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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Jurors see shocking conditions of accused serial killer's farm Monica claims she never acted on murderous thoughts Construction begins for new Hawthorne Park playground Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Jackson County elected officials to get pay raises Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Jurors see shocking conditions of accused serial killer's farm Emergency services Argument over stolen guns led to first shooting, Monica says Monica takes rare opportunity to cross-examine a witness in her double-murder trial Monica: Pigs 'always need something to eat' Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Gov. 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Cyr: Britain’s earthquake election Former state Senate President Brady Adams dies Education Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Crater dropout says graduating high school would've saved him time and money New Medford middle school would offer Montessori approach Mae Richardson Elementary turns 50 Prepping before 9th grade Environment Jackson County's wildlife services agent seen as both killer and savior Biomass technology: Creating products out of former waste Sugar Pine Mine co-owner: "Please stop calling the BLM and threatening their personnel" Oath Keepers say they'll defend contested mining claim on BLM land Central Point's Arbor Day project will provide shade along Mingus Creek State News Governor Brown says Oregon 'back on track' in State of the State address Ex-Daimler Portland engineer files $2 million discrimination suit Mannix-backed measure targets taxes Oregon committee hears bill preventing child access to guns Water shortage hits riverfront city Nation - World Tsarnaev convicted on all charges in Boston Marathon bombing Obituaries Gloria Ruth Pelett Allsup Tobi Andrews (Sherri M. 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Cyr: Cuba’s enduring challenge to American foreign policy – and American politics Kent Bush: Memories of Oklahoma City bombing still fresh 20 years later George Will: Sustainability gone wild Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone Guest Opinion: Conversion therapy on LGBT youth is child abuse Guest Opinion: Pot opponents have good reason for concern Guest Opinion: If Courtney kills bill, $15 minimum wage will go to the ballot Guest Opinion: Phoenix embraces Bee City USA designation Lifestyle Latest stories Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained 6 trout to know App Finder: Best Earth Day apps Health Watch: How to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau Fishing Report: Friday, April 17 Food Tammy Kelly: Soft-shell crab is in season Community blog: Orange-blossom water enhances honey syrup High on flavor, low on calories: Cookbook offers tasty options for people trying to eat healthier Prudence Hilburn: Test-kitchen products become ‘secret’ specialties Community blog: Leave fruits whole for crumbles in a time crunch Home and Garden Carol Link: Tea olive shrubs can be propagated from new growth 12 ways ceiling fans keep you comfortable and save cash Dear Monty: Profiting with adaptive re-use Paul Rogers: Schedule your time wisely Home Help: 3 upgrades to help give your bathroom spa-like panache Health Official hopeful whooping cough case at John Muir contained Health Watch: How to avoid the dreaded weight-loss plateau Book Notes: A big body is not a bad body Go get physical Community blog: Better Living By Design: A Symposium You Must Not Miss Hiking Biking Faith Religion Briefs: Friday, April 17 Religion briefs: Friday, April 10 Religion briefs: Friday, April 3 Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Milestones and Achievements Charlesworth-Murphy Drizzle doesn't dampen Pear Blossom Parade spirit New Arrivals: Sunday, April 12 Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Five picks for entertainment this week L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art Theater Ashland New Plays Festival chooses new artistic director A tale of two plays at OSF Oregon Cabaret Theatre's "The Musical!" delivers five clever Broadway parodies in Ashland OCT stages 'The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!)' Auditions for youth musical set at Camelot Music Alex de Grassi and Andrew York play SOU Live Music in Local Clubs L.A. rockers The Relationship play Howiee's Joanne Rand at the Unitarian Fellowship Rogue Valley Symphony and 3 Leg Torso mingle classical with modern chamber music Community Events Third Fridays celebrates poetry, student art 'BRAND,' 'Western' among Ashland Independent Film Festival award winners Ashland Co-Dependent Film Festival 2015 Pear Blossom Festival kicks off in Medford Ashland Independent Film Festival announces 2015 lineup Dining Siam Cafe offers 'mild' to 'very spicy' Thai cuisine Restaurant inspections, April 12, 2015 La Tapatia offers authentically delicious cuisine RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: Sunday, April 5 The Laughing Clam in Grants Pass offers seafood-heavy menu Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Jurors see shocking conditions of accused serial killer's farm ... Monica claims she never acted on murderous thoughts ... Governor Brown says Oregon 'back on track' in State of the State address ... Jurors see shocking conditions of accused serial killer's farm ... Monica claims she never acted on murderous thoughts ... Governor Brown says Oregon 'back on track' in State of the State address ... LANE COUNTY Water shortage hits riverfront city Comment By Christian Hill The Register-Guard MailTribune.com By Christian Hill The Register-Guard Posted Apr. 16, 2015 at 4:29 PM Updated Apr 16, 2015 at 4:39 PM By Christian Hill The Register-Guard Posted Apr. 16, 2015 at 4:29 PM Updated Apr 16, 2015 at 4:39 PM » Social News WESTFIR — The state’s water woes have extended into this small Lane County riverfront city as it girds for a possible water shortage. City officials have declared a water emergency that prohibits all outdoor uses of water and that they expect to last through the summer. The declaration came three days after the local watermaster — the state official tasked with regulating water use in times of shortage — restricted Westfir’s water. The city expects the situation to worsen with even lower river levels anticipated for the summer. Plenty of water remains in the river the city draws from. But state water law says the right to water for fish trumps the city’s right because the river level has dropped too low — at least for the short term — to satisfy the needs of both. The declaration, approved by the City Council on Monday, prohibits all outdoor water use, including watering lawns, washing cars and filling pools and hot tubs in the community of under 300 residents. The news comes as officials warn that a record-low snowpack in the Cascade Range coupled with lower-than-average spring rainfall in parts of Western Oregon bode ill for some Willamette Valley communities this summer. Westfir, northwest of Oakridge along Highway 58, sits on the banks of the North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. Its water system, which draws water from the river, serves more than 110 homes and small businesses. Mayor Matt Meske said the city last summer asked residents to voluntarily cut back their outdoor water usage and planned to do so again this year. But he said that idea turned into an immediate mandate when the local watermaster on Friday restricted the city’s water use to domestic purposes, such as drinking and washing, to curb water withdrawal from the river and preserve the river’s flow to protect fish and water quality. All water in Oregon is publicly owned, and the state grants landowners, agencies and others permission to divert or pump a certain volume of water at a specific location so long as it’s put to a beneficial use. Under state water law, the holders of older water rights supersede more recent ones. Westfir secured its water right to the river in 1986, three years after the water right for the river’s in-stream flow to protect fish was established, said Mike McCord, regional manager for the Oregon Water Resources Department. The city’s water right is 1 cubic foot per second, or 646,272 gallons a day, although Jackson Stone, the city’s water and sewer operator, said the city uses a small portion of that amount even during the summer when water usage hits its peak. The water right to preserve the river’s in-stream flow at this time is 2,500 cubic feet per second. The local watermaster notified the city it needed to restrict its water usage last week because there wasn’t enough flow in the river at the time to satisfy the in-stream flow and other senior water rights. The city may get relief in June, however, when the water right for the in-stream flow for fish is reduced to reflect historically lower stream flows during the dry weather. That means more water would be available for other water rights-holders such as the city, McCord said. Westfir’s problem “is a short-term situation,” he said. If the restriction drags on into the summer, he explained, Westfir still would have the legal right to draw water for strictly domestic uses — excluding all outdoor uses — because of an exemption under the state water law. By Christian Hill The Register-Guard MailTribune.com By Christian Hill The Register-Guard Posted Apr. 16, 2015 at 4:29 PM Updated Apr 16, 2015 at 4:39 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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