GOVERNMENT WATCHDOGGING

WaterWatch is the only group that monitors water allocation proposals, agency decisions, and actual water use across Oregon. Our goals are legal compliance, agency accountability and to ensure that rivers and the public have a voice in decisions affecting our rivers, streams and aquifers.

WaterWatch monitors all of the individual water allocation decisions across Oregon for compliance with the law and potential negative effects on our rivers.

Our work includes:
  • Monitoring and challenging, where necessary, water allocation decisions that undermine existing laws and policies, would create poor precedents, or degrade sensitive waterways
  • Tracking the actions of the Oregon Water Resources Commission and the Oregon Water Resources Department to ensure legal compliance and agency accountability
  • Working to ensure that the state agencies that allocate and manage water carry out the streamflow protection and resource stewardship aspects of their missions
Image

Ongoing Work

Rescuing Lake Abert

WaterWatch is working with allies to reduce threats to Lake Abert – a stunning alkalai lake and haven for birds and other wildlife in southeast Oregon – which has declined greatly due to reduced freshwater inflows. Oregon Field Guide spoke with our staff attorney Lisa Brown about this important issue for their March 19, 2015 episode.