Whychus Creek

<div style='text-align:center;'><strong>Conservation Measure WC – 1 : Whychus Creek Instream Flows</strong></div><p><br /><b>Responsible Permittee: </b><a href='https://tsidweb.org/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><font color='#0000ff'><u>TSID</u></font></a><br /><b>Affected Species: </b><i>bull trout, steelhead</i> <br /><br />For the full term of the DBHCP, and subject to the last paragraph of this conservation measure, Three Sisters Irrigation District (TSID) will pass all water the District has converted to permanent instream water rights on Whychus Creek (currently 31.18 cfs) at its diversion. In addition, TSID will pass all water required under Oregon water law to senior water right holders downstream of the TSID diversion (currently 3 cfs), for a combined minimum flow past the TSID diversion of 34.18 cfs. All future additional conversions of senior water rights to permanent instream flow use will be added to this minimum flow as such rights are converted.</p>

<p>TSID will monitor flow in Whychus Creek at <a href='https://apps.wrd.state.or.us/apps/sw/hydro_near_real_time/display_hydro_graph.aspx?station_nbr=14076020' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><font color='#0000ff'><u>OWRD Gage 14076020</u></font></a> whenever TSID is diverting water, and will adjust its diversions as necessary to pass required minimum instream flows on an hourly basis when the flow reaching the TSID diversion is 60 cfs or less. Instream flows when TSID is diverting will be determined by using the proportionality calculator developed by TSID and the Deschutes River Conservancy in 2019. Any updates to the proportionality calculator during the term of the DBHCP that affect flow in Whychus Creek shall be approved in advance of use by the Services.</p>

<p>For TSID irrigation rights with priority dates equal to instream rights, water will be shared proportionally between irrigation and instream rights whenever there is insufficient natural flow above the TSID diversion to meet all of the rights. However, TSID will reduce diversions disproportionately if necessary to ensure the instream flow at Gage 14076020 does not drop below 20 cfs (averaged over no more than 60 minutes) while TSID is diverting. This 20 cfs minimum does not include the 3 cfs of senior water that TSID will pass below the TSID diversion, or any future additional conversions of senior water rights to permanent instream use. To help minimize the amount of time when the flow at Gage 14076020 is less than the full instream water right, TSID will continue to manage water “on demand,” whereby TSID will only divert and deliver to its patrons when specifically requested by its patrons.<br /> </p>

<strong><div style='text-align:center;'><strong>Conservation Measure WC – 5: Whychus Creek Diversion Ramping Rate</strong></div></strong><p>When the flow in Whychus Creek downstream of TSID’s diversion (measured at <a href='https://apps.wrd.state.or.us/apps/sw/hydro_near_real_time/display_hydro_graph.aspx?station_nbr=14076020' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><font color='#0000ff'><u>OWRD Gage 14076020</u></font></a>) is 30 cfs or less, the amount of water being diverted will not be increased or decreased more than 5 cfs/hour. When the flow at <a href='https://apps.wrd.state.or.us/apps/sw/hydro_near_real_time/display_hydro_graph.aspx?station_nbr=14076020' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><font color='#0000ff'><u>OWRD Gage 14076020</u></font></a> is between 30 and 50 cfs, the amount of water being diverted will not be increased or decreased more than 10 cfs/hour. TSID may reduce diversions faster than these rates during emergency conditions to maintain human safety and/or protect infrastructure.<br /> <br /><b>Wychus Creek is also affected by WC-2, 3, 4, and 7, conservation measures that are not dependent on stream gauging. Please see <a href='https://www.fws.gov/oregonfwo/Documents/DeschutesHCP/USFWS%20HCP%20Conservation%20Measures_2021.pdf' target='_blank' rel='nofollow ugc noopener noreferrer'><font color='#0000ff'><u>DESCHUTES BASIN HCP: Conservation Measures &amp; Monitoring Requirements</u></font></a> for more information.</b> </p>