Second Rogue Basin Dam Removal Project in One Year Nears Completion

Oct. 4, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information, please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon Steve Soesbe, Siskiyou Field Institute Scott 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 […]

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Central Oregon Cities Poke Holes in State Plans to Tighten Groundwater Rules

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

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ODFW Official Acknowledges “Hundreds of Thousands” of Fish Deaths in Winchester Dam Disaster

Sept. 29, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information please contact:Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, jim@waterwatch.org Wildlife Official Acknowledges “Hundreds of Thousands” of Fish Deaths in 2023 Winchester Dam DisasterSenate committee probing whether state officials hold dam’s operations and maintenance to appropriate statutory, regulatory standards. Salem, Oregon — This Wednesday, during testimony before state legislators regarding botched

ODFW Official Acknowledges “Hundreds of Thousands” of Fish Deaths in Winchester Dam Disaster Read More »

State Considers Penalties, Fines After Umpqua River Dam Repair Kills Thousands of Fish

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 »

Our 2023 Celebration of Oregon Rivers Auction Event Was Everything We Hoped For

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

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Harney County’s Groundwater Crisis Draws Oregon Policymakers, Private Investors

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

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Conservation Groups Call for End to Aging Umpqua River Dam After Emergency Fish Salvage

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

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Judge Finds Feds Violated Law by Favoring Irrigators in the Klamath Basin

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

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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, jim@waterwatch.orgKirk Blaine, Native Fish Society, kirk@nativefishsociety.org Agencies Extend Winchester Dam’s Harmful Shutdown of North Umpqua Salmon and Steelhead MigrationNew protests planned as images circulate of imperiled summer steelhead jumping futilely at dam. Winchester, OR – Late last week, river advocates learned

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

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 –

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

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, jim@waterwatch.org Kirk Blaine, Native Fish Society, kirk@nativefishsociety.org PLEASE NOTE: River advocates are preparing to document another fish kill if it materializes and will be available to reporters for comment and to provide photos and video. River Advocates Warn of Another

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“It’s Time to Do Something:” Push is On to Replace Open-Ditch Irrigation Canals with Piping

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

“It’s Time to Do Something:” Push is On to Replace Open-Ditch Irrigation Canals with Piping Read More »

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

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

Aug. 3, 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 Winchester Dam Repairs Begin Despite Permitting Irregularities, Collapsing Summer Steelhead Run, and Fears of Another Fish Kill Repair at dam first since botched 2018 attempt caused fish kill and polluted drinking water

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

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

Aug. 1, 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For information, please contact: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, (541) 941-9450 Brian Barr, Rogue River Watershed Council, (541) 621-7226 Lovelace Dam before and after removal images available here: https://tinyurl.com/247hhk2b Credit photos to the Rogue River Watershed Council Fifth Dam Removal Completed in Three Years in Rogue River’s Applegate Subbasin

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Oregon Regulators Deny Another Bid for Water at Thornburgh Resort

By Emily Cureton Cook  |  July 25, 2023  |  Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) State regulators have rejected creating new groundwater rights for a controversial destination resort under construction in Central Oregon. The proposed Thornburgh resort is seeking wells for a development near Redmond, in an area where declining groundwater levels have long raised ecological concerns and

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Historic Change: Facing Drought, Legislators Impose Water Limits on Livestock

By Kendra Chamberlain |  July 13, 2023  |  Columbia Insight Under a new law, dairy and confined cattle operations in Oregon will no longer have unlimited access to water. Large livestock operations will face stricter water rules in Oregon under a bill passed by state lawmakers earlier this year, in the wake of controversies surrounding

Historic Change: Facing Drought, Legislators Impose Water Limits on Livestock Read More »

Support Rivers and Fish as Part of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) Update

May 22, 2023 Oregon’s Kitchen Table recently posted a survey to help state officials better understand what water issues are important to you. The information and data collected will ultimately help shape the next iteration of the state’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS). Background: The IWRS is Oregon’s blueprint for meeting both instream and out-of-stream

Support Rivers and Fish as Part of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) Update Read More »

River Action Alert: Speak Up for Rivers and Fish in Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy Update

May 9, 2023 We need your help in lending your voice to the water needs of rivers and fish as part of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) update. Oregon’s blueprint for meeting both instream and out-of-stream needs, the IWRS is critically important in shaping policies, programs, and budgets for multiple state agencies. First published

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Instream: Federal Regulator Says Four Lower Klamath Dams May Come Down

April 4, 2023 By Jim McCarthy In Nov. 2022, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted final approval for the decommissioning of the lower four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River near the Oregon-California state line. The decision marked the end of two decades of advocacy, politics, and bureaucratic processes surrounding this hydro complex. It is

Instream: Federal Regulator Says Four Lower Klamath Dams May Come Down Read More »

River Action Alert: Please help Oregon’s rivers by speaking up in support of ODFW’s Water Program!

Please help Oregon’s rivers by speaking up in support of ODFW’s Water Program! The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (ODFW) Water Quality and Quantity Program plays a vital role in protecting water in our state’s iconic rivers. Whether it’s reviewing new water right applications to ensure that they won’t harm our rivers, securing new

River Action Alert: Please help Oregon’s rivers by speaking up in support of ODFW’s Water Program! Read More »

We Now Know How Much Water Google’s Oregon Data Centers Use After The Dalles Drops Lawsuit Against Journalists

By Sebastian Moss  |  Dec. 19, 2022  |  Data Center Dynamics The data centers use more than a quarter of The Dalles city, and consumption is rising. The Dalles has dropped its lawsuit against The Oregonian, which filed a public records request to see the water deal it signed with Google. That means that how

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Google’s Water Use Soaring in the Dalles, Records Show, with Two More Data Centers to Come

By Mike Rogoway  |  Dec. 18, 2022  |  The Oregonian Google’s water use in The Dalles has nearly tripled in the past five years, and the company’s data centers now consume more than a quarter of all the water used in the city. That’s according to records released this week after the city settled a

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Thirty-Two Pacific Northwest Groups Urge U.S. to Take Action to Modernize Columbia River Treaty to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse

FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE Sept. 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, ext. 1 Thirty-Two Pacific Northwest Groups Urge U.S. to Take Action to Modernize Columbia River Treaty to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse SEATTLE  —  Today, 32 Pacific Northwest-based conservation, clean energy,

Thirty-Two Pacific Northwest Groups Urge U.S. to Take Action to Modernize Columbia River Treaty to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse Read More »

Race to the Bottom: How Central Oregon Groundwater Sells to the Highest Bidders

By Emily Cureton Cook  |  July 19, 2022  |  Oregon Public Broadcasting 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

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