| About Us |
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| Mission Statement |
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To help create and maintain healthy watersheds and natural habitats that support thriving communities and strong economies.
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| Organization |
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Annual Performance Measures
To download a brochure about the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, please click here
What is OWEB?
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board is a state agency led by a policy oversight board. Together, they promote and fund voluntary actions that strive to enhance Oregon's watersheds. The Board fosters the collaboration of citizens, agencies, and local interests. OWEB's programs support Oregon's efforts to restore salmon runs, improve water quality, and strengthen ecosystems that are critical to healthy watersheds and sustainable communities. OWEB administers a grant program funded from the Oregon Lottery as a result of a citizen initiative in 1998. The grant program supports voluntary efforts by Oregonians seeking to create and maintain healthy watersheds.
To accomplish this OWEB...
- funds projects that restore, maintain, and enhance the state's watersheds.
- supports the capacity of local watershed-based citizen groups to carry
out a variety of restoration projects.
- promotes citizen understanding of watershed needs and restoration ideas.
- provides technical skills to citizens working to restore urban and rural watersheds.
- monitors the effectiveness of investments in watershed restoration.
What kind of projects are funded by OWEB?
OWEB encourages projects that foster cooperation, pursue match-funding, provide for local involvement, include youth and volunteers, and promote education about watershed concepts. OWEB provides grants to support the capacity of citizen groups to assess watershed health conditions, then to plan, prepare, and undertake successful restoration projects. These "capacity-building" grants assist watershed groups as they equip themselves with the planning, human resources, project management, and technical skills necessary to carry out complex restoration projects, such as
- Watershed assessment
- Data gathering
- Monitoring conditions
- Action plans
- Coordinator salaries
- Business materials
- Travel reimbursement
- Fiscal management
- Workshops
- Interpretive signs
- Outreach materials
- Student programs
OWEB provides grants to carry out "on-the-ground" restoration projects that aim to restore aquatic habitat, improve water quality, and restore biodiversity. These "capital" projects involve citizen groups working with landowners in efforts that range from instream habitat improvement to management of upland areas. For example,
- Planting
- Reseeding
- Fencing
- Weed control
- Culvert replacement
- Wetland restoration
- Livestock watering
- Fish habitat
- Land purchases
- Conservation easements
- Instream water rights
- Water right transfers
What other services are provided by OWEB?
In addition to our grant program, OWEB provides a variety of services to support watershed restoration in Oregon. For example, OWEB...
- directs a small grant program to support landowner projects that improve watershed health. Under this program, soil and water conservation districts and watershed councils may apply for funds for small projects without going through the full application cycle.
- provides funding for technical assistance for landowners and local volunteer groups. Our staff produce manuals on how to undertake restoration projects and we coordinate a biennial statewide conference to share ideas and expertise.
- also provides grant funds for technical assistance when funds are available for that purpose.
- supports programs that teach students and adults about the importance of watershed health. Through grants and staff assistance OWEB promotes education of urban and rural watershed issues --in schools, in the field, and in the backyard.
- coordinates the collection of data about natural resource conditions throughout Oregon. Collecting, sorting, and analyzing data about watershed conditions throughout Oregon is essential to our mission.
- monitors the effectiveness of efforts to restore, enhance, and maintain healthy watersheds. After sorting through watershed restoration data, we determine how well our projects are working to improve watershed health.
- reports on the progress of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds. Through biennial reports, we tell Oregon how the plan is working to restore watershed conditions that support fish habitat and clean water.
How is the OWEB Board comprised?
The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board consists of 17 members drawn from state natural resource agency boards/commissions, federal agencies, tribes, and the public at large. The Board brings together a diverse range of interests to decide on applications for grant awards and set the vision for watershed restoration efforts in Oregon. The Board's strategic plan, A Strategy for Achieving Healthy Watersheds in Oregon, explains how OWEB will work toward watershed restoration through investments, partnerships and education.
Voting members:
- Oregon Environmental Quality Commission
- Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission
- Oregon Water Resources Commission
- Oregon Board of Forestry
- Oregon Board of Agriculture
- One tribal representative
- Five public members
Non-voting members:
- OSU Extension Service
- U.S. Forest Service (federal)
- Bureau of Land Management (federal)
- Natural Resources Conservation Service (federal)
- Environmental Protection Agency (federal)
- National Marine Fisheries Service (federal)
Where does OWEB get its funding?
OWEB gets its funding from Oregon Lottery revenues and other sources including salmon license plate revenues, federal salmon funds, and funds that come from the purchase of "salmon-friendly" power. In 1998, Oregon voters approved a ballot measure that set aside 15 percent of all lottery revenues for restoring Oregon's salmon, watersheds, and state parks. Under the program, half of these funds are used to enhance watersheds and salmon habitat.
Want to learn more about OWEB?
Want to keep informed?
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