Four Governments, One Shared Challenge
In January, something unprecedented happened in Harney County: the Burns Paiute Tribe, Harney County, the City of Burns, and the City of Hines signed a joint groundwater resolution — the first time, to many participants' knowledge, that all four governments have come together to address a shared challenge.
The resolution commits each jurisdiction to collaborative groundwater management while preserving their distinct authorities. The tribe remains sovereign. The cities and county keep their local jurisdiction. What they're choosing to share is a table — and a plan.
"We all might be separate government entities, but we are one community," said Hines City Manager Roxane Worley.
The path to that table ran through High Desert Partnership. As groundwater issues intensified with the Oregon Water Rresources Department Division 512 Rulemaking process last year, HDP helped convene the four governments, facilitating regular meetings and providing the collaborative framework that made the work possible. "With the help of High Desert Partnership, we started meeting regularly," said County Commissioner Rob Frank.
For the Burns Paiute Tribe, whose aboriginal homeland spans the entire Harney Basin, the stakes extend well beyond jurisdictional boundaries. "The water is very important to us," said Tribal Council Chairperson Tracy Kennedy. "It's about the water and taking care of the land because that is where we come from."
What began as a groundwater resolution is already pointing toward something bigger. The four governments are looking ahead to other issues where unified voices — and a reliable collaborative model — can make a difference.
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