Water rights haven't surfaced as a major issue in Western Oregon yet, but citizens should prepare now, state Rep. Jefferson Smith of Portland said Thursday during a public forum sponsored by the Yamhill County Democrats in conjunction with the Yamhill Basin Council.

During the 2009 session, Smith worked on House Bill 3369, which created a mechanism for the funding of future water distribution projects around the state. The focus was on Umatilla County, but the bill includes language that could also be applied to projects in other parts of the state.

"It's not factually debatable ... that we're running out of water," Smith said.

The freshman representative urged members of the audience to set aside ideologies as they go forward in addressing water issues, as he had to do when drafting the bill and finding solutions to Umatilla County's problem. "The only way forward on water policy requires being as bi-partisan as possible," he said.

But the audience consisted of more than local Democrats. Neal Lockhart's Conservative Friends of Yamhill County showed up in force, accompanied by state Rep. Jim Weidner and former state Sen. Gary George.

The tenor of the meeting remained fairly civil as Smith outlined the Umatilla project and the necessity of planning ahead in the wet part of Oregon for the time when water becomes scarcer.

Wells became the focus of the discussion.

Yamhill County wells are running at fewer gallons per minute than ever before, some people said. Smith said the solution will more likely come from neighbors working together than from legislation or municipal ordinances.

However, some members of the audience expressed trepidation about government regulation of private wells. Some said they'd heard House Democrats wanted to enact a $100 annual fee for use of a well.

Smith said well fees were not part of HB 3369, or the discussion of HB 3369, nor had he heard any rumblings about well fees in the Legislature. He said he knew of no one currently pushing for assessment of well fees.

However, he said future fees might eventually have to be considered. He likened it to property taxes, a fee charged for the privilege of owning land in Oregon.

The meeting took a more strident and partisan tone when George alleged Smith's legislation had a hidden agenda - more regulation, aimed at discouraging water use. Smith denied that, but George persisted in the attack and the meeting became heated.

George then raised the issue of future Coast Range dams. Smith said his legislation had nothing to do with the issue and he wasn't well versed on it.