Help protect peak flows needed for rivers and fish!

Please tell the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee to support SB 788, an important bill that would protect "wet season" river flows necessary for fish and stream health!

The issue:
Water users want new water storage projects.  However, Oregon has already given away almost all surface water in the late spring, summer and early fall. So, users are targeting wet season water for their storage projects.  However, higher flows and spring runoff are critical for river health and the species that depend on healthy rivers.  To balance calls for new water storage and river health, Oregon must understand and protect the high flows necessary to meet the ecological needs of fish and other species and to create and maintain healthy rivers.

What SB 788 would do:
This bill will require Oregon to evaluate, and protect as necessary, elevated "winter" flows needed to support healthy fish populations and healthy river habitat when approving new storage projects.

What flows would be covered?
SB 788 addresses peak and ecological flows.  These flows include the suite of higher flows in a river that create and maintain channel morphology and as well as flows needed by aquatic species to complete their life cycles.  Colloquially these flows are referred to as "winter" water, but may include flows in the late fall and the early spring, typically outside of irrigation seasons.

Who should comment at this point?
If you reside in the district of any member of the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee, please contact your senator now.  It is critical that you voice your support of SB 788. 

View Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee Members

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Talking points:
1. Please support SB 788, a bill that will direct the Water Resources Department to protect peak and ecological flows when approving new storage projects
2. Peak flows are important to fish life cycles and river health
3. The state needs to ensure that peak flow and ecological flows are protected as it approves new storage projects.

More information on why are these flows important:
Peak and ecological flows provide a number of important ecosystem services. These elevated flows flush juvenile migrating fish downstream, initiate upstream migration of adult fish, and also are critical for the life cycles of other aquatic species. These flows also maintain aquatic and riparian habitat by cleaning gravels, which improves spawning habitat and food sources, maintaining and/or creating healthy streamside vegetation, and forming riffles, pools or other important channel characteristics.  Healthy rivers depend on the maintenance of these types of higher flows.

TAKE ACTION!
1. View Senate Bill 788

2. Find Your Legislator

3. View the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee members