April 22, 2024 Dear Friends, From all of us WaterWatch of Oregon, I’d like to wish you a Happy Earth Day! On this Earth Day, I would like to extend our gratitude to the Earth and all the ways it supports and sustains life. Here in Oregon, we are so fortunate to have a plethora […]
Earth Day Greetings from Our Executive Director Read More »
April 18, 2024 By Lisa Brown After an exhaustive and scientifically rigorous process, the Oregon Water Resources Department published proposed groundwater allocation rules reliant upon science and data to implement Oregon’s forward-looking 1955 Ground Water Act — and put Oregon on a more sustainable path to smart, sensible, environmentally-sound groundwater allocation. On March 1st, the
Instream: At Long Last, Revised Groundwater Rules for Oregon Read More »
By Michael Kohn | April 13, 2024 | Bend Bulletin Amid patches of snow and ponderosa pines, a half mile from Lava Island Falls in the Deschutes River, a pair of hydrologists with the Oregon Water Resources Department dropped a cable down an observation well to determine the depth of groundwater near Bend. The cable
Declining Aquifer Levels Raise Alarm Among Central Oregon Hydrologists and Officials Read More »
By Zach Freed | April 10, 2024 | Bend Bulletin Groundwater levels are falling around Oregon, drying up wells and streams as drought becomes more frequent and severe. Oregonians must make smart water choices to protect our rivers and drinking water for the long term. Durable water solutions in Oregon require a science-informed approach. Pumping
Securing a Strong Water Future for Oregon Read More »
March 27, 2024 Note: We’re currently between Oregon Water Resources Department comment periods for the IWRS update. When the state resumes taking comments we’ll let you know — thanks! The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) will soon resume collecting public comments on its ongoing update of the state’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS). Originally adopted
Comment on the State’s Integrated Water Resource Strategy (IWRS) Update Read More »
By Lauren Dake | March 22, 2024 | Oregon Public Broadcasting “From our point of view, if the state is going to give direct appropriations there should be transparency in the process and the projects should be explained at length so the public can have the opportunity to weigh in on them and understand if
Oregon Lawmakers Send Money for Housing Projects Down the Drain — Literally Read More »
By Alejandro Figueroa | March 21, 2024 | Oregon Public Broadcasting “Groundwater is critical to life. If we want to have farms in Oregon in the future, we need to get a handle on the groundwater crisis or everybody’s going to lose. And these rules are the first step to doing that.” — Neil Brandt
Oregon Proposes New Groundwater Rules to Add Clarity, Define Stable Levels Read More »
March 20, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ahead of World Water Day, Oregon Water Partnership Recognizes Progress in 2024 Legislative Session Coalition applauds Legislature’s attention to important water issues during 32-day “short session.” Salem, Oregon — The Oregon Water Partnership (OWP) applauds the Oregon Legislature’s attention to important water issues during the 32-day “short session,” including
Oregon Water Partnership Recognizes Progress in 2024 Legislative Session Read More »
March 19, 2024 By John DeVoe and Tommy Hough From flowering cherry blossoms and happy daffodils, to explosions of pollen clouding car windows from Astoria to Klamath Falls, there’s no doubt spring has arrived in Oregon. And if the longer days and warmer weather haven’t already sent you into the garage to search for your
Springtime River Hikes and Cycling Outings Around Oregon Read More »
March 13, 2024 WaterWatch of Oregon is seeking a Development Officer to help develop and implement strategic fundraising for the organization to meet its annual budget and fund expansion set forth in WaterWatch’s Strategic Plan. WaterWatch is a non‐profit organization founded in 1985 with a mission to protect and restore streamflows in Oregon’s rivers for
WaterWatch of Oregon Hiring Full-Time Development Officer Read More »
By Antonio Sierra | March 7, 2024 | Oregon Public Broadcasting As the state looks to reduce E. coli in Baker County’s Powder River, county officials question DEQ’s data and conclusions. Oregon has measured high levels of fecal bacteria in Baker County’s Powder River for years, and now they’re readying regulations to lower it. But
Powder River Clean-Up Plan Runs Into Blowback from Baker County Read More »
By Kendra Chamberlain | Feb. 29, 2024 | Columbia Insight In 2012, President Barack Obama praised a deal the city of Medford had made with the state to pay for shade trees to be planted along the Rogue River in order to offset the impacts of warm water discharges from the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Oregon’s Thermal Trading Program is Popular — It’s Also Expensive and Unproven Read More »
By Kurtis Alexander | Feb. 22, 2024 | San Francisco Chronicle The nation’s largest dam-removal project, the dismantling of four hydroelectric dams near the border of California and Oregon border, may be the end of one story — but it’s the beginning of another. The native Shasta people, who were exiled from the banks of the
As Massive Klamath Dam Removal Project Nears Completion, Who Gets Once-Submerged Land? Read More »
Feb. 16, 2024 The outcome of a hearing in Marion County Circuit Court in Salem could have a big impact on the fate of Winchester Dam, and by extension the North Umpqua River’s struggling salmon and steelhead populations, as a motion filed by the Oregon Water Resources Department (WRD) to dismiss an earlier water storage
Court Hearing in Winchester Dam Water Storage Case Read More »
Feb. 16, 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information, please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, jim@waterwatch.orgWHO: Winchester Water Control District v. Oregon Water Resources Department, Dwight French (Case No. 23CV33445) WHAT: Hearing on Oregon Water Resources Department Motion to Dismiss WHEN: Friday, February 16, 2024 WHERE: Marion County Circuit Court, Salem, Oregon Documents relevant to
Court Hearing in Winchester Dam Water Storage Case Read More »
Feb. 14, 2024 Thanks to everyone who attended this wonderful event with Amy Gulick on March 5th! Photos are posted at our WaterWatch of Oregon Flickr account. At WaterWatch we’re working to restore historic salmon runs in Oregon by protecting instream water rights, removing obsolete dams, and reforming groundwater pumping rules to preserve the connectivity
WaterWatch Presents Author and Photographer Amy Gulick Read More »
By Anna Kaminski | Feb. 6, 2024 | Bend Bulletin The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, local land use watchdog organization Central Oregon LandWatch and a trio of Deschutes County residents have appealed a recent state land use decision on the Thornburgh destination resort as a part of an ongoing battle over the resort’s water
Latest Thornburgh Resort Decision Appealed to State Court of Appeals Read More »
By Connie Page | Feb. 4, 2024 | Roseburg News-Review I have seen multiple letters and programs recently about removing the Winchester Dam. I appreciate all the effort being put forward by local citizens. With over 111,000 citizens in Douglas County, and only 100-plus benefitting from this dam, I am surprised we have not heard
Winchester Dam: Setting a River Free is a Noble Deed Read More »
Feb. 2, 2024 Located in northeastern Oregon, the Powder River cuts canyons of up to 500 feet into the surrounding Columbia plateau along its route to the Snake River, with 11 miles of its length protected under the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The Powder River also flows through a major agricultural region, with
WaterWatch Action Alert — Support the Powder River Read More »
By Nate Humphrey | Jan. 13, 2024 | Bend Bulletin For those of us who have visited the North Umpqua River, it’s not a place you can forget. With cold, crystal-clear water, incredible wildlife, an abundance of native wildflowers and so much more, the North Umpqua’s beauty is unmatched. The North Umpqua and its salmon
Winchester Dam Serves No Purpose for the Fish of the North Umpqua Read More »
Jan. 12, 2024 This Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and as the late civil rights leader’s widow Coretta Scott King said in 1983 upon passage of the holiday marking her husband’s birthday, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrate the holiday by
Martin Luther King Day Events and Fee-Free Locales for Monday, Jan. 15th Read More »
Dec. 24, 2023 We’d like to wish you, your family, friends, and those close to you the happiest of holidays from WaterWatch of Oregon, and express our gratitude for your support of our work, and the preservation of Oregon’s rivers, creeks, wetlands, and waterways in what has been a landmark year for our organization. After
Holiday Wishes from WaterWatch of Oregon Read More »
By John Hunter | Dec. 14, 2023 | Roseburg News-Review Opinion There can be no doubt that the Winchester Dam will be removed. History will justify that its removal was necessary. Once the dam is gone and the private water ski lake drained, Douglas County — with wise and proper planning — will experience an
Winchester Dam Removal Necessary, Will Create Economic Boom Read More »
By Mateusz Perkowski | Dec. 14, 2023 | Capital Press The irony of the legal dispute over upgrades to the Painted Hills Reservoir in Central Oregon is that everyone agrees the project helps the environment. Oregon’s water regulators have contributed money toward raising the dam and storing more water for fish, even though they’re now
Transfer Battle Has Far-Reaching Implications for Oregon Water Law Read More »
Dec. 11, 2023 There is so much to be thankful for this holiday season. At WaterWatch, we are grateful to supporters like you who make it possible for WaterWatch to protect and restore Oregon’s rivers, lakes, fish, wildlife, and people. This year was a landmark year for WaterWatch, and our expanded online 2023 accomplishments report
Happy Holidays from Executive Director Neil Brandt Read More »
By Christopher Flavelle | Produced by Claire O’Neill, Matt McCann and Umi Syam | Edited by Lyndsey Layton and Douglas Alteen | Research contributed by Julie Tate | Nov. 24, 2023 | New York Times Some of the people fighting efforts to conserve a vital resource that’s disappearing across the United States include the owners
Uncharted Waters: As Groundwater Dwindles, Powerful Players Block Change Read More »
Nov. 24, 2023 The holiday season has arrived, and with Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror we wanted to share a reminder that Giving Tuesday is coming up this Tuesday, Nov. 28th. When making your choices for giving this Tuesday, remember that Oregon continues to face powerful moneyed and political interests that will dam and drain
Make WaterWatch a Part of Your Giving Tuesday Investment Read More »
By Bill Poehler | Nov. 17, 2023 | Salem Statesman Journal The Oregon Water Resources Commission and the Court of Appeals have prohibited the dam, saying it might harm cutthroat trout that spawn in the creek. Oregon’s Court of Appeals this month upheld a previous ruling prohibiting construction of a new dam south of Silverton
Court of Appeals Denies Proposed Drift Creek Dam But Water District Intends to Appeal Read More »
By Alex Baumhardt | Nov. 13, 2023 | Oregon Capital Chronicle The cost of digging deeper wells could climb into the hundreds of millions if the state does not revamp groundwater permitting, officials told lawmakers. The Oregon Water Resources Department must update its 68-year-old rules for permitting new wells or double down on regulating existing
By Rachel McCrea | Nov. 9, 2023 | Washington Post Whether you own a gas, hybrid, or electric car, driving may have some unexpected environmental impacts: It could be killing salmon. Most tires contain 6PPD, a chemical several studies have linked to the deaths of certain kinds of fish. In a lawsuit filed in U.S.
A Tire Chemical is Threatening Salmon — Here’s What You Need to Know Read More »
Nov. 6, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information please contact: Tommy Hough, WaterWatch of Oregon, tommy@waterwatch.org Oregon Water Partnership Praises Science-Based Proposal to Modernize State’s Groundwater Allocation Rules As groundwater depletion becomes an even greater crisis throughout Oregon and the U.S., the Oregon Water Resources Department has developed science-based rules to put Oregon on a
Court upholds Oregon Water Resources Commission determination that the dam would harm fish and habitat. Good news: WaterWatch of Oregon has won the latest round in its fight to stop construction of a 70-foot-high dam on Drift Creek, a tributary of the Pudding River in Marion County. On Wednesday, the Oregon Court of Appeals upheld
By Nathan Wilk | Nov. 3, 2023 | KLCC Radio A proposal for a new dam in rural Marion County has drawn criticism from wildlife advocates. On Wednesday, a state court ruled against it. The East River Water District has been trying to build a reservoir at Drift Creek for a decade. They say it
Court Rules Against a Proposed Dam in Marion County Read More »
By John Ross Ferrara | Nov. 2, 2023 | KOIN News On Nov. 1, the Oregon Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the Oregon Water Resources Commission’s 2019 decision to deny the building of a 70-foot dam on Drift Creek between Silver Falls State Park and Silverton. The decision ended a 21-year battle to create a
Oregon Court Rejects Proposed Dam Near Silver Falls State Park Read More »
By Ian James | Nov. 1, 2023 | Los Angeles Times Environmental activists in Bakersfield, a city of over 400,000 in California’s southern San Joaquin Valley, have won an initial victory in their legal fight to keep water flowing in the Kern River, which for many years was reduced to a dry, sandy riverbed. A
Judge Grants Injunction to Prevent Water Diversion, Ensure Kern River Be Allowed to Flow Read More »
Nov. 2, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information please contact: Tommy Hough, WaterWatch of Oregon, tommy@waterwatch.org Brian Posewitz, WaterWatch of Oregon, brian@waterwatch.org Oregon Court of Appeals Protects Drift Creek from New Dam, Strengthens Instream Water Rights Also recognizes harm done to waterways by in-channel dams and reservoirs. Salem, Oregon — In a major win for
By Jim McCarthy | Oct. 30, 2023 | The Osprey At least 550,000 juvenile Pacific lamprey were killed this summer due to the botched repair of Winchester Dam on Oregon’s North Umpqua River. On October 6th, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) filed a $27.6 million claim for recovery of damages in the
By Gloria Coleman | Oct. 27, 2023 | Roseburg News-Review The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued two enforcement orders to pay civil penalties Thursday morning, one against the Winchester Water Control District and one against TerraFirma Foundation Repair Inc. Both of these fines are related to water quality violations during repairs on the Winchester
Winchester Water Control District Fined $100,000 by State DEQ Read More »
By Alex Baumhardt | Oct. 27, 2023 | Oregon Capital Chronicle The operators of Winchester Dam in Oregon face more than $134,000 in fines for water violations on top of $27.6 million for killing lamprey. The operators of a southern Oregon dam and the company that repaired it face additional fines for violating state permits
By Ian James | Oct. 27, 2023 | Los Angeles Times The company that sells Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water is suing to challenge California regulators’ recent ruling that the company must stop taking much of the water it pipes from the San Bernardino National Forest for bottling. BlueTriton Brands filed the lawsuit this month in
Arrowhead Bottled Water Company Sues to Continue Piping from California Forest Read More »
