Bend to expand water infrastructure with approved land transfer from Forest Service
BEND, Ore. — The U.S. Forest Service has approved a major land transfer that will allow the City of Bend to expand its Outback water system west of town, opening the door to new water infrastructure and a realignment of a nearby forest road.
The decision covers a 48-acre parcel next to Bend’s existing Outback site on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, and the Forest Service says the land will be sold to the city at fair market value under the Townsite Act. The project also includes moving about a quarter-mile of Forest Service Road 4606 to keep access in place while meeting federal security requirements.
Why it’s happening
The Forest Service says the move is tied to Bend’s need for a more resilient drinking water system, especially as the city grows and wildfire risk continues to rise in the watershed. According to the environmental assessment, the existing Outback site has reached its development limits, and the city says it needs more room for pretreatment facilities, reservoirs, wells and other water infrastructure.
The agency’s review says the existing site is critical because it helps deliver water by gravity flow, which makes the system more efficient and reliable. It also notes that during wildfire or heavy turbidity events, additional pretreatment capacity could help keep the city’s surface water system running more consistently.
What the project includes
Under the approved alternative, the city would receive the 48-acre parcel and use it to expand potable water infrastructure. That could include future water pretreatment facilities, reservoirs, wells, fencing, an office or facility building, and related improvements.
The project also calls for realigning about 0.25 miles of Forest Service Road 4606 so access to the area can continue after the land transfer. The environmental assessment says less than 3 acres of the realignment area would actually be disturbed, and that the road work is intended to reduce habitat fragmentation and keep access open for the remaining forest road system.
Environmental findings
The Forest Service says the project will have some effects, but that they are not expected to rise to the level of significant environmental harm. The assessment says impacts to wildlife, soils, transportation and scenery would be limited through project design criteria, seasonal restrictions and restoration measures.
The parcel sits in a deer habitat management area and a scenic views management area, so the agency paid close attention to habitat and visual impacts. The review found no direct effect to several federally listed species and says any effects to mule deer and other wildlife would be small and manageable.
Public comments and concerns
The environmental assessment also lays out several objections raised during the review process, including concerns about land disposal, wildlife impacts, forest-plan consistency and the city’s future use of the site. In response, the Forest Service said the project satisfies Townsite Act requirements, that tribal consultation was completed, and that the city’s intended future water uses were part of the analysis.
The agency also addressed concerns that the land could be logged, saying the city is a municipal utility, not a timber operator, and that existing and future development would be governed by local and state rules once the land leaves Forest Service ownership.
What’s next
The Forest Service says the decision now moves the project toward final conveyance steps under the Townsite Act. For Bend, the approval marks another big step in a years-long effort to shore up the city’s water future as demand grows and wildfire threats continue to shape planning in the watershed.
