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 in 2012, the IWRS provides a roadmap for better understanding and meeting Oregon’s instream and out-of-stream water needs, and must be updated every five years. The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) and its partner agencies are currently seeking public input on the update to the IWRS, which will then go through a series of revision steps throughout 2024.

There are two opportunities in May and June to let the state know about the importance of river issues to you: community meetings and an online survey.

Right now, it is critically important that the state hear that you want it to continue forward and build upon the instream components of the IWRS!

Sample talking points include:

The state should fund and support instream flow protection and restoration efforts, aquatic connectivity and sustainable water management. These include, but are not limited to, these points:

• The state should protect streamflows needed for fish and other aquatic species.
• The state should adopt more instream water rights to legally protect water instream.
• The state should designate more Scenic Waterways.
• The state should fund removal of fish killing dams.
• The state should develop drought tools to help rivers and fish.
• The state should mandate conservation during times of drought.
• The state should ensure sustainable management of ground and surface water.

Essentially, the state needs to hear that you and your family care about Oregon rivers.

OWRD is partnering with Oregon’s Kitchen Table to gather feedback from the public via an online survey that goes live on May 11th, and during in-person community conversations through the end of June.

To attend a community conversation, register online or simply attend as a walk-in. Registration is also available in Spanish.

Meeting Locations

Seaside – May 11th, 6 to 8 p.m.
Bob Chisholm Community Center
1225 Ave. A, Seaside, OR 97138
 
Hermiston – May 16th, 6 to 8 p.m.
Hermiston Community Center
415 S Hwy. 395, Hermiston, OR 97838
 
John Day – May 17th, 6 to 8 p.m.
Canyon City Community Hall
123 Washington St., Canyon City, OR 97820
 
Roseburg – May 23rd, 6 to 8 p.m.
Aviva Health Conference Room
150 Northeast Kenneth Ford Dr., Roseburg, OR 97470
(located on second floor, has an elevator)
 
Corvallis – May 24th, 6 to 8 p.m.
Tunison Community Room
365 SW Tunison Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333
 
Madras – June 7th, 6 to 8 p.m.
COCC Community Room
1170 E Ashwood Rd., Madras, OR 97741
 
Ontario – June 8th, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Ontario Community Library Meeting Room
388 SW 2nd Ave., Ontario, OR 97914

Resources:

Click here for more information on ways to participate.

Click here for more information on community meetings.

Visit the state’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS) webpage.

The contact for the Oregon Water Resources Department is Crystal Grinnell at (971) 375-5330.