Protect and Restore Free Flowing Oregon Rivers

After many years of work, WaterWatch has revived Oregon’s Instream Water Rights Program, originally established by the passage of the Instream Water Rights Act of 1987 (one of WaterWatch’s first landmark victories). The program is now poised to apply for hundreds of new instream water rights. This effort will forever protect thousands of cubic feet per second of stream flows on hundreds of miles of streams starting in the Rogue, Umpqua and South Coast basins. 

In the most significant environmental water protection initiative in North America today, WaterWatch will work closely with state agencies and the governor to establish permanent legal protection for water in hundreds of streams using Oregon’s Instream Water Rights Act. Our two year goal is to secure 191 - 211 new instream water rights and 48 new field studies needed to support later applications.

As a result of WaterWatch’s work, Oregon has recently created 80 new instream water rights to protect streamflows and help salmonids adapt to a changing climate on north and mid coast streams like the Salmonberry, Nehalem, Nestucca, Necanicum, Siletz, Alsea and other very important salmon rivers and streams across the state. These water rights provide permanent protections for these important stretches of rivers. More instream water rights have been introduced and are on their way to being certificated. Along with our other ongoing work across the state, WaterWatch will continue to be an advocate for instream needs and for protecting Oregon’s beautiful rivers and critical salmon runs with instream water rights!

Links:

• ODFW Background on Instream Water Rights