U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley met with public officials and local business leaders from Washington County this week for a briefing and tour of municipal water supplies in Oregon's fastest-growing county.
Members of the Tualatin Valley Water Supply Partnership, including 12 members, directors and staff of Westside Economic Alliance, met with Senator Merkley at Hagg Lake last Sunday to ask for the Senator's support and assistance in expanding the reservoir and supplying water to communities, farms and businesses downstream.
Currently, the federal Bureau of Reclamation owns Scoggins Dam and Henry Hagg Lake, which was formed in 1975.
The 1,100 acre reservoir provides drinking water, irrigation, flood control, recreation and environmental benefits to western Washington County.
In the 34 years since the lake was formed, the population of Washington County has tripled, while the number of jobs here has quadrupled.
Local officials are proposing to transfer ownership from the federal government to a consortium of local water bureaus who want to raise the lake level 40 feet, assuring adequate supplies of water throughout the Tualatin basin for the next 50 years.
"One of the things that is very impressive about this project is that all components of the community are coming together," said Senator Merkley, following the one hour briefing and tour, "You have city and county officials, business leaders, environmental leaders all around the table planning a future that will be better for everyone."
The Tualatin Basin Water Supply Project is a locally-driven project aimed at meeting water needs that are expected to double over the next 40 years.
Working with the Bureau of Reclamation, partner agencies funding the project include Clean Water Services, Tualatin Valley Water District, and the cities of Hillsboro and Beaverton.
These local water resource agencies have funded more than $5 million to complete required environmental studies, and have received $1.725 million in federal funding over the past five years with the support of Oregon's Congressional delegation.
The water supply project is also an ongoing priority for Westside Economic Alliance.