Feb. 17, 2025
As our climate grows increasingly warmer and drier, Oregon needs effective science and data-driven water management.
With climate change and water scarcity upon us, it’s imperative that Oregon invest in its water. The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) is charged with managing Oregon’s waters, but the agency needs data, science, and management positions to provide smart, responsible water management.
To that end, we need your help at the legislature’s Joint Ways and Means Natural Resources Subcommittee public hearing on OWRD’s budget (SB 5543) this Thursday, Feb. 20, at 3 p.m.
Verbal testimony will be taken either in-person or virtually during the meeting, and written testimony will be accepted through Saturday, Feb. 22, before 3 p.m.
If you care about Oregon’s rivers and responsible water management, NOW is the time to speak up for OWRD’s budget. It’s critical that the legislature hears from you!
Take Action
There are two options for making your voice heard, either by providing written testimony or verbal testimony (in-person or virtually) on OWRD’s Budget Bill, SB 5543.
Written Testimony — Submit your written testimony by filling out the testimony submission form and upload a PDF of your comments, or hit the “text” option to write directly into the form. Written testimony will be accepted until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22nd.
Verbal Testimony — You can sign up to provide either in-person or virtual testimony. Select “Register to Testify” next to SB 5543 to sign up for the hearing on Thursday, Feb. 20th at 3 p.m.
Suggested Talking Points
- Maintain OWRD’s Current Service Levels — Maintaining current service levels is of paramount importance. With climate change and increasing competition for scarce water resources it is of utmost importance that OWRD have adequate staff to manage our water. Please support full funding of current service levels.
- Reject Package 090 Reductions Related to Data and Services — Water data is the cornerstone of responsible water management. Please reject proposed cuts to OWRD’s water data toolkit.
- Support Two Package 090 Additions — Please support the Governor’s request for additional funds for (1) a one-time investment of $100,000 for IT for a water use tracking and reporting system, and (2) a one-time investment of $4.36 million to assist the Department with legal cost to work through important cases.
- Please Support Funds to Modernize OWRD’s IT — There is a real need for mundane but important information technology work. This work is critically important to the public and the agency alike. Funding IT work should be a priority for the state, including:
- Package 107, Strategic Modernization of IT Systems and Tools: Updating IT will help agency staff, water right holders, and the public. It will also make the agency more efficient and data more accessible.
- Package 111, Improving Accessibility of Agency Website: This package would ensure that the OWRD website is up to date with information desired by the public, and ensure transparency and accessibility.
Click here for more OWRD budget information.
Thank you for your time, and for speaking up for OWRD’s budget!