Congressman Cliff Bentz’s bill, H.R. 655, known as “The City of the Dalles Watershed Development Act,” has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and will now move to the Senate for consideration. The legislation proposes transferring 150 acres of U.S. Forest Service land within The Dalles’ municipal watershed to the City of The Dalles.
The city currently depends on its municipal watershed for about 80% of its annual water supply, and officials say expanding the reservoir is necessary to meet future demand.
“This transfer will help the City of The Dalles expand its potable water resources,” said Congressman Cliff Bentz. “A reliable and secure water supply for the City is one of my highest priorities. When this legislation is passed by the Senate and signed by the President, The Dalles will have the ability to better manage its watershed, expand its reservoir and support the Cities’ long-term growth. I am happy to see this bill advance and I thank my colleagues in the House and local leaders in the City who helped move it forward.”
Richard Mays, Mayor of The City of The Dalles, commented on what he described as a significant step for local residents: “With 85% of our drinking water coming from this watershed, consolidating ownership of the land around the Crow Creek Dam and Reservoir is a tremendous step forward for our community. This transfer will strengthen our ability to protect water quality, improve system management, and ensure a reliable water supply for the 16,000 residents of The Dalles. We’re excited about what this means for our future. Thank you to Congressman Bentz and the House Natural Resources Committee for advancing this critical legislation.”
Wasco County Commissioner Scott Hege also expressed his support: “I am very excited to hear that The Dalles will have the property needed to address future water development needs with the passage of H.R. 655—The Dalles Watershed Development Act. This measure ensures that The Dalles will be able to collect surface water for the future of our community. Thank you to Congressman Bentz and his staff for ‘carrying the water’ on this important issue.”
Cliff Bentz has represented Oregon’s 2nd district in Congress since 2021 after succeeding Greg Walden (https://bentz.house.gov/about). Before joining Congress, he served in both chambers of Oregon’s state legislature between 2008 and 2020 (https://bentz.house.gov/about). Born in Salem in 1952, Bentz lives in Ontario (https://bentz.house.gov/about) and holds degrees from Eastern Oregon University (BA) and Lewis & Clark College (JD) (https://bentz.house.gov/about).
