The Oregon Water Trust (OWT), now operating as The Freshwater Trust, is an environmental organization based in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...

. Its mission is to restore surface water flows for healthier streams in Oregon by using cooperative,

free-market In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any ot ...

solutions. OWT was founded in 1993 by a group with diverse water interests who sought to utilize the "tools of the land trust movement...and apply the same approach to the acquisition of water". "With the success of OWT, water trusts have been created in Montana, Colorado, and Washington" with others emerging across the Western United States. Utilizing a transactional approach, the group focuses on streams where small amounts of water provide significant ecological benefits. The result is healthier streams for fish, wildlife, and people.

Overview

Oregon Water Trust targets efforts in those watersheds that have historically supported significant

fisheries Fishery can mean either the enterprise of raising or harvesting fish and other aquatic life; or more commonly, the site where such enterprise takes place ( a.k.a. fishing ground). Commercial fisheries include wild fisheries and fish farms, both ...

. Within each watershed, Oregon Water Trust identifies priority streams for which

streamflow Streamflow, or channel runoff, is the flow of water in streams and other channels, and is a major element of the water cycle. It is one component of the movement of water from the land to waterbodies, the other component being surface runoff. Wate ...

is a limiting factor for fish habitat and

water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...

and there is potential for acquiring

water right Water right in water law refers to the right of a user to use water from a water source, e.g., a river, stream, pond or source of groundwater. In areas with plentiful water and few users, such systems are generally not complicated or contentiou ...

s to convert to

instream use Instream use refers to water use taking place within a stream Channel (geography), channel. Examples are hydroelectric power generation, navigation, fish propagation and use, and recreational activities. Some instream uses, usually associated with ...

to enhance flows. Oregon Water Trust concentrates acquisition efforts on small- to medium-sized

tributaries A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage b ...

that provide

spawning Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquat ...

and rearing for

salmonids Salmonidae is a family of ray-finned fish that constitutes the only currently extant family in the order Salmoniformes . It includes salmon (both Atlantic and Pacific species), trout (both ocean-going and landlocked), chars, freshwater whit ...

. In these systems, small amounts of water can provide significant ecological benefits. Oregon Water Trust uses

ecological Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...

hydrologic Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and environmental watershed sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is calle ...

and

water rights Water right in water law refers to the right of a user to use water from a water source, e.g., a river, stream, pond or source of groundwater. In areas with plentiful water and few users, such systems are generally not complicated or contentiou ...

data to identify priority streams and evaluate potential water right acquisitions. Analysis of streamflow 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 In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

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 A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks ar ...

, upslope and watershed conditions and activities.

Approach

Oregon Water Trust's

market-based A market economy is an economic system in which the decisions regarding investment, production and distribution to the consumers are guided by the price signals created by the forces of supply and demand, where all suppliers and consumers are ...

approach provides water right holders in Oregon with a variety of incentives to convert their consumptive water rights to instream water rights. These include: income from marginally productive areas, replacement feed for lost production, funding for

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow Crop, crops, Landscape plant, landscape plants, and Lawn, lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,00 ...

efficiency projects, a possible

tax break Tax break also known as tax preferences, tax concession, and tax relief, are a method of reduction to the tax liability of taxpayers. Government usually applies them to stimulate the economy and increase the solvency of the population. By this fi ...

for permanent donations of water rights, and flexibility in managing water rights.

Partners

Oregon Water Trust works with local and community groups, agency staff and others interested in water rights issues in order to add to, and not duplicate, the efforts of others. Whenever possible, Oregon Water Trust strives to work with communities to create cooperative solutions that benefit all parties. Oregon Water Trust's board of directors represents agricultural, environmental, legal and

tribal The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to conflic ...

perspectives. This diverse board membership allows the organization to openly and effectively address the concerns of rural Oregonians regarding their livelihoods and the conservation of aquatic resources.

Project history

It has been over 13 years since Oregon Water Trust completed their first paid lease with a rancher on Buck Hollow Creek in the Deschutes Basin. Since then Oregon Water Trust has increased their effectiveness dramatically. In 1994, the Oregon Water Trust water portfolio amounted to two leases totaling per second (40 L/s). Today, their portfolio has grown to 160 ft³/s (4,500 L³/s) protected for instream use in 86 streams, representing in aggregate the equivalent to the flow of the Applegate River in August. Over the year, this constitutes of water. The Oregon Water Trust has implemented successful projects in basins which include the Deschutes, John Day, Willamette, and Rogue rivers.

References

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External links