I’m responding to County Commissioner Tony DeBone’s comment in the April 18th story “Thorburgh resort appeal” by Clayton Franke.  Commissioner DeBone is quoted: “It’s a shame that we are seeing an applicant getting bounced around the appeal process for 20 years.”

There are very good reasons that the proposed resort has been in an appeal process for 20 years.

The proposed resort once had a water right permit, G-17036, for 9.28 cubic feet per second of groundwater. That permit was issued in 2013 and after an extension period the permit was denied in 2022.

The county commissioners should have asked the developer to restart the permit process and consider the water situation in Deschutes County in 2022, but the county commissioners allowed the developer to proceed.

Regarding public sentiment, on March 9, 2022, the Department of State Lands had a public Zoom meeting for input to help determine if it should sell 400 acres of our public land to the developer of the Thornburgh destination resort. Almost 300 people attended the meeting representing many concerns, including water for farming, water impact on current residential wells, the impact on area wildlife, the impact on the mule deer migration, disruption to hiking and biking trails and the overall environmental impact. Two hundred and fifty-five individuals spoke, voicing their concerns and every speaker was against the sale of the land, not one person said it was a good idea. Additionally, more than 3,400 businesses, community organizations and individuals signed onto an opposition letter and over 1,800 community members submitted public comments, opposing the sale.

Christine Larson, a county resident, stated: “We live three miles away and supposedly have 28 acres of water rights. Last year we were cut down to water seven days on, seven days off. This year we have been warned that we might water seven days on, 14 days off. Farmers are moving away. Locally sourced produce, meat and hay will go away. Wells have been going dry the last several years. Yet somehow there is enough water for three golf courses, lakes, pools and up to 3,000 homes?”

There has been considerable change in water needs in Deschutes County since 2008.

Reduced snowpacks which lead to lower water levels in reservoirs, streams, and rivers.
Record high temperatures that lead to faster evaporation of water.
Wells are running dry: “Over the past 10 years, Deschutes County residents have deepened an average of 29 wells per year. Last year, that shot up to 60, and so far, this year the problem is worse. Meanwhile, development is booming, with more than 1,100 new wells drilled since 2020 alone.” – Emily Cureton Cook, OPB, July 19, 2022.
If the proposed resort acquires new water, there will be new and different impacts on surface water, fish, and wildlife.
The loss of the resort’s water right, OWRD’s denial of the resort’s request for an extension of the water right, and the impossibility of replacing the lost water right due to changes in the capacity of the groundwater resource all constitute substantial changes to the original resort plan.
In addition, the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs should have a right to defend the 1855 treaty with the federal government.

Central Oregon doesn’t need another golf resort for the affluent, we need to protect the environment and conserve water.

Joe Craig lives in Bend.