Place-Based Water Planning

Place-Based Water Planning (PBP) is a voluntary, locally led, and collaborative process that brings together an area’s water interests to develop a holistic understanding of the area’s water resources and plan for a water future that promotes and sustains a healthy economy, environment, and society. Upon completion, state-recognized Place-Based Water Plans: identify actions that help meet current and future instream and out-of-stream water quantity, quality, and ecosystem needs; aid state agencies in identifying and considering regional priorities; and provide a platform for continued collaboration to solve complex regional water issues. 

Place-Based Water Planning is Action 9.A in Oregon’s 2025 Integrated Water Resources Strategy. The Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) and other state agencies provide guidance, funding, and technical assistance to place-based initiatives to bring interested parties together, develop and update plans, and coordinate plan implementation.

Place-Based Integrated Water Resources Plans

Since 2015, four Planning Collaboratives across Oregon have developed and adopted state-recognized Place-Based Water Plans and are currently implementing those plans. For more information about state-recognized plans and their implementation, visit the links below.

• Harney Community Based Water Planning Collaborative: Webpage | Plan 
  
  
• Lower John Day Place-Based Partnership: Webpage | Plan
  
  
• Mid-Coast Water Planning Partnership: Webpage | Plan
  
  
• Upper Grande Ronde River Water Resources Partnership: Webpage | Plan

Public Review Period Extended: Place-Based Water Planning Handbook

OWRD is extending the deadline for public review and comment on the Draft Handbook for Place-based Integrated Water Resources Planning in Oregon to Friday, November 14. This handbook reflects the evolution of Oregon’s Place-Based Planning program and incorporates lessons learned from past planning efforts, agency collaboration, and public engagement.

Feedback is welcomed from all interested parties to help ensure the Handbook is clear, practical, and supportive of Place-Based Water Planning efforts

The Handbook is grounded in Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 537.872–537.873 and Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 690-602. It was developed with input from natural resource agencies, public engagement, and key sources including:

• Oregon’s Place-Based Integrated Water Resources Planning Program: A Participatory Evaluation (McLain et al., 2022)
• Report of the Work Group on State-Supported Regional Water Planning & Management: House Bill 5006 (2021) (Oregon Consensus, 2022)
• OWRD’s 2015–2019 draft guidance documents for planning steps 1 through 5 (see Place-Based Water Planning Document Archive section below)