Over a century of outdated water laws and poor water management have left many of our rivers dangerously over-allocated and over-tapped. Record-low snowpack, warming temperatures, and increasingly severe drought put enormous pressure on Oregon’s rivers and streams in 2026 — but those challenges didn’t begin with this year’s drought. Over a century of outdated water
By Bill Poehler | Feb. 26, 2026 | Salem Statesman Journal The Oregon Water Resources Commission has denied a proposal to build a dam across Drift Creek. The commission found the dam would harm the public interest, citing negative impacts on fish species, water quality, and recreation. The long-proposed and debated dam on Drift Creek
Latest Attempt to Build a New Dam South of Silverton Defeated Read More »
You did it! The landmark 1.25% for Wildlife initiative is now law! Dedicated funding for Oregon fish, widlife, and habitat is secrued. The Latest Huge news as Governor Tina Kotek has signed the 1.25% for Wildlife bill into law, marking a huge win for Oregon’s fish, wildlife, and habitat — and putting a successful punctuation
Congratulations! Governor Kotek Signs 1.25% for Wildlife Bill Into Law! Read More »
Aug. 13, 2025 In a win for WaterWatch of Oregon and instream water rights, the Oregon Supreme Court last week upheld most of a 2023 Court of Appeals decision that affirmed a 2019 Oregon Water Resources Commission decision to deny a permit to construct a 70-foot high dam and 384-acre reservoir on Drift Creek, an 11-mile tributary of the Pudding River in Marion
Oregon Supreme Court Protects Instream Water Rights Read More »
As you’ve seen in our recent action alerts, the legislative session in Salem is about to end for the year, and a number of important environmental bills are still jockeying for votes. One bill that would make major improvements to Oregon’s fish and wildlife conservation funding is close to passing, but we need your help to give
Take Action Now to Support HB 2977 for Oregon’s Fish and Wildlife Read More »
Across Oregon, compromised streamflows and fish passage barriers are threatening native salmon and steelhead, birds, amphibians, and wildlife — as well as disrupting the ecosystems and communities that depend on healthy rivers. That’s why, for over 40 years, WaterWatch has worked to protect and restore natural streamflows and groundwater to ensure our rivers have enough water
Keep Oregon’s Rivers Flowing with a Gift from a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) Read More »
The White House is threatening the integrity of the federal Endangered Species Act by proposing to remove the regulatory definition of “harm.” As part of its ongoing campaign attacking long-standing U.S. environmental laws and policies, the White House is threatening a critical underpinning of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) by proposing to remove the regulatory definition of “harm,” which is
This article originally appeared in the spring 2025 issue of WaterWatch of Oregon’s Instream newsletter. WaterWatch went to trial in March regarding a water right for a proposed large-scale open pit mine along Grave Creek in Sunny Valley. A popular put-in for boaters, Grave Creek is an important stream for salmon, steelhead, and lamprey that
Instream: WaterWatch Back in Trial to Protect Grave Creek Read More »
By Samantha Kadera | March 11, 2025 | KDRV News WaterWatch of Oregon is urging residents to oppose House Bill 3501, a bill that would prevent the state from considering the public interest, such as the impacts to fish, wildlife, and water quality, when reviewing water right transfers. The bill would weaken protections for Oregon’s
WaterWatch of Oregon Takes Stand Against HB 3501 Read More »
We have an urgent matter that needs your attention NOW. Please speak up in opposition to HB 3501, a terrible bill that would prohibit the state from considering public interest values, including effects on fish, wildlife, and water quality, when evaluating applications to change existing water rights in a process called a “transfer.” Background: While other states
Action Needed — Speak Out Against a Terrible Bill for Rivers! Read More »
Oregon’s outdated water laws have long favored extraction over protection, but we have a chance to do something about it — in this legislative session. We have an opportunity to close a harmful regulatory loophole in Oregon’s water transfer laws which allows old water rights to serve new uses, move to new diversion points, or change the place of
Take Action NOW on SB 427 — Oregon Rivers Need Water, and Our Help Read More »
As we reflect on the past year at WaterWatch, we have much to be proud of and much to be thankful for. We are especially grateful for supporters like you who continue to make it possible to protect and restore Oregon’s rivers, streams, lakes, and aquifers for the fish, wildlife, and people that depend upon
WaterWatch of Oregon 2024 End of the Year Accomplishments Read More »
Nov. 2, 2024 Staff and board at WaterWatch of Oregon are heartbroken to learn of the death of long-time Oregon conservationist Bob Sallinger, who served as the executive director of Willamette Riverkeeper and Bird Conservation Oregon, in addition to his 30 years as conservation director at the Bird Alliance of Oregon in its previous incarnation
WaterWatch Statement on the Passing of Bob Sallinger Read More »
Aug. 18, 2024 By Neil Brandt with WaterWatch Staff Oregon recently welcomed new directors at three of the state’s natural resource agencies with missions related to water, including Ivan Gall at the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD), Debbie Colbert at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and Sara O’Brien at the Oregon Watershed
Opportunities to Secure Oregon’s Sustainable Water Future Read More »
By Michael Kohn | July 12, 2024 | Bend Bulletin On the last day of 2020, eight irrigation districts in Central Oregon and the city of Prineville entered into a landmark agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Their accord, the Deschutes Basin Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP), spelled out in hundreds of pages of
Challenges and Gains for Water Conservation Plan 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 »
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 »
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 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. 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 »
By Kelly House and Mark Graves | July 26, 2016 | The Oregonian: Draining Oregon Oregon is helping farmers drain the state’s underground reservoirs to grow cash crops in the desert, throwing sensitive ecosystems out of balance and fueling an agricultural boom that cannot be sustained, The Oregonian has found. Managers with the Oregon Water
Draining Oregon: Water Giveaway Threatens Economic Chaos and Hurts Wildlife Read More »
Groups seek settlement talks in spotted frog case At issue is water management in the Deschutes River Basin By Taylor W. Anderson Bend Bulletin March 24, 2016 Two groups suing to change water management practices in the Deschutes River Basin to protect a threatened frog are asking the federal judge in the cases to set
Groups seek settlement talks in spotted frog case Read More »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 16, 2015 Contacts: Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, 541-708-0731 Bob Sallinger, Audubon Society of Portland, 503-380-9728 Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild, 503-283-6343 Chris Winter, Crag Law Center, 503-701-6002 A copy of the ruling can be found here. Judge Affirms Ruling Favoring Wildlife on Klamath Refuges U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service given August
Judge Affirms Ruling Favoring Wildlife on Klamath Refuges Read More »
For Immediate Release May 5, 2014 Report Charts Path to More Secure Water Supply for Klamath Refuges New Options Could Prevent Future Bird Die-Offs, Restore Essential Wildlife Habitat in Chronically Water-Starved Wetlands Online Version of Report Available Here High Resolution Version Available Here Letter to Interior Secretary Jewell and USFWS Director Ashe The Klamath leaselands
Report Charts Path to More Secure Water Supply for Klamath Refuges Read More »
For Immediate Release April 1, 2014 WaterWatch of Oregon’s Statement Opposing Measure 26-156 As an organization that has worked since 1985 to protect and restore flows in Oregon’s rivers to sustain the native fish, wildlife, and people who depend on healthy rivers, WaterWatch of Oregon strongly opposes Measure 26-156. Measure 26-156 would result in the
WaterWatch of Oregon’s Statement Opposing Measure 26-156 Read More »
For Immediate Release March 5, 2014 WaterWatch of Oregon Statement Regarding Announcement of a Klamath Basin Water Agreement While reducing upper basin irrigation water demand by 30,000 acre-feet is a welcome step in the right direction, it is nowhere near enough to solve the profound water imbalance impacting the entire Klamath Basin. Joining this positive
WaterWatch of Oregon Statement Regarding Announcement of a Klamath Basin Water Agreement Read More »
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 24, 2012 Contact: Steve Pedery Oregon Wild 503-283-6343 ext. 212 Bob Sallinger Audubon Society of Portland 503-380-9728 Jim McCarthy WaterWatch of Oregon 541-708-0731 Noah Greenwald Center for Biological Diversity 503-484-7495 35 Conservation Organizations Sound Alarm on Klamath Water Wildlife advocates urge Obama administration not to allow National Wildlife Refuges to go
35 Conservation Organizations Sound Alarm on Klamath Water Read More »
For Immediate Release March 27, 2012 Contact: Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild, 503-283-6343 ext212 Bob Sallinger, Audubon Society of Portland, 503-380-9728 Noah Greenwald, Center for Biological Diversity, 503-484-7495 Jim McCarthy, WaterWatch of Oregon, 541-941-9450 26 Organizations Sound Alarm on Klamath Water Wildlife advocates urge Obama administration not to allow National Wildlife Refuges to go dry, halt
For Immediate Release Oregon Wild * WaterWatch of Oregon November 10, 2011 CONTACT: Steve Pedery, Oregon Wild – 503.283.6343 ext. 212 Lisa Brown, WaterWatch of Oregon – 503.295.4039 ext. 4 Merkley Legislation on Klamath Falls Short Oregon conservationists frustrated by anti-wildlife provisions, lack of water for salmon Portland — Oregon conservation groups today expressed disappointment
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Latest Klamath Dam Removal Proposal Delays Decision to Remove Dams Joined Agreements Protect Dam Owner and Agribusiness, Leave Fish and Wildlife at Risk PORTLAND, OR Sep 30, 2009 Portland, OR –WaterWatch of Oregon, an ardent advocate for the removal of four salmon-killing dams on the Klamath River, joined other conservationists in criticizing a
Latest Klamath Dam Removal Proposal Delays Decision to Remove Dams Read More »
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