Marion County Welcomes City of Salem Lawsuit to Stop Draining of Detroit Lake

Written By Jon Heynen, Communications Officer

SALEM, OR — The City of Salem filed a lawsuit today challenging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ plan to drain Detroit Lake this fall, which would jeopardize the city’s drinking water supply. County Commissioners Colm Willis, Kevin Cameron, and Danielle Bethell reacted to the news with a joint statement:

“We welcome the City of Salem joining the County in fighting to protect the drinking water of our communities. Clean, reliable drinking water should never be thoughtlessly put at risk anywhere in the County.”

Salem’s lawsuit is similar to the lawsuit Marion County filed in May against the Army Corps. Both lawsuits seek to protect our community’s drinking water by asking a federal court to pause efforts to drain the lake until the Army Corps completes a federally required turbidity study that is now more than six months overdue.

Jon Heynen, Communications Officer
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