North Rim today announced that it has awarded a $300,000 grant to the Deschutes River Conservancy (DRC) from The North Rim Deschutes River Fund at The Oregon Community Foundation. The money will be used to fund the single largest permanent water conservation transaction for instream benefit ever accomplished in Oregon’s history. It will put four times more water back into the Deschutes River than any project to date.
“Projects like this one are precisely why we created The North Rim Deschutes River Fund,” said Romy Mortensen, vice president of sales and marketing for Brooks Resources Corporation. “Supporting long-term positive impact on the river is just a good use of this money, and fulfills our goals of creating a healthy river for the future.”
The conservation project will pipe 5.1 miles of Swalley Irrigation District’s main canal, permanently saving significant amounts of water. The Deschutes River Conservancy will be utilizing the money raised to purchase this conserved water. The project also includes plans for a hydropower plant on the tail end of the pipe. Construction on Phase 1 of the project began last month, and will pipe 1.7 miles of the canal just outside Bend’s urban growth boundary.
Tod Heisler, executive director for the Deschutes River Conservancy said, “The Deschutes River Conservancy is excited to have the opportunity to help make Oregon water conservation history.
“This groundbreaking project would not have been possible without the generous support from such farsighted, civic-minded organizations as the North Rim Homeowners Association and Brooks Resources. We are delighted that they have joined with us to advance our mission to restore streamflows and improve water quality in the Deschutes River.”
The North Rim Deschutes River Fund at The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) is an innovative model of philanthropy that was created through the donation of a percentage of all North Rim homesite sales dollars. For this project, $150,000 was funded in December 2006 and the remaining $150,000 last month. Last year, the DRC received a $10,000 operational grant from the same fund.
The North Rim Deschutes River Fund has garnered more than $700,000 since its inception in 2004. All money in the fund is to improve stream flow and water quality in the Deschutes River Basin. A board of directors, eventually comprised of individuals from the North Rim Homeowners Association, consults and advises on the allocation of monies in the fund.
At the northern tip of Awbrey Butte inside the city limits of Bend, Oregon, lies the private and serene park-like setting for the community of North Rim Developed by Brooks Resources Corporation, this 200-acre community with minimum one-acre homesites will appeal to those who long for a quiet locale where nature and technology are uniquely blended. North Rim will maintain surroundings that blend into the natural landscape and preserve the unique character of the high desert, while simultaneously providing the first fiber optic connection to an entire residential community in Bend. The spectacular homeowners’ lodge, designed by renowned architect Thomas Hacker, is the focal point of the community, giving residents a special place to meet and relax. Residents will appreciate the stunning views and numerous trails that lead through the development to the Deschutes River and its extensive trail system. Visit the North Rim website for more information.
