Take Action! Help Stop a Bad Groundwater Deal for the Harney Basin!

A petition filed by Representative Mark Owens would undermine proposed rules to stabilize groundwater in the Harney Basin. The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) is moving to designate the Harney Basin in the high desert of southeast Oregon a “critical groundwater area” to ensure more sustainable groundwater levels. Proposed rules developed over the course of a lengthy and exhaustive public […]

Take Action! Help Stop a Bad Groundwater Deal for the Harney Basin! Read More »

Irrigators, Tribes, Local Officials Push Back Against State Proposal to Curb Harney Basin Groundwater Crisis

By Alejandro Figueroa  |  Sept. 29, 2025  |  OPB A coalition of irrigators, tribes and local governments organized under state Rep. Mark Owens — a Republican from Harney County and a farmer — recently filed a petition asking the Oregon Water Resources Commission to consider a different set of rules that diverges from regulators own

Irrigators, Tribes, Local Officials Push Back Against State Proposal to Curb Harney Basin Groundwater Crisis Read More »

Alternative Proposed to Harney Basin Groundwater Restrictions

By Mateusz Perkowski  |  Sept. 18, 2025 |  Capital Press WaterWatch continues to express skepticism over a proposed regulatory scheme to boost groundwater in the Harney basin. Irrigators and other water users are advocating for alternative groundwater restrictions to be adopted in Oregon’s Harney basin rather than those proposed by state regulators. The coalition, which

Alternative Proposed to Harney Basin Groundwater Restrictions Read More »

Oregon Supreme Court Rules Water Rights for Proposed Dam Were Improperly Denied

By Bill Poehler  |  Aug. 12, 2025 |  Salem Statesman Journal The Oregon Supreme Court remanded the Oregon Water Resources Commission’s denial of water rights by the East Valley Water District. The Oregon Water Resources Commission must reconsider its denial of a proposed dam in farmland south of Silverton, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled on

Oregon Supreme Court Rules Water Rights for Proposed Dam Were Improperly Denied Read More »

Oregon Supreme Court Upholds Key Ruling for Drift Creek Instream Water Right

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug. 8, 2025 For information, please contact:Tommy Hough, WaterWatch of Oregon, tommy@waterwatch.orgBrian Posewitz, WaterWatch of Oregon, brian@waterwatch.org Oregon Supreme Court Upholds Key Ruling for Drift Creek Instream Water RightThe state’s highest court affirmed most of a lower court’s ruling protecting a tributary of the Pudding River from a proposed 70-foot dam and

Oregon Supreme Court Upholds Key Ruling for Drift Creek Instream Water Right Read More »

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Reconsideration of Irrigation Reservoir Denial

By Mateusz Perkowski  |  Aug. 8, 2025  |  Capital Press Read WaterWatch of Oregon’s corresponding press release on the Oregon Supreme Court decision. An irrigation district must get another chance to persuade Oregon water regulators to approve a new Willamette Valley reservoir, according to a recent state Supreme Court ruling. The East Valley Water District’s

Oregon Supreme Court Orders Reconsideration of Irrigation Reservoir Denial Read More »

Join WaterWatch at the Inaugural Rogue Spey Clave Aug. 23rd

Join WaterWatch of Oregon and a giant cast of anglers, Spey casters, fly fishing guides, casting instructors, and exhibitors from across the Pacific Northwest at the inaugural Rogue Spey Clave on Saturday, Aug. 23rd, at Griffin Park on the Rogue River. Organized by longtime Oregon fly fishing guides and Spey casting instructors Jon Hazlett and Dax Messett, the Rogue Spey Clave takes inspiration from events

Join WaterWatch at the Inaugural Rogue Spey Clave Aug. 23rd Read More »

Advocating for Strong Rules to Sustain Groundwater, Habitat, and Species in the Harney Basin

Thank you to WaterWatch members, supporters, and friends for your responses in letting the Oregon Water Resources Department know you support the adoption of strong rules to sustain groundwater, habitat, and species in the Harney Basin over the last month. After an extensive, multi-year, multi-stakeholder process and in-depth scientific study, the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) issued

Advocating for Strong Rules to Sustain Groundwater, Habitat, and Species in the Harney Basin Read More »

Instream: Forty Years of Protecting and Restoring Oregon’s Lesser-Known Natural Treasures

By John DeVoe with Tommy Hough The Deschutes, Rogue, and Klamath rivers. The Willamette and the McKenzie. Much of WaterWatch’s work protects and restores cold water habitat on these iconic Oregon rivers. But that’s not all WaterWatch does. WaterWatch has a 40-year tradition of protecting and restoring smaller, more intimate and remote streams no less

Instream: Forty Years of Protecting and Restoring Oregon’s Lesser-Known Natural Treasures Read More »

Instream: In Conversation with Karen Russell, a WaterWatch Original Watchdog

As part of WaterWatch’s 40th anniversary, we’re featuring articles in Instream and at WaterWatch.org that highlight our work and success over the last four decades, and profiling some of the people who played key roles in building WaterWatch’s legacy. By Tommy Hough WaterWatch staff, board, and alumni often offer unprompted credit to Karen Russell for

Instream: In Conversation with Karen Russell, a WaterWatch Original Watchdog Read More »

Instream: Free the Rogue Milestones

By Jim McCarthy The Rogue River has historically supported the largest runs of wild salmon and steelhead in Oregon outside of the Columbia Basin. In turn, this abundance has supported commercial and recreational fishing jobs throughout our region, seafood production, and world class recreational opportunities. Unfortunately, Rogue Coho salmon are now listed as threatened under

Instream: Free the Rogue Milestones Read More »

WaterWatch of Oregon’s 40th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Auction

Tickets to our 40th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Auction are on sale now as WaterWatch of Oregon members, supporters, family, friends, and colleagues are cordially invited to our annual gala and auction event Saturday, Nov. 1st, in the biggest river party event of the year! To help celebrate our 40th anniversary, we’ve changed venues and

WaterWatch of Oregon’s 40th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Auction Read More »

Stricter Oregon Water Transfer Rules Die with End of Legislative Session

By Mateusz Perkowski  |  June 30, 2025  |  Capital Press Oregon’s legislative session ended with lawmakers not taking action on bills that would impose new environmental review regulations on certain water rights transfers. The debate over stricter rules for water rights transfers persisted throughout the session, but even the proposal with the most momentum, Senate

Stricter Oregon Water Transfer Rules Die with End of Legislative Session Read More »

Keep Oregon’s Rivers Flowing with a Gift from a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF)

Across Oregon, compromised streamflows and fish passage barriers are threatening native salmon and steelhead, birds, amphibians, and wildlife — as well as disrupting the ecosystems and communities that depend on healthy rivers. That’s why, for over 40 years, WaterWatch has worked to protect and restore natural streamflows and groundwater to ensure our rivers have enough water

Keep Oregon’s Rivers Flowing with a Gift from a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Read More »

Take Action to Save the Endangered Species Act

The White House is threatening the integrity of the federal Endangered Species Act by proposing to remove the regulatory definition of “harm.” As part of its ongoing campaign attacking long-standing U.S. environmental laws and policies, the White House is threatening a critical underpinning of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) by proposing to remove the regulatory definition of “harm,” which is

Take Action to Save the Endangered Species Act Read More »

Instream: Safeguarding Streamflows in Water Right Transfers

By Kimberley Priestley An unintended regulatory loophole in Oregon’s water transfer laws allow old water rights to serve new uses, move to new diversion points, or change the place of use without any environmental review, effectively nullifying Oregon’s ability to protect instream values on hundreds of streams across the state. Currently, transfer applicants only need

Instream: Safeguarding Streamflows in Water Right Transfers Read More »

Instream: Winchester Dam Removal Closer Than Ever as Legal Battles Continue

By Jim McCarthy In February, WaterWatch and our allies Steamboaters and Pacific Coast Federations of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) secured formal permission to participate in a state fish passage enforcement proceeding which may ultimately determine the fate of the 135-year old Winchester Dam, a privately owned former hydropower structure near Roseburg commonly known as the biggest

Instream: Winchester Dam Removal Closer Than Ever as Legal Battles Continue Read More »

Instream: Bob Hunter Reflects on the Early Years of WaterWatch of Oregon

By Tommy Hough One of WaterWatch of Oregon’s founding board members and long-time staff attorney, Bob Hunter participated with WaterWatch’s founders, Tom and Audrey Simmons, in the early discussions leading up to the organization’s establishment. As part of our 40th anniversary archival project, Instream recently spoke with Bob about the early years of WaterWatch, and the

Instream: Bob Hunter Reflects on the Early Years of WaterWatch of Oregon Read More »