The Dalles Watershed Act Transfers 150 Acres of National Forest Land for City Water Supply

The Dalles Watershed Development Act is a very specific piece of legislation designed to transfer about 150 acres of National Forest System land near The Dalles, Oregon, from federal control to the City of The Dalles. The core purpose is clear: to secure land for the city’s municipal water supply and related infrastructure. If the City sends a written request within one year of the Act becoming law, the Secretary of Agriculture (specifically, the Forest Service Chief) is required to hand over the land quickly, free of charge to the City, but with some serious strings attached.

The Free Land, High Stakes Deal

This isn’t a typical land sale; it’s a mandated giveaway, but The Dalles still has to pay the tab for the paperwork. While the City gets the land for free, Section 3 requires them to cover all costs related to the transfer, including an official survey approved by the Secretary to define the exact boundaries. Think of it like getting a free car but having to pay for the title transfer, registration, and a full inspection—it’s not nothing. This land is currently part of the Mount Hood National Forest, and the transfer will be completed via a quitclaim deed, which essentially passes whatever ownership the federal government has, while respecting any existing legal rights already attached to the property.

The Reverter Clause: Use It or Lose It

The most important part of this bill for taxpayers and residents is the strict condition on land use. Once the City owns the 150 acres, Section 3 mandates that it must be used for public purposes, specifically for the municipal water supply, related infrastructure, or expansions. If the City ever decides to use the land for anything else—say, selling it to a private developer, building a non-water-related facility, or using it for a non-public venture—ownership of the land automatically snaps right back to the United States government. This “reverter” clause is the federal government’s insurance policy, ensuring that this chunk of National Forest land is only removed from public control for a very specific, essential public need.

Who Feels the Change?

For the residents of The Dalles, this bill is a win for long-term water security, giving the municipality clear control over land critical to their infrastructure. For the broader public, however, 150 acres of National Forest System land is being permanently removed from federal protection and general public access. While the land will remain in public hands (the City’s), it will no longer be managed by the Forest Service for conservation and recreation purposes. This is a trade-off: local essential services gain security, but the national public land base shrinks slightly. Finally, the bill gives the Secretary the power to add “any other necessary conditions” to the deed, which is a small but important detail. That discretion means the Forest Service can potentially impose extra rules on the City’s use of the land, even beyond the water supply requirement, to protect federal interests during the transition.