Tualatin Basin Water Supply

Read how we are protecting public safety and secure the region's water supply to meet the long-term needs of our community. The Tualatin Basin Water Supply Project Partnership was authorized by Congress in 2004 to design and secure Washington County's water supply, respond to anticipated climate change and drought cycles, and meet the 50 year suppl... y needs for water quality and critical habitat improvements in the Tualatin Basin. Scoggins Dam is the central component of Washington Countys water supply and a major regional asset. It uses water from Hagg Lake to support more than 250,000 jobs, provide drinking water for nearly 400,000 residents, irrigate 17,000 acres of cropland, and sustain water quality in the Tualatin River to protect fish and wildlife habitats Currently, Clean Water Services (CWS) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) are partnering to preliminarily address the seismically at-risk dam and how to potentially develop additional future water supplies for Scoggins Dam. The partnership between the agencies, the first of its kind in the country, is developing a more detailed understanding of various options. This is called the Tualatin Basin Dam Safety and Water Supply Joint Project or, Tualatin Basin Joint Project for short. Why not restrict water usage so we dont need to expand our water supply? Conservation alone is not enough to meet the future demands for water. Especially in Washington County where homes and businesses are using 15% to 20% less water than a decade ago with effective water conservation programs and newer low water use appliances. This project addresses both water needs and urgent earthquake risks. To eliminate the earthquake risk, why not drain Hagg Lake or remove Scoggins Dam? In our region 400,000 residents, 250,000 jobs and 17,000 acres of agriculture rely on the water stored in Hagg Lake. It is the water source for homes, farms and businesses throughout the Tualatin Valley, and currently the only source of water for City of Hillsboro. Life-giving releases from ...Read More