This is the proposed path for the City of Hermiston’s recycled water pipeline across the Wadekampers’ ranch. The land would likely be taken under eminent domain. The land is part of the Wadekampers’ Angus cattle operation.

Lon and Sheri Wadekamper will almost certainly be first in line to voice their opinions during the public comment period that just opened for the City of Hermistons proposed recycled wastewater pipeline project.

The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking comment on their Draft Environmental Assesment for the project. The comment period ends Jan. 20.

If the proposed plan is put into action, the Wadekampers could have a 1.5-mile stretch of their LGW ranch condemned and taken under eminent domain. The city has plans to cut a 20-foot swath for a new pipeline across the Wadekamper ranch that will deliver wastewater to the West Extension Irrigation Canal. The Wadekampers would also likely lose up to 200 acres of pasture for their beef operation due to the city pulling out of a long-standing deal that historically supplied the ranch with recycled wastewater for irrigation.

Its not their water, said Brad Bogus, an engineer from Kennedy-Jenks Portland office working on the project. Can I stress that enough?

Losing the water will mean the Wadekampers will have to reduce the number of cattle they can raise. Well have to cut back at least 100 (cows), Sheri Wadekamper said. Were trying to recoup some of (the water) through conservation.

Conservation measures may help them save 80 acres. At issue is the ability of the Wadekamper ranch to use all of the wastewater the city will produce in the future.

Bogus claims the LGW ranch will only be able to handle city water for another five to six years. They dont have enough land, Bogus said. Period. End of story.

But the Wadekampers disagree. We have enough ground here to handle enough water for the lifetime of the new plant, Sheri Wadekamper said. They dont have to build a pipeline. According to Wadekamper, Bogus has not accounted for at least 200 acres that are ready to go into pasture to meet the rising need to accommodate more water.

The ability of the LGW ranch to adequately use the water is not the only issue, according to Ed Brookshier, the Hermiston city manager.

Theres no advantage to the city, Brookshier said. It costs us money to pump. Even if the canal proposal does not go forward, Brookshier said the city would not deliver water to the Wadekampers farm. Instead the recycled water would be discharged directly to the Umatilla River.

The Wadekampers would like the city to reconsider. Weve been handling the water for the city for nearly 20 years, Shari Wadekamper said. Were probably a more sound environmental way to apply water. Another issue complicating the problem is a federal program that could help pay for the new project. Under the Bureau of Reclamation Title 16 grant program the city could be eligible for between $5 million and $6 million but only if they discharge their wastewater into the WEID canal.

There is no grant for continuing to use the Wadekampers farm or for discharge to the river. And the grant is by no means guaranteed. The city will be competing for the funds with at least 53 other projects around the nation.

If the city did not receive the grant and still chose to build the pipeline, it would have to come up with other means of financing the project most likely from the pockets of taxpayers.

Brookshier has said that the grant money is not driving the project, and that the important issue is long-term stability for the city.

Bogus has also said that it makes more sense to use th WEID?canal because if they were to use both the canal and the Wadekampers farm, there would be two different sets of permits and monitoring process.

Eric Nigg of the Department of Environmental Quality said, however, that both forms of discharge would be covered by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), which the city will have to meet if they discharge water to the WEID canal, or the river.

If the city were to continue using only the Wadekamper ranch, the water would only have to meet its current Class C designation. The Class A designation is slightly less stringent than NPDES because it is less apt to change due to fluxation water quality issues. Information about the Draft Environmental Assesment can be found at www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/ea/oregon/hermistonwater/hermistonpipelinedraftea/pdf. Interested parties can also call Candace McKinley, the environmental program manager for the Bureau of Reclamation at 509-575-5848.