{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-walden-deliver-crooked-river-victory-for-central-oregon", "Merkley, Walden Deliver Crooked River Victory for Central Oregon", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Merkley, Walden Deliver Crooked River Victory for Central Oregon \n\t\n\t\t Bipartisan agreement will deliver greater water security and economic growth for Central Oregon \n\t\n\t\n\tFriday, December 12, 2014\n\t\n\tWASHINGTON \u2013 This holiday season, Central Oregon will have one more reason to celebrate: In the final moments of the 113th Congress, major legislation implementing improved water management in Central Oregon has been passed unanimously by both the Senate and the House, Oregon\u2019s Senator Jeff Merkley and Representative Greg Walden announced today.\r\nThe bill passed the Senate yesterday afternoon and the House late last night. With the legislation now cleared through both houses of Congress, it will go to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law, delivering Central Oregon a major victory in improved water certainty and a stronger foundation for economic growth and job creation. \u00a0\r\n \r\n\u201cThis is huge news for Prineville and the entire region,\u201d said Merkley.\u00a0\u201cAfter more than forty years of debate, we are now entering a new era in Central Oregon water management: one that will be known for collaboration, innovation, and job creation. With a community-driven plan that ensures water for economic growth and a healthy river, this agreement shows exactly how we should be getting things done, by working together and bridging divides to create a better future for all. My thanks go out to Congressman Walden and Senator Wyden, and most of all to the community members who brought us this bold vision for a win-win future and the determination to get it done.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Central Oregon jobs and water plan is now on its way to the President\u2019s desk to be signed into law. The entire community\u2014including elected officials, community leaders, farmers, fishermen, tribes\u2014worked hard to get this done. The end result is more water certainty and more jobs for Prineville and the region as a whole. I\u2019ll continue working with Central Oregon\u2019s communities to grow the economy, create good paying jobs, and ensure water certainty,\u201d Walden said.\r\n \r\nSenator Merkley and Representative Walden have been working intensely to agree on legislation and, along with Senator Wyden, Senator Lisa Murkowski of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Rep. Doc Hastings of the House Natural Resources Committee, to secure passage in both houses of Congress. The legislation will implement the collaborative water management vision developed by stakeholders throughout the community.\r\n \r\n\u201cThe Senate\u2019s passage of this legislation shows everyone what we\u2019ve long known, Senator Merkley is a true Oregon leader,\u201d said Prineville Mayor Betty Roppe.\u00a0\u201cHis hard work with Congressman Greg Walden will benefit Oregon\u2019s economy and environment, especially here in Prineville.\u201d\r\n\"Greg Walden and Jeff Merkley have taken an incredible step forward with this legislation for our community,\u201d said Crook County Judge Mike McCabe. \u201cThis legislation will create jobs, attract investment and improve fish and wildlife habitat in the Crooked River. \u00a0These men are two of the best in Congress.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\u201cCentral Oregon farmers and ranchers owe our thanks to Jeff Merkley and Greg Walden,\u201d said Ochoco Irrigation District Chairman Brian Barney. \u201cFor any farmer or rancher, the certainty of your water supply is critical. Their bill strengthens our water supply certainty not just for our generation, but for future generations to come, and it improves steelhead habitat. Their work together is impressive.\u201d\r\n\u201cThe Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs applaud Senator Merkley\u2019s and Congressman Walden\u2019s tireless work to strike the right balance of water in the Crooked River,\u201d said Tribal Council Chairman Eugene Austin Greene.\r\n\u201cMany said it could not be done, but irrigators, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, and conservationists came together to craft a uniquely collaborative solution to a 50 year-old challenge of water management in the Wild and Scenic Crooked River,\u201d said David Moryc of American Rivers.\u00a0 \u201cSenator Merkley, Senator Wyden, and Congressman Walden deserve credit for supporting this balanced approach, that provides certainty for water users while putting more needed water for recreation and trout in the Crooked River.\u201d\r\n\u201cWorking together, local stakeholders are making huge strides to restore salmon and steelhead to the Crooked,\u201d said Kate Miller of Trout Unlimited. \u201cThese native fish have incredible value for anglers, local communities, and our recreation economy and quality of life.\u00a0This legislation creates valuable new opportunities to improve conditions for these wild fisheries in a manner that supports local irrigators and enhances opportunities for local business and economic development. We thank Senator Merkley and Congressman Walden for their strong leadership in promoting collaborative solutions for the Crooked River.\u201d\r\n\u201cWaterWatch's vision for the Crooked River includes enough water released from Bowman dam to restore downstream flows for imperiled steelhead and other fish,\u201d said Kimberley Priestley of WaterWatch. \u201cThis bill paves a path forward to making this vision a reality.\u00a0We thank Jeff Merkley for his leadership and his dedication to this effort.\u201d\r\n \r\nThe legislation will provide numerous benefits to water users and the Central Oregon region by:\r\n \r\nMeeting the municipal water needs for the city of Prineville long into the future so the city can continue to attract new businesses like data centers that require reliable water supplies;\r\nProviding greater certainty for the agricultural community that depends on the Crooked River for irrigation;\r\nAllowing water to be released from Bowman Dam to help maintain healthy steelhead, salmon and trout fisheries, which are cherished by local fishermen;\r\nMoving the federal wild and scenic river boundary from the top of the dam, fixing an administrative error that has blocked efforts to retrofit Bowman Dam to generate clean hydroelectric power; and\r\nCreating a process to help better plan for dry years, in terms of the impact on fish habitat and fishing, as well as boating and other recreational activities.\r\n \r\n###\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n     \n\t\n \n\t\n    \n    \n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t  \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n      \n    \n    \n    \n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n    \n\t\n\t  \n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/press-releases/merkley-walden-deliver-crooked-river-victory-for-central-oregon"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3446288648992777, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}