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Oregon Fish and Wildlife Urged to Address Winchester Dam Repairs

By Alanna Mayham | Sept. 15, 2023 | Courthouse News Service Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife heard a handful of public comments about repairs to the Winchester Dam and the effects on aquatic species and the local economy. Conservationists and anglers on Friday urged the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife to hold the Winchester Dam’s owners responsible for …

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Support WaterWatch and Oregon Rivers on Sept. 23rd

When you attend an event like our 21st Annual Celebration of Oregon Rivers at the World Forestry Center in Portland, you’re not just committing to a fun night out with friends, family and conservation allies — you’re committing to a better future for Oregon’s rivers by helping support one of the most effective, mission-driven and legislatively relevant local environmental non-profits …

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Hold Winchester Dam Owners Accountable Now

We need your help asking Governor Kotek and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) to hold Winchester Water Control District (WWCD) accountable for the harm and killing of state sensitive species on the North Umpqua River in Douglas County. Click here to submit your letter. On Aug. 7th, WWCD began repairs on the dilapidated Winchester Dam on the …

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America Is Using Up Its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow

By Claire O’Neill, Matt McCann and Umi Syam | Edited by Jesse Pesta and Douglas Alteen | Aug. 28, 2023 | New York Times Overuse is draining and damaging aquifers nationwide, a New York Times data investigation revealed. A wealth of underground water helped create the United States, our nation’s vast cities and bountiful farmland. Now, Americans are squandering that …

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Agencies Extend Winchester Dam’s Harmful Shutdown of North Umpqua Salmon and Steelhead Migration

Aug. 30, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, (541) 941-9450, jim@waterwatch.org Kirk Blaine, Native Fish Society, (307) 299-7834, kirk@nativefishsociety.org Agencies Extend Winchester Dam’s Harmful Shutdown of North Umpqua Salmon and Steelhead Migration New protests planned as images circulate of imperiled summer steelhead jumping futilely at dam. Winchester, OR – Late last week, river …

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The River Rambler Episode 103 – The Winchester Dam

WaterWatch and Native Fish Society were on the River Rambler podcast released this week to discuss the Winchester Dam campaign and the ongoing ecological disaster there related to the repairs. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-103-the-winchester-dam/id1464082938?i=1000625264719

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Extensive Use of Tire Mats in Winchester Dam Repairs Sparks Fears of Toxic-Driven Fish Kill

Aug. 21, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, (541) 941-9450, jim@waterwatch.org Extensive Use of Tire Mats Use in Winchester Dam Repairs Sparks Fears of Toxic-Driven Fish Kill A compound called 6PPD-q is highly toxic to salmon and steelhead, and can kill Coho salmon within hours. Winchester, OR – Last week, river advocates notified …

River Advocates Warn of Another Possible Fish Kill Triggered by Winchester Dam Repairs

Aug. 15, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, (541) 941-9450, jim@waterwatch.org Kirk Blaine, Native Fish Society, (307) 299-7834, kirk@nativefishsociety.org River Advocates Warn of Another Possible Fish Kill Triggered by Winchester Dam Repairs Some of the North Umpqua’s last few summer steelhead face lethal combination of closed access to upstream cold water habitat, low …

Winchester Dam Repairs Spark Massive Pacific Lamprey Kill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, 541-941-9450, jim@waterwatch.org Kirk Blaine, Native Fish Society, 307-299-7834, kirk@nativefishsociety.org Winchester Dam Repairs Spark Massive Pacific Lamprey Kill Public Officials Launch Emergency Effort After Private Dam Owners Fail to Adequately Rescue Aquatic Life Stranded by Reservoir Dewatering Winchester, OR – This week, officials from state, federal, and tribal …

Winchester Dam Repairs Begin Despite Permitting Irregularities, Collapsing Summer Steelhead Run, and Fears of Another Fish Kill

MEDIA ADVISORY: August 3, 2023 FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, 541-941-9450, jim@waterwatch.org Kirk Blaine, Native Fish Society, 307-299-7834, kirk@nativefishsociety.org Winchester Dam Repairs Begin Despite Permitting Irregularities, Collapsing Summer Steelhead Run, and Fears of Another Fish Kill 2023 Repair at Dam First Since Botched 2018 Attempt Caused Fish Kill and Polluted Drinking Water Supply for 37,000 …

Fifth Dam Removal Completed in Three Years in Rogue River’s Applegate Subbasin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 1, 2023 Contacts: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, 541-941-9450 Brian Barr, Rogue River Watershed Council, 541-621-7226 Lovelace Dam before and after removal images here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10yy_85rArFqfelSvOzBctctRWCZGCVvq Photo credit Rogue River Watershed Council Fifth Dam Removal Completed in Three Years in Rogue River’s Applegate Subbasin Collaborative effort benefits salmon and steelhead, increases resiliency to climate change Wilderville – …

River Action Alert: Take a survey to help Oregon’s rivers!

Please lend your voice to the water needs of rivers, fish, wildlife and people who depend on healthy rivers as part of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) update! Oregon’s Kitchen Table has opened a survey to help the state better understand what water issues are important to Oregonians. This information will help shape the next iteration of the Integrated …

River Action Alert: Speak up for rivers and fish in Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy update!

Please lend your voice to the water needs of rivers and fish as part of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) update! The Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) is Oregon’s blueprint for meeting both instream and out-of-stream needs. This strategy is critically important in shaping policies, programs, and budgets for multiple state agencies. First published in 2012, the IWRS must be …

32 Pacific Northwest Groups Urge U.S. to Take Action to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse

FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE September 14, 2022 Media Contacts: Joseph Bogaard, Save Our wild Salmon Coalition, joseph@wildsalmon.org, 206-300-1003 John DeVoe, WaterWatch of Oregon, john@waterwatch.org, 503-295-4039 x 1 32 Pacific Northwest Groups Urge U.S. to Take Action to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse Seattle, Washington – Today, 32 Pacific Northwest-based conservation, clean energy, faith, fishing, and civic organizations …

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Race to the bottom: How Central Oregon groundwater sells to the highest bidders

By Emily Cureton Cook | July 19, 2022 | OPB In Oregon’s fastest-growing region, more residents are struggling to reach an affordable water supply. A developer’s quest to keep pumping tests what state officials are willing to do about it. Editor’s note: This is the third story in a series about how Oregon officials managing groundwater supplies have fueled crises …

Columbia River Treaty Non Governmental Organizations Letter

American Rivers ● Association of Northwest Steelheaders ● Audubon Society of Portland ● Center for Biological Diversity ● Center for Environmental Law and Policy ● Columbia Riverkeeper ● Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power & Light ● Endangered SpeciesCoalition ● Engineers for a Sustainable Future ● Faith Action Network ● Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs ●Great Old Broads for Wilderness ● Idaho …

Stricter groundwater regulations contemplated for Oregon

Mateusz Perkowski | Capital Press | June 17, 2022 SALEM — Oregon water regulators want to impose stricter rules for drilling new irrigation wells next year to preserve groundwater levels and prevent over-pumping. A preliminary analysis of available data suggests that little groundwater across the state is available for new allocations, said Ivan Gall, field services division administrator at the …

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Removal of the Gold Hill Dam

Craig Harper of the Rogue Valley Council of Governments explains why the water diversion dam was removed in July 2008 from the Rogue River. https://youtu.be/U4mfSflSVGo

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Elk Creek Dam demolition

A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers video shows an explosion Tuesday, July 15, 2008, that begins demolition of Elk Creek Dam in Southern Oregon. The Pulitzer Prize winning Mail Tribune is one of the oldest and most trusted newspaper organizations in Oregon. Based in Medford, OR, we cover Southern Oregon’s breaking news, local news, sports, politics, and all the important …

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The Removal of Savage Rapids Dam

The Savage Rapids Dam built by the Grants Pass irrigation District in 1921 was designed to deliver Rogue River water to the fields of local farmers; It did not offer water retention, electrical creation, or flood control. Because the age of the dam was leading to costly replacement issues and its disruption of adult and juvenile fish passage caused local …

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Rogue River Dam Removals

WaterWatch of Oregon began a campaign 20 years ago to improve fish passage on the Rogue River in Southwest Oregon. Through WaterWatch’s efforts four dams have been removed: Savage Rapids Dam, Gold Hill Dam, Gold Ray Dam, and Elk Creek Dam. https://youtu.be/VLOUgDoD6ek

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2015 Wimer Dam Removal

Removal of the Wimer Dam on Evans Creek, Oregon to enhance fish passage and river connectivity. Spearheaded by WaterWatch and Geos Institute in cooperation with the landowner. Engineering by River Design Group and dam removed by Staton Companies. https://vimeo.com/135754205

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Ongoing Harm at Winchester Dam

WaterWatch captured this video of migrating salmon jumping repeatedly at false attraction flows gushing through the poorly maintained face of Winchester Dam. There are many such holes through the dam’s face and under its foundation. The delayed fish in this video risk injury and death when falling back on areas of eroded concrete, exposed rebar, and other hazards. They may …

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Meet the WaterWatch Staff!

Several of WaterWatch’s program staff discuss what drives them in their work in this video that premiered at the 2020 WaterWatch Celebration of Oregon Rivers. https://youtu.be/Cx65RGUav_Y

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Jim McCarthy speaks on the Klamath Basin OPB

An OPB Audio Story Featuring WaterWatch Southern Oregon Program Director Jim McCarthy. “Klamath Basin drought: Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex” 7.13.21 https://www.opb.org/article/2021/07/13/klamath-basin-drought-klamath-basin-national-wildlife-refuge-complex/?fbclid=IwAR1bBFzbxDUOpMJbcgwiEQEkg7g_vilEQfVYu9rTJdRSlst-cuTPjFn7tC4