Oregon Water Trust - Overview

Overview

Oregon Water Trust targets efforts in those watersheds that have historically supported significant fisheries. Within each watershed, Oregon Water Trust identifies priority streams for which streamflow is a limiting factor for fish habitat and water quality and there is potential for acquiring water rights to convert to instream use to enhance flows. Oregon Water Trust concentrates acquisition efforts on small- to medium-sized tributaries that provide spawning and rearing for salmonids. In these systems, small amounts of water can provide significant ecological benefits.

Oregon Water Trust uses ecological, hydrologic and water rights data to identify priority streams and evaluate potential water right acquisitions. Analysis of streamflows and habitat conditions includes:

• Delineating fish use and distribution for each segment;
• Documenting the current and historical ecological value of the waterway for fish;
• Evaluating current habitat and water quality conditions;
• Describing the current water availability situation;
• Summarizing the relationship of the water right to other water rights in the stream segment; and
• Evaluating the potential benefits of acquired water on fish habitat and water quality.

Oregon Water Trust compiles data on species present, their habitat needs and endangered species listing status; instream conditions (e.g., flow alteration, temperature, water quality); and relation of instream conditions to riparian, upslope and watershed conditions and activities.