The Do Initiative

Complete watershed assessments in key California, Oregon and Idaho river basins to guide resource management and conservation action

Being a leader in the water community means putting our solutions to work for the benefit of real waterways. With your help, we’ll be using our tools to reveal where restoration in three Western basins can most benefit local economies and communities.

California is ground zero for water quality and quantity issues in America. We will use StreamBank to quantify current conditions in the Sacramento Valley.

We will map out specifically what actions, in what places, are required to reduce the inputs of temperature, phosphorus and sediment into the river and to prioritize actions.

The Sacramento Valley supports one of the most vibrant agricultural regions in the nation, and the Sacramento River drains into the Bay Delta, a water quality priority in the state and one of the top five waterways of concern nationwide.

Turning to Oregon and Idaho, funds raised will also be used to help identify a prioritized set of restoration opportunities along the Willamette and Boise Rivers. The Willamette basin contains two-thirds of Oregon’s population, and the river and its tributaries support more than 60 fish species, including endangered salmon and steelhead. The Boise River provides valuable habitat, recreation and water supply for Idaho’s Treasure Valley.

2016 – 2017

Gather data: Compile information on the history of the watersheds, water quality and quantity issues and species present.

Analyze conditions: Analyze the current conditions and determine specific opportunities for improvement.

Identify actions: Identify the exact actions needed to reach the established watershed targets.

2017 – 2018

Quantify benefits: Quantify the potential benefits from actions such as planting streamside vegetation, increasing instream flow, or changing agricultural management practices.

Prioritize sites: Index and prioritize the sites where improvements would provide the most benefit for the watershed.

Plan implementation: Develop plans for implementation that acknowledge set targets and location of improvement actions.

Goal

Together, we can raise $1.5 million to achieve this initiative.

Learn about the “Declare Initiative“

Learn about the “Discover Initiative“