Interactive Online Council Mapping Tool
List of Oregon watershed councils with contact information
A watershed council is a community-based, voluntary, non-regulatory group that meets regularly in their local communities to assess conditions in a given watershed (usually a river or creek and the lands that drain into them) and to conduct projects to restore or enhance the waters and lands for fish and native plants in their areas. Oregon is one of the few states to have this community-based model – supported by the state and recognized by local governments – to focus on restoring land and water from “ridgetop to ridgetop.”
Watershed councils work with local, state, and federal partners and private landowners. Projects include things like replacing culverts to allow for better fish passage or planting shady plants along a creek to keep the water cool enough for fish. Councils are designated by county governments and are expected to have broad and balanced representation and viewpoints.
Fifty-nine watershed councils receive capacity funding support through the state Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB). This state agency is funded through the sales of lottery tickets as well as through the federal Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund. OWEB provides grants for operating funds, restoration projects, and other programs to enable councils to carry out restoration, monitor the status of the watershed, and reach out to landowners and other community members.
Councils are diverse; some work in dense population centers while others serve in large rural areas. Some have staffs of 10 or more, while many have smaller staffs and many operate out of donated or shared office spaces. Some are non-profit organizations, while others partner with Soil and Water Conservation Districts or other local and state organizations as their fiscal sponsors.
List of NOWC Member Watershed Councils
Region 1 (North Coast)
| Columbia River Estuary Study Taskforce | Astoria | 503.325.0435 | dlofman@columbiaestuary.org |
| Lower Columbia WC | Saint Helens | 503.433.3205 | allan@whitingenv.com |
| Lower Nehalem WC | Nehalem | 503.368.7424 | lnwc@nehalemtel.net |
| Midcoast WC | Newport | 541.265.9195 | evan@midcoastwc.org |
| Necanicum WC | Seaside | 503.717.1458 | necanicumwatershed @gmail.com |
| Nestucca, Neskowin & Sand Lake WC | Pacific City | 503.965.2200 | nnwc@nestuccawaters.org |
| North Coast Watershed Association | Astoria | 503.468.0408 | northcoastwatershedcouncils @gmail.com |
| Scappoose Bay WC | Scappoose | 503.397.7904 | info @scappoosebay-wc.org |
| Siuslaw WC | Mapleton | 541.268.3044 | watershed@siuslaw.org |
| Upper Nehalem WC | Vernonia | 503.429.0869 | maggie@nehalem.org |
Noah Dolanjec, Necanicum Watershed Council
Region 2 (Southwest Oregon)
| Applegate Partnership & WC | Jacksonville | 541.899.9982 | contact@apwc.info |
| Coos WA | Coos Bay | 541.888.5922 | cooswa@cooswatershed.org |
| Coquille WA | Coquille | 541.396.2541 | info@coquillewatershed.org |
| Elk Creek WC | Yoncalla | 541.836.7206 | russell.leland@gmail.com |
| Illinois Valley WC | Cave Junction | 541.592.3731 | kevin@ivstreamteam.org |
| Lower Rogue WC | Gold Beach | 541.247.2755 | kelly@currywatersheds.org |
| Partnership for the Umpqua Rivers | Roseburg | 541.673.5756 | eric@umpquarivers.org |
| Rogue River WC | Central Point | 541.423.6158 | info@rogueriverwc.org |
| South Coast WC | Gold Beach | 541.247.2755 | miranda.gray @currywatersheds.org |
Miranda Gray, South Coast Watershed Council
Region 3 (Willamette Basin)
| Calapooia WC | Brownsville | 541.583.3626 | operations@calapooia.org |
| Clackamas Basin WC | Clackamas | 503.303.4372 | info@clackamasriver.org |
| Coast Fork Willamette WC | Cottage Grove | 541.767.9717 | coordinator@coastfork.org |
| Columbia Slough WC | Portland | 503.281.1132 | info@columbiaslough.org |
| Greater Oregon City WC | Oregon City | 503.374-8279 | admin@gocwc.org |
| Greater Yamhill WC | McMinnville | 503.474.1047 | luke@gywc.org |
| Johnson Creek WC | Portland | 503.652.7477 | daniel@jcwc.org |
| Long Tom WC | Eugene | 541.654.8965 | info@longtom.org |
| Luckiamute WC | Independence | 503.837.0237 | director @luckiamutelwc.org |
| Marys River WC | Corvallis | 541.758.7597 | holly@mrwc.org |
| McKenzie WC | Springfield | 458.201.8150 | jared@mckenziewc.org |
| Middle Fork Willamette WC | Lowell | 541.937.9800 | contact @middleforkwillamette willamette.org |
| Mollalla River Watch | Molalla | 503.559.0885 | molallariverwatch @gmail.com |
| North Santiam WC | Stayton | 503.930.8202 | council@northsantiam.org |
| Pudding River WC | Woodburn | 503.982.5387 | cleanpuddingriver @gmail.com |
| South Santiam WC | Sweet Home | 541.367.5564 | s.richardson.sswc @gmail.com |
| Tryon Creek WC | Lake Oswego | 530.902.7528 | alexis@tryoncreek.org |
Alexis Barton, Tryon Creek Watershed Council
Dov Weinman, Middle Fork Willamette Watershed Council
Region 4 (Central Oregon)
| Crooked River WC | Prineville | 541.447.8567 | chris@crwc.info |
| Hood River WG | Hood River | 541.386.4588 | cindy@hoodriverswcd.org |
| Klamath WP | Klamath Falls | 541.850.1717 | info @klamathpartnership.org |
| Lake County Umbrella WC | Lakeview | 541.219.0493 | bdneider23@gmail.com |
| Middle Deschutes WC | Redmond | 541.699.3202 | middledeschuteswc @gmail.com |
| Upper Deschutes WC | Bend | 541.382.6103 | kknight @restorethedeschutes.org |
| Wasco County Area Watersheds | The Dalles | 541.296.6178 x102 | abigail.forrest@or.nacdnet.net |
Chris Gannon, Crooked River Watershed Council
Cindy Thieman, Hood River Watershed Group
Region 5 (Eastern Oregon )
| Grande Ronde Model WC | La Grande | 541.663.0570 | jesse@grmw.org |
| Harney County WC | Hines | 541.573.2000 | hcwatershedcouncil.com |
| Malheur WC | Ontario | 541.881.1417 | diebelk12@gmail.com |
| Owyhee WC | Adrian | 541.372.5782 | agreenowc@qwestoffice.net |
| Powder Basin WC | Baker City | 541.523.7288 | pbwced@qwestoffice.net |
Jesse Steele, Grande Ronde Model Watershed Council
Region 6 (Mid Columbia)
| Gilliam-East John Day WC | Condon | 541.384.2281 | gilliamwc@gmail.com |
| Mid John Day-Bridge Creek WC | Fossil | 541.468.2990 | midjohndaywc @wheelerswcd.org |
| North Fork John Day WC | Long Creek | 541.421.3018 | info@nfjdwc.org |
| Sherman County WC | Moro | 541.565.3216 x1010 | amanda.whitman @or.nacdnet.net |
| South Fork John Day WC | John Day | 541.620.5739 | astiner@outlook.com |
| Umatilla Basin WC | Pendleton | 541.276.2190 | umatillawatershed@gmail.com |
| Walla Walla Basin WC | Milton-Freewater | 541.938.2170 | troy.baker@wwbwc.org |
Debra Bunch, Mid John Day-Bridge Creek Watershed Council,
Kristen Walz, North Fork John Day Watershed Council