The Stream Flow Problem

In many parts of Oregon, the water in our rivers and streams is over-appropriated – landowners have more rights to divert water for industrial and agricultural use than are actually in the river or stream. When periods of naturally low flows (typically, in the summer) coincide with withdrawals, many streams suffer from inadequate streamflows. In fact, some are dewatered entirely. When this happens, the ecology of the river system, the watershed and the basin are all negatively affected because the stream can no longer support aquatic habitat.

It is not an easy task to reallocate our scarce water resources in a way that accommodates industry, agriculture and the resource. Since irrigation accounts for 82% of total surface water withdrawals in the state, The Freshwater Trust devised a system to address instream flow, while still keeping agricultural lands productive. By using the instream water rights act, The Freshwater Trust works collaboratively with landowners and compensates them to leave all or a portion of their water rights instream in lieu of using it for out-of-stream purposes. The Freshwater Trust also works with these landowners to improve irrigation practices so that even more water can be kept instream.