The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the City of Bend gathered last Tuesday, June 30, for their second annual joint government meeting — a session focused on shared challenges that span tribal lands, river systems, and one of Oregon's fastest-growing cities.
Topics on the agenda included Deschutes Basin water conservation, strategies to mitigate groundwater usage, Bend's 20-year growth plan, and an update on a collaborative public art project at the Highway 20 and Cooley Road roundabout.
Water as the Central Issue
The Deschutes River Basin — which flows from the Cascades through the Warm Springs Reservation and into the Columbia — is a shared resource at the heart of the two governments' relationship. Both face increasing pressure on water supply: the Tribes to protect flows for fish, culture, and agriculture; the City of Bend to sustain a growing population that has roughly doubled since 2000.
The meeting included discussion around how to best conserve water and mitigate groundwater usage — a critical issue as the region faces long-term drought trends and competing demands on Deschutes River water rights.
New Faces, Continued Relationship
Edward R. Henderson, Secretary-Treasurer/CEO for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, acknowledged that both governments have seen leadership transitions and that the relationship requires active tending.
"Both councils have new people at the table, and new relationships need to be built and old ones strengthened now. That is why this meeting mattered," Henderson said. "But meetings are not the goal. We have sat at many tables over the years. What matters is what happens after we leave them. The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will measure this relationship by what is done, not by what is said."
Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler echoed the importance of the gathering: "Together we face challenges and opportunities that are best addressed by working collaboratively. I'm grateful for this opportunity to listen, learn, and continue building a strong relationship that benefits all of our communities."
The two governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding in April 2024 — the first of its kind between the Tribe and a city in Central Oregon — establishing a rotating annual meeting schedule. The MOU formalized a relationship that tribal and city leaders say has been informally building for years.