Kate Fitzpatrick: Let’s Talk About Water Rights & The River

Navigating Real Estate Episode 12

If you are advising clients on purchasing a property with acreage in Central Oregon, whether it be a hobby farm or a full-scale hay operation, you need to understand water issues in Central Oregon. From water rights to irrigation districts to drought and conservation efforts, it’s complex. We’re so glad to have Kate Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Deschutes River Conservancy, here with us today to help us make sense of some of the challenges in our region.

In this episode Ryan Buccola and Kate Fitzpatrick discuss:

• The Deschutes River Basin and some of the top issues affecting the allocation of water in our region.
• What “beneficial use” is and how it impacts property owners with water rights.
• How our river system has been affected by recent population growth in Central Oregon.
• Important things to know and understand about water rights when looking to purchase a property with agricultural intent in Central Oregon.

Key takeaways:

• The majority of our water is utilized by the irrigation districts. Despite popular belief, breweries and golf courses only use about 2 percent of our water.
• You can choose not to use your water rights and participate in the DRC’s leasing program or water bank program to either leave your allocated water in the river or sell it to a farmer who needs it downstream. 
• To date, the Deschutes River Conservancy has restored more than 300 cubic feet per second into the rivers. To put that into context, the Middle Deschutes in the summer below the Riverhouse would have been dry this summer without their programs.

Deschutes River Conservancy’s event, RiverFeast, is coming up May 4th in Bend! Check out this annual fundraising event and other ways you can get involved in.