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 »
By Zach Urness | Oct. 26, 2023 | Salem Statesman Journal The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued fines totaling over $134,000 against the operators of Winchester Dam on the North Umpqua River outside Roseburg on Thursday for water quality violations. DEQ fined Winchester Water Control District and TerraFirma Foundation Repair Inc. for discharging concrete
Oregon Fines Winchester Dam Owners $134,000 for Water Quality Violations Read More »
By Taylar Ansures | Oct. 26, 2023 | KOBI News The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued two enforcement orders for the Winchester Water Control District and contractor TerraFirma for violations that happened during Winchester Dam repairs over the summer. According to DEQ, Winchester Water Control District is being fined $106,778 for violating at least
DEQ Fines Winchester Dam Owners for Water Violations from Dam Repair Read More »
Oct. 26, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, jim@waterwatch.org Kirk Blaine, Native Fish Society, kirk@nativefishsociety.org Tommy Hough, WaterWatch of Oregon, tommy@waterwatch.org Oregon Announces More Fines Over Botched 2023 Winchester Dam Repairs Second water quality enforcement action in three years against North Umpqua’s biggest fish killer. Winchester, Oregon
Oregon Announces More Fines Over Botched 2023 Winchester Dam Repairs Read More »
By Hiroko Tabuchi | Oct. 24, 2023 | New York Times When Maine lawmakers tried to rein in large-scale access to the state’s freshwater this year, the effort initially gained momentum. The state had just emerged from drought, and many Mainers were sympathetic to protecting their snow-fed lakes and streams. Then a Wall Street-backed giant
Inside Poland Spring’s Hidden Attack on Water Rules It Didn’t Like Read More »
By Joe Siess and Tim Trainor | Oct. 16, 2023 | Redmond Spokesman The state, which has proposed new rules to Oregon’s groundwater permitting process, has signaled the city of Redmond’s application for a future groundwater permit would likely be denied. The Oregon Water Resources Department is reviewing the city’s application and taking a second
State Signals It’s Likely to Deny Redmond’s Application for Future Groundwater Read More »
By Gloria Coleman | Oct. 7, 2023 | Roseburg News-Review The Winchester Water Control District and associated contractors are facing a more than $27.5 million claim, which was filed Friday in Douglas County Circuit Court, for their role in the loss of juvenile Pacific lamprey during recent repairs of the Winchester Dam. “The number of
$27.6 Million Lawsuit Filed for Lamprey Loss During Winchester Dam Repairs Read More »
By Alanna Mayham | Oct. 6, 2023 | Courthouse News The multimillion-dollar claim by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Friday arrives after weeks of advocacy over dam repairs that killed at least 550,000 Pacific lamprey. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife issued a $27.6 million claim for recovery damages against the
Oregon Demands $28 Million for Massive Fish Kill and Water Violations at Winchester Dam Read More »
By Erik Neumann | Oct. 6, 2023 | Jefferson Public Radio Oregon is suing for more than $27 million in damages from the owners of a private dam near Roseburg after repairs led to a massive fish kill. More than half a million Pacific lamprey died during repairs at the Winchester Dam on the North
State Seeks $27.6 Million from Winchester Dam Owners After Summer Repair Work Read More »
By Claire Rush | Oct. 6, 2023 | Associated Press Oregon officials are seeking more than $27 million in damages over dam repairs they say killed more than half a million Pacific lamprey fish in what they’ve described as one of the largest damages claims for illegal killing of wildlife in state history. In a
Oct. 6, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts: Jim McCarthy, jim@waterwatch.org Tommy Hough, tommy@waterwatch.org Department of Fish and Wildlife Cites “Significant and Preventable” Fish Kill in $27 Million Complaint Against Winchester Dam Huge financial penalty among the largest issued by an Oregon state agency. Salem, Oregon — Citing the “significant and preventable” death of at least
By Shaun Hall | Oct. 6, 2023 | Rogue Valley Times Fish have a bit more room to roam now that a 13-foot-high dam has been removed from a tributary of the Illinois River near Selma in Josephine County. The dam was removed in recent days from a property that decades ago operated as a
Fish-Blocking Dam Removed from Takelma Ceek at Ranch Frequented by John Wayne Read More »
By Izzie Lund | Oct. 4, 2023 | KDRV News Crews have finished demolishing a 13-foot-high, 70-foot-wide dam in an effort to restore salmon and steelhead habitat in Takelma Creek, according to a news release from WaterWatch of Oregon. “(The project) opened access to approximately 3.5 miles of formerly blocked spawning and rearing habitat for
Crews Demolish Dam in Takelma Creek, Restore Access for Salmon Read More »
Oct. 4, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFor information, please contact:Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon Steve Soesbe, Siskiyou Field InstituteScott Wright, River Design Group Takelma Creek Dam before and after removal photos are available here: https://tinyurl.com/3fjd8dfm Please credit photos to River Design Group Second Rogue Basin Dam Removal Project in One Year Nears Completion Collaborative effort in
Second Rogue Basin Dam Removal Project in One Year Nears Completion Read More »
By Becky McRae and Bill Black | Oct. 3, 2023 | Roseburg News-Review Too Many Questions Linger on Winchester Dam The North Umpqua River is the reason Zane Grey left the Rogue River. The river enjoyed the fishing of Jimmy Carter when he was President of the United States, it welcomed author and fisherman Jack
Douglas County Residents Sound Off On Winchester Dam in Roseburg News-Review Read More »
By Emily Cureton Cook | Oct. 2, 2023 | Oregon Public Broadcasting Oregon water managers are considering the most consequential water policy changes the state has seen in decades. These changes would crack down on new groundwater rights, making it more difficult for people to drill wells. Advocates say this is critical to protect the
Central Oregon Cities Poke Holes in State Plans to Tighten Groundwater Rules Read More »
Oct. 2, 2023 By Kimberley Priestley and WaterWatch of Oregon Staff After a decade of advocacy to restore and protect the flows of the Crooked River in Central Oregon, long-awaited legal protection for flows released from Prineville Reservoir for downstream fish and wildlife has at last been approved. The Crooked River in Central Oregon is
Instream: Protections for Flows and Fish Secured on the Crooked River Read More »
Sept. 29, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, jim@waterwatch.org Tommy Hough, WaterWatch of Oregon, tommy@waterwatch.org Wildlife Official Acknowledges “Hundreds of Thousands” of Fish Deaths in 2023 Winchester Dam Disaster Senate committee probing whether state officials hold dam’s operations and maintenance to appropriate statutory, regulatory standards. Salem, Oregon — This Wednesday,
By Alex Baumhardt | Sept. 27, 2023 | Oregon Capital Chronicle The operators and renovators of a controversial dam on the Umpqua River in southern Oregon could face state fines and civil penalties following repairs that killed hundreds of thousands of fish and resulted in environmental violations. The privately owned Winchester Dam north of Roseburg
State Considers Penalties, Fines After Umpqua River Dam Repair Kills Thousands of Fish Read More »
Sept. 27, 2023 As always, we had a wonderful time seeing so many long-time friends and WaterWatch supporters last Saturday at the World Forestry Center as we auctioned off dozens of one-of-a-kind donor packages at our 21st Annual Celebration of Oregon Rivers. Because of your generosity and support we have an even stronger hand heading
Our 2023 Celebration of Oregon Rivers Auction Event Was Everything We Hoped For Read More »
By Jane Vaughan | Sept. 27, 2023 | Jefferson Public Radio Dam repair work on the North Umpqua River in August and early September led to hundreds of thousands of lamprey dying. There are now questions about accountability for the repair work that was done at the Winchester Dam near Roseburg. Representatives from the Oregon
After Fish Kill, a Search for Accountability at Winchester Dam Read More »
By Emily Cureton Cook | Sept. 27, 2023 | Oregon Public Broadcasting Oregon water regulators are poised to change how they protect overdrawn aquifers. The Oregon Water Resources Commission will consider a number of policy reforms at a two-day meeting this week in Harney County, a setting that’s become emblematic of state mismanagement of groundwater. The
Harney County’s Groundwater Crisis Draws Oregon Policymakers, Private Investors Read More »
By Alex Baumhardt | Sept. 18, 2023 | Oregon Capital Chronicle The 133-year-old Winchester Dam, which essentially provides a private lake for 100 “influential” people near Roseburg, has a history of environmental violations. For two days in early August, a dozen staff from the natural resources department of the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe
Conservation Groups Call for End to Aging Umpqua River Dam After Emergency Fish Salvage Read More »
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
Oregon Fish and Wildlife Urged to Address Winchester Dam Repairs Read More »
Sept. 14, 2023 You don’t need a clock to tell you time is running out. Of course, we already know time is running out to meet, address and head off the impacts of a warming climate — and preserving carbon-sequestering habitat, biodiversity, groundwater, healthy watersheds and clean rivers is a great way to do that.
Support Oregon Rivers and Watersheds at WaterWatch’s Biggest Event of the Year Read More »
By Alanna Mayham | Sept. 11, 2023 | Courthouse News Service Monday’s order upholds the notion that irrigators’ rights come after the Bureau of Reclamation’s obligations to protected fish species and tribal rights in the Klamath Basin. A magistrate judge in Oregon sided with the Klamath Tribes on Monday in finding that the U.S. Bureau
Judge Finds Feds Violated Law by Favoring Irrigators in the Klamath Basin Read More »
Sept. 8, 2023 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
Support WaterWatch and Oregon Rivers on Sept. 23rd Read More »
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
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.
America Is Using Up Its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow Read More »
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
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
The River Rambler Episode 103 – The Winchester Dam Read More »
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 –
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
River Advocates Warn of Another Possible Fish Kill Triggered by Winchester Dam Repairs Read More »
By Shaun Hall | Aug. 14, 2023 | Rogue Valley Times A big push is underway in Jackson County and Oregon to replace open-ditch irrigation canals with piping to reduce water loss through seepage and evaporation. The mission by irrigation districts to modernize aging systems comes at a time of increased state and federal funding
