The Partnership for Lake Abert and the Chewaucan (PLACe) formed in spring 2023 to address water management issues in the area. At the request of a group of local producers and environmental organizations, Oregon Consensus and Oregon State University conducted an assessment with a number of interested parties to find ways to sustain livelihoods, get more water into Lake Abert, and explore collaborative solutions that balance people living with the landscapes that make the region special. This assessment informed the development of a collaborative process that involved Tribes; ranchers; environmental groups; natural resource organizations; federal, state, and local government; and others. It was supported by funding from the Oregon Legislature’s 2023 drought package (HB 2010).

The Partnership’s purpose is to:

Develop a shared understanding of water management in the Chewaucan River watershed.
To identify broadly supported actions related to the Chewaucan River watershed that will strive to:
1. 1. Meet water needs, including needs for agricultural operations, communities, Lake Abert, wet meadows and fish and wildlife;
  2. Address the ecological health of Lake Abert and the entire Chewaucan River watershed, while considering the social, economic, and environmental benefits and impacts; and
  3. Address current and future in-stream and out-of-stream water needs.

The group’s charter describes operating principles and participants for the partnership for Lake Abert and the Chewaucan.

The Partnership’s forthcoming Shared Narrative Joint Fact-Finding Report is part of the larger Partnership’s collaborative process and will be updated as the group works towards building consensus on the report itself. The purpose of this collaboratively-developed document is to memorialize what is known and what needs to be explored further to support decision-making regarding the basin.