We Saved the Metolius River!

Environment Oregon, working with Central Oregon Landwatch and 1000 Friends of Oregon, helped pass HB 3298 in the 2009 state legislature!  Now two large resorts will no longer be able to build near the headwaters of the river.  Governor Kulongoski is scheduled to sign the bill on the banks of the Metolius on Wednesday, July 15.

The Issue

The Metolius River and its surrounding basin are a true natural wonder in our state. The headwaters emerge mysteriously from the side of a hill on the slopes of Black Butte to form a running river of remarkable clarity. 

The river is not mysterious just to the casual observer: geologists and hydrologists cannot fully understand the underground water flows that form this unique river. Water flowing underground from the Cascades through volcanic soils emerges suddenly to form one of Oregon’s most beautiful rivers. Fed along its route through majestic pines and firs by beautiful springs that spontaneously flow from the adjoining ground, the Metolius is truly one of Oregon’s legendary trout-fishing streams.
 
But hydrologists can agree on one reasonable forecast: two destination resorts currently being planned, with more than three thousand homes, three golf courses, and massive water consumption, will disrupt this pristine place. Even development outside the basin could threaten the headwaters, whose groundwater sources do not follow the same flow patterns as surface waters. 

The unique attributes of the Metolius River make its basin a recreation destination for thousands of Oregonians, a place of truly statewide significance, and an appropriate place for the state legislature to step in and put protections in place.  By protecting this Oregon gem, the Legislature can leave future generations a special legacy.

To see just how amazing the Metolius River really is, take a look at out scrapbook of stories and photos from members across the state.