An Overview of Watershed Councils

There are twenty-five active watershed councils in the Willamette Oregon Plan Reporting Basin:

• Calapooia Watershed Council,
• Clackamas River Basin Council,
• Claggett Creek Watershed Council,
• Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council,
• Columbia Slough Watershed Council,
• Fairview Creek Watershed Group,
• Friends of Mill Creek,
• Glenn-Gibson Creek Watershed Council,
• Johnson Creek Watershed Council,
• Long Tom Watershed Council,
• Lost Creek Watershed Group, 
• Luckiamute Watershed Council,
• Marys River Watershed Council,
• McKenzie Watershed Council,
• Middle Fork Willamette Council,
• Mohawk Watershed Partnership,
• North Santiam Watershed Council,
• Pringle Creek Watershed Council,
• Pudding River Watershed Council,
• Rickreall Watershed Council
• Scappoose Bay Watershed Council,
• South Santiam Watershed Council,
• Tryon Creek Watershed Council,
• Tualatin River Watershed Council and the
• Yamhill Basin Council.

 "Watershed councils are locally organized, voluntary, non-regulatory groups established to improve the condition of watersheds in their local area. The 1995 Legislature unanimously passed House Bill 3441 providing guidance in establishing watershed councils but making it clear that formation of a council is a local government decision, with no state approval required. Watershed councils are required to represent the interests in the basin and be balanced in their makeup.

Watershed councils offer local residents the opportunity to independently evaluate watershed conditions and identify opportunities to restore or enhance the conditions. Through the councils, partnerships between residents, local, state and federal agency staff and other groups can be developed. Through these partnerships and the resulting integration of local efforts, the state's watersheds can be protected and enhanced."

For more information about watershed councils, visit the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board website.

Excerpted:

Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. An Overview of Oregon Watershed Councils.  Salem, OR. Accessed April 4, 2007.