pipeline project. Bend City Councilor Casey Roats is skeptical of the findings of just one study and is waiting for the results of larger study funded by federal and state money. Councilor Roats says it's been difficult dealing with Central Oregon Landwatch. "You have environmental groups that have a value set and don't want us to be taking anything out of the Tumalo Creek - And there's no city in their right mind who would give up water rights from the turn of the century. If you do that you move to the back of the line instead of the first in line."
Central Oregon Landwatch has appealed last December's federal court decision to allow the pipeline project to go forward. That appeal is now headed to the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Roats says the $5-million the city has spent on fighting the group would have been better spent elsewhere. "You know when you get the lawyers involved, it gets expensive. And, that's money that would half gotten us halfway toward the goal of piping everything. But Central Oregon Landwatch and Oregon Waterwatch in Portland - it's been shameful that people in our own community are doing this, when there are solutions and no end user has to be out of any water."
