North Santiam Drought Contingency Plan – Open for Public Comment!
Do you live in the North Santiam watershed? Are you concerned about drought? Are you interested in sharing your thoughts and opinions about what is being done to address those concerns in the updated North Santiam Drought Contingency plan? Then this is for you!
Read the Updated Draft Plan
The full draft plan is available at this link: https://www.santiamwater.gov/north-santiam-watershed-drought-contingency-planning Please read and submit comments either during this meeting, or to Leah Cogan at lcogan@gsiws.com or 971-200-8529.
Public Meeting February 24, 2026
The Santiam Water Control District and City of Salem invite you to a public meeting about the North Santiam Watershed Drought Contingency Plan Update. Community feedback is needed to help update this plan to improve drought resilience and minimize the impacts of drought on the communities, economies, and natural resources in the North Santiam watershed.
The North Santiam watershed provides water for communities, irrigation, commercial uses, fire suppression, habitat for fish and wildlife, hydropower, recreation, and transportation. The first Drought Contingency Plan for the watershed was approved in 2018. Since then, the watershed has experienced drought, wildfires, ice storms, and a heat dome. A diverse array of water interests came together in 2024-2026 to update the plan with lessons learned and new ideas for addressing drought challenges to benefit the watershed and all of its communities, ecosystems, and economies. Funding to update the plan comes from the Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART program and additional contributions from Santiam Water Control District and City of Salem.
At the meeting, we will describe the planning process and plan content, including drought monitoring, a vulnerability assessment, mitigation projects, response plans, and an administrative framework for implementing the plan. Community members are invited to review and provide feedback on the draft plan.
Details
When: Tuesday, February 24, 4-5 pm.
Where: Gates rural Fire Protection District, Meeting room (140 E. Sorbin St Gates) and virtually via Zoom. Whether attending the meeting in person or virtually, PLEASE REGISTER using this link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/NwFRZ4lTSt2v2ZWglDLuxA Once you register, a meeting link will be sent to your email.
