Protect and Restore Free Flowing Oregon Rivers

In the past 90 days, WaterWatch has protected and restored Oregon’s rivers for fish, wildlife and the people who depend on healthy rivers in the following ways:

WaterWatch organized the opposition that defeated a proposal in the Oregon Legislature to take more water from the Columbia River at times when migrating salmon need the water.

WaterWatch made progress on securing removal of three obsolete dams that block or hinder fish passage in the Rogue River Basin. Two of these barriers are on an important tributary to the Rogue. One is on the main stem Rogue.

WaterWatch continued to challenge an attempt to develop large volumes of water from the McKenzie River at the expense of imperiled fish species in the river.

WaterWatch secured cancellation of several abandoned water rights in the John Day River Basin.

WaterWatch completed a report on municipal water conservation practices in the Portland metropolitan area. This report summarizes and compares the water conservation practices of multiple water providers serving over 1 million people in the metro region.

WaterWatch continued to secure equitable treatment for instream values in Oregon’s water future by influencing the development of Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy.

Finally, WaterWatch shed light in the media on the dire 2012 water situation facing the Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges, including Tule Lake and Lower Klamath Lake National Wildlife Refuges, two of the most important wetland areas in the nation for migrating waterfowl.