From the beginning, our mission has been to provide educational information to the public so they were explicitly aware of what sorts of activities they could enjoy in the Tumalo Natural Area (BLM) with an emphasis on the area around the Tumalo Reservoir.  The properties around the reservoir are held by four public entities and, private landowners: 

• BLM – The Bureau of Land Management – Prineville District Office,
• DSL – (Tract #30) – The Oregon Department of State Lands,
• DNF – Deschutes National Forest,
• TID – Tumalo Irrigation District and
• Private landowners are scattered in and around these entities. 

The following map, derived from a segment of the Tumalo Winter Deer Cooperative Closure (WDCC) map published by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, is annotated to give a general guide to the land and landowners around the Tumalo Reservoir:

When we began in 2013, we believed that it should be a straight-forward matter to post use guidelines and regulations in the kiosks that we built and installed under a cooperative management agreement with the BLM. In truth, illegal firearm discharge and off-road-vehicle use, littering and graffiti have thankfully been reduced. However, attempts to place additional educational information in high use and critical areas have been delayed as use guidelines and regulations among the multiple responsible agencies in these areas are:

• Inconsistent within each agency and,
• Inconsistent amongst the multiple agencies.

We have had multiple discussions with the agencies mentioned here. It has been very apparent that the shifting winds of politics, legal challenges, funding, staff turnover and just plain overwork have required them to prioritize projects, leaving some for another day despite stated agency requirements. Anyone reading this with experience in middle management knows the challenges. Good people work in these agencies. The material presented here should be seen as more of a roadmap to getting a number of issues resolved than a criticism. These issues have costed some of these agencies a lot of money and time to navigate.

The next section outlines a brief summary of the issues with links to the details.

Issue Summary:

• Astragalus Peckii is a Federally and State listed endangered plant, one of twenty-eight in Oregon and the only one in Deschutes County. It is found adjacent to the current reservoir on TID, DSL and BLM lands as documented in multiple unrelated surveys. No agency has stepped up to protect the habitat. Details are HERE.

• Bull Flat Road (hereinafter “BFR”), is the primary access to the Bull Flat A. Peckii habitat and provides unimpeded access to FS4606 during the WDCC (Closed from 12/1 to 3/31) to the detriment of migrating deer. Our research indicates that this road is erroneously labeled a “County Road or Highway” in Map 24 of BLM’s Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan (UDRMP), has no legal standing and should be closed per UDRMP provisions. Use has recently increased due to gating on FS4606. Details on this road, usage statistics and alternatives are HERE.

• Land Ownership. Additionally, BFR originates off of Sisemore Road in a parcel that is claimed by both the State of Oregon (TID) and BLM. Multiple attempts by fTWC to get BLM and TID to resolve this issue have failed. Details on this dispute along with our research are HERE.

• BLM and the Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan (UDRMP): If the above narratives regarding A. Peckii, Bull Flat Road and Land Ownership are true, then BLM has certain unmet obligations set out in the UDRMP. Issues we believe need addressing are below. Access our concerns HERE:
  • Reports and Planning
  • Map Updates
  • A. Peckii Habitat Management
  • Travel Management Plan Creation and Management

• TID does not enforce a current binding resolution to “close the Tumalo Reservoir and surrounding lands from public access, and to make the area a wildlife sanctuary”. It is currently open to “other uses” by the public. Details are HERE.

• DSL Tract #30. You would never know that this 256-acre parcel has special designations under the Central Oregon Asset Management Plan (COAMP) or where it actually is for that matter. Our recommendations are HERE.

• Other Issues: Unattended campfires, littering, illegal off-road-vehicle use, illegal camping and general environmental degradation due to human activity have anecdotally increased as Deschutes County population has increased. This increase along with the pandemic and economic issues, have taken their toll on almost all public lands and services. Most people use common sense in their use of public lands. Having said that, we believe that the posting and enforcement of reasonable rules and regulations will enhance that good judgement and just perhaps, the ecology of the land will survive to grace future generations.