The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and the City of Bend convened for a joint government-to-government meeting on June 30, 2026, continuing a dialogue that began with a landmark Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2024 — the first such agreement between the Tribe and any city in Central Oregon.
The meeting brought together Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler and the Bend City Council with Tribal Council leadership to address topics with deep regional implications, including water resources in the Deschutes Basin, public art, and Bend’s long-range growth planning.
Water at the Center of Discussion
Water dominated much of the agenda. The two governments discussed how best to conserve Deschutes Basin water resources, with a particular focus on mitigating groundwater usage — an issue of critical importance to Jefferson County farmers, Warm Springs tribal members, and downstream communities alike.
The Deschutes River and its tributaries, including the Crooked and Metolius Rivers, form the lifeblood of Central Oregon agriculture and the cultural identity of the Confederated Tribes. Groundwater over-appropriation has been a growing concern for years, and the joint meeting signals that tribal and municipal leaders are taking seriously the need for coordinated management.
Art, Growth, and a Maturing Relationship
Beyond water, the two councils received an update on a Warm Springs-connected art installation at the Highway 20 and Cooley Road roundabout in Bend, which is slated for replacement. Bend also briefed tribal leaders on its 20-year growth plan — an acknowledgment that urban expansion in Bend inevitably affects the broader region, including communities in Jefferson County and the Warm Springs Reservation.
“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,” said Edward R. Henderson, Secretary-Treasurer/CEO for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. “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.”
“Today’s joint meeting was vital to continue meaningful conversations with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs about topics that have major impacts on our region,” said Mayor Kebler. “Together we face challenges and opportunities that are best addressed by working collaboratively.”
What It Means for Jefferson County
For Jefferson County residents — many of whom depend on the same river systems and water allocations at the center of these discussions — the ongoing dialogue between Bend and Warm Springs carries direct significance. Coordinated water policy between tribal government and Oregon’s fastest-growing city could shape irrigation allotments, drought response strategies, and river health for years to come.
The MOU between the Confederated Tribes and City of Bend calls for a rotating annual meeting schedule. This year’s June 30 session was the second such gathering under that agreement.