November 3, 2021 4:10 a.m. 

Voters in the Winchester Water Control District have overwhelmingly said yes to a bond levy to pay for repairs to the Winchester Dam.

In the special district election on Tuesday, over 91 percent of voters approved allowing the district to issue not more than $3 million of bonds payable from assessments on benefitted properties to repair the dam.

Funds will also go towards paying fines, penalties, judgements and legal fees related to the dam. Bonds will mature in 25 years or less from the date they are issued.

There were 64 yes votes and 6 no votes in the small district which is currently facing a federal lawsuit over the state of the dam. The News Review is reporting that in November of 2020, Water Watch of Oregon and the fly-fishing group Steamboaters filed the suit in U.S. District Court in Eugene. It alleges harm to several species of fish, including the federally protected coho salmon, due to the condition of the facility which was constructed in 1890.