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Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds

Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds logo Background

Salmon have great cultural, economic, and recreational importance to Oregonians. They are important indicators of watershed health. In 1997, state leaders established the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds (Oregon Plan) with specific actions to restore salmon populations, water quality, stream flows, habitat, and watershed health.

Agencies, private citizens, and organizations across Oregon work together on solutions, while watershed councils and soil and water conservation districts lead efforts in many watersheds.

Mission

Restoring our native fish populations and the aquatic systems that support them to productive and sustainable levels that will provide substantial environmental, cultural, and economic benefits.

Monitoring for the Oregon Plan

State natural resource agencies developed a statewide monitoring program for the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds.

Progress on the Oregon Plan (Biennial Report 2023-2025)

Every two years, Oregon Plan agencies report investments and accomplishments, and recommendations from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) to enhance the effectiveness of Oregon Plan implementation.
2023-2025 Biennial Report
2023-2025 Executive Summary

Investments

$139,002,823 total awarded by OWEB for watershed enhancement projects in Oregon (2023-2025).
$72,876,365 match funding leveraged by partners from $45,599,379 in OWEB costs (2023-2024).

View Investments and Outputs by County

How are we doing?

Oregon has seen exciting progress in several aspects of salmon recovery and watershed conditions, and continues to see some serious challenges. 

  • Recovery in Oregon coastal coho salmon has led the state on a path to remove it from the Endangered Species list.
  • Reduced stream flows and warmer water from changing climate conditions are a threat to salmon recovery and resiliency.
  • 88% of native fish species monitored by ODFW show stable to increasing levels of abundance.
  • Oregon Department of Environmental Quality continues to fund grants and loan programs to reduce pollution in Oregon’s waterways.
  • Oregon Water Resources Department restored flows for fish in 25% of watersheds by leasing water instream or converting hydroelectric water rights instream.

Progress in Oregon Agencies

Oregon Business Development Department, DBA Business Oregon, is the state’s economic development agency. The agency partners with businesses to help them grow and thrive, fostering job creation, economic diversification, and increased prosperity across Oregon. Business Oregon also works with communities to enhance and expand critical infrastructure, strengthen community resilience and safety, and set the stage for future business development.

Business Oregon’s mission is to invest in Oregon’s businesses, communities, and people to promote a globally competitive, diverse, and inclusive economy.

Throughout the 2023–25 biennium, Business Oregon continues to provide financial support for environmental and community infrastructure strategies outlined in the Oregon Plan. Funded projects include tide gates, brownfields, drinking water, and wastewater management, with new investments directed toward projects that bring lasting benefits to Oregon communities, particularly in rural areas.

As part of these efforts, Business Oregon partners with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to implement the Drinking Water Source Protection program. The Drinking Water Source Protection Fund (DWSPF), a federally funded program co-administered by Business Oregon, OHA, and DEQ through the Safe Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund Program, supports public water systems in reducing the risk of source water contamination within delineated drinking water source areas. In the 2023–25 biennium, the DWSPF awarded 17 projects totaling $911,625 to advance these protection efforts.

​Beginning in 2024, the DWSPF expanded with Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) General Supplemental funding, increasing maximum award limits and the total number of awards. The program also introduced a targeted offering for land conservation planning work, enabling drinking water systems to pursue acquisition of land (fee title) or conservation easements within their source water areas to further protect drinking water quality.​​

Oregon Department of Agriculture​ (ODA) works closely with partners, including Oregon’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts.​ ODA supports the Oregon Plan through the agency’s Natural Resource Programs, including the Agricultural Water Quality Management Program, Agricultural Drainage Channel Maintenance Program, programs to support the proper use of pesticides and fertilizers, and through its noxious weed and insect pest prevention and management programs. During the 2023-25 biennium, ODA has engaged in significant coordination with partner agencies to advance water quality goals. This includes collaborating with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on submitting responses related to the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) to support the approval of the State of Oregon's Nonpoint Management Plan. ODA has also coordinated with the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) on updating the Integrated Water Resources Strategy (IWRS). Internally, the Agricultural Water Quality (AgWQ) Program has developed and implemented a new Strategic Plan and Annual Work Plan to guide its efforts. Furthermore, ODA has completed, or is in the process of completing, Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Implementation Plans for several key water bodies, including the Upper Yaquina, Powder, Willamette, and Sandy and Willamette Temperature TMDLs.

Water Quality Compliance and Voluntary Conservation: ODA's compliance program was highly active across the state. The agency issued 252 actions (including Fix-it letters, Letters of Concern, In-Field Determinations, Water Quality Advisories, and Notices of Noncompliance) in 27 Agricultural Water Quality Management Areas. Of these, 81 were Letters of Compliance or In-Field Determinations, confirming adherence to water quality rules. Beyond regulatory actions, the program is built on voluntary conservation efforts by landowners. Key conservation actions completed include livestock exclusion fencing, pasture management and grazing rotations, weed control, riparian plantings, erosion control and cover cropping, irrigation efficiency improvements, and enhanced manure and nutrient management.

Strategic Implementation Area (SIA) Initiative: The SIA initiative remains a primary focus for targeted water quality improvement efforts. During this biennium, ODA opened eight (8) new SIAs. To engage landowners within these areas, the agency hosted eight (8) in-person landowner events (SIA Open Houses) and sent 1,463 letters that described the program, applicable rules, and offered technical assistance. As part of this focused work, ODA staff evaluated 1,970 stream miles to identify opportunities for water quality improvement projects.

Public Information and Website Modernization: To ensure landowners and the public have access to the most current information, ODA has undertaken a comprehensive update of its online resources. All Ag Water Quality webpages have been updated with current information about the program, including the latest versions of Area Management Plans, Agricultural Water Quality Rules, and TMDL implementation details. Additionally, all Ag Water Quality Resources for land managers have been updated to ensure they provide accurate and current science-based solutions for agricultural practices that affect water quality. Grant Funding for Water Quality Improvement: Oregon’s Agricultural Water Quality (Ag WQ) Program directly offers an Agricultural Water Quality Support Grant (https://www.oregon.gov/oda/natural-resources/agwq/Pages/ag-wq-grants.aspx), with $650,000 available for the biennium. These funds are dedicated to preventing and controlling water pollution from agricultural activities, addressing soil erosion, and helping achieve applicable water quality standards. In addition to this direct funding, the program facilitates Strategic Implementation Area (SIA) Technical Assistance Grants and SIA Restoration Grants (https://www.oregon.gov/oweb/grants/pages/sia.aspx). More information on these grants can be found on the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board's SIA grant page. In 2024, ODA's Ag Water Quality Program also received an award from the EPA's Columbia River Basin Restoration Grant Program. This grant, focused on Willamette Toxics, is designed to reduce agricultural runoff to surface waters in the Willamette River and its tributaries through the increased strategic use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) to meet Mercury TMDL Benchmarks.​

Department of Environmental Quality ​(DEQ) is responsible for protecting surface and groundwater to provide for a wide range of uses, including drinking water, recreation, fish habitat, aquatic life, and irrigation. The DEQ develops water quality standards, monitors water quality, and provides other services to control and monitor point and nonpoint source pollution. The DEQ also establishes Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) on water bodies that do not meet water quality standards. A TMDL identifies the amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still meet water quality standards. Throughout the 2021-2023 biennium, DEQ continued to develop and implement TMDLs. During this period, DEQ also developed water quality status and trend reports statewide. Water quality status and trend reports evaluate water quality standards attainment and trends using water quality monitoring data available in public databases. The results are used to support a number of water programs including DEQ’s review of Agricultural Water Quality Management Area plans and rules; and for assessment of progress implementing TMDLs.

During the most recent (2023-25) biennium at DEQ:

Watershed Restoration (TMDL) accomplishments, including successful implementation efforts by several designated management agencies (DMA’s). Examples of progress and notable efforts during 2023-25 include: i) working closely with the Washington Department of Ecology to develop implementation plans that effectively address the non-point source impacts of the mainstem Columbia River dams, ii) issuing the Powder River bacteria TMDL in July 2024; Yaquina bacteria TMDL in September 2023, Willamette mainstem & subbasins Temperature TMDLs effective May 2025, iii) coordinating with ODF & ODA on implementation plans for TMDLs for restoration efforts in watersheds such as the Willamette and Yaquina, and iv) preparing for a possible delisting of the Lower Willamette River bacteria impairment.

Suppo​rt for NPS restoration efforts via 319 grants and Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) funding. Examples include: i) a significant update and expansion of the Cottage Grove stormwater drainage and treatment master plan that will guide the city maintenance and improvement for the next 20 years, including implementation of BMPs for addressing emerging contaminants including 6PPD-quinone (SRF), ii) stormwater and street treelining project efforts along Powell Blvd in Gresham, which will be designed to capture and treat runoff from the existing roadway and infiltrate or filter the runoff before flowing into the nearby fish-bearing waters of Johnson Creek (SRF), iii) support for the North Fork Hubbard Creek Sediment Risk Reduction Plan that will address nonpoint source sedimentation risks in the Hubbard Creek watershed and help reduce sediment from reaching the North Fork Hubbard Creek and its tributaries (SRF), and iv) 319 grant support for the Fifteenmile Action to Stabilize Temperatures (FAST) Plan, an effort to improve stream flows and temperatures conditions for resident and migratory fish during critical periods in Fifteenmile Creek (matching funds are secured through the Recipient and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board).

DEQ and DLCD have, in partnership with other responsible agencies, completed drafting and submittal of Oregon’s Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program Plan (CNPCP) to EPA/NOAA for their consideration and full approval. Since 2015, the plan has been disapproved, causing 30% reduction in penalties to the amount of federal funding allotted to two significant federal grants that support nonpoint source pollution reduction and watershed restoration efforts in Oregon. Multiple state agencies have been involved in addressing various CZARA management measures that were previously disapproved or received interim approval in years past but required additional effort to ensure full approval. Updated descriptions of our strategies for meeting these management measures were included in the updated plan, which was submitted to EPA/NOAA in July 2025. Once approved, the state anticipates restoration of full federal funding for Oregon’s CWA Section 319 and CZMA grant programs.

Every two years, DEQ creates the Integrated Report, a comprehensive evaluation of Oregon’s surface waters. In 2022, in consultation with a technical workgroup of oceanographic experts, DEQ developed methodologies to assess impairment of narrative water quality criteria relevant to marine waters: Oregon’s narrative biocriteria (ocean acidification assessment) and marine dissolved oxygen criteria (hypoxia assessment). Based on data submitted to the agency during the past three assessment cycles, identifying impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia on fish and aquatic life, DEQ has proposed to list sections of marine waters as impaired for these conditions based on climate-change-related causes. By including these assessments in the Integrated Report, DEQ recognizes the impact of changing ocean conditions on plants and animals in the ocean. The Draft Integrated Report includes more information on this topic.​

CRB Toxics Reduction Grants – DEQ began implementing multiple projects to protect the environment from toxic contaminants funded through a 5-year, $6 million Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Program Toxic Reduction Lead Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The grant agreement involves four distinct project areas, including: 1) enhancements to Oregon’s Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships (PSP) Program, in partnership with ODA, aimed at keeping pesticides out of the aquatic environment through voluntary changes to pesticide use practices; 2) partnership efforts between DEQ and ODA to develop and implement effective strategies for reducing mercury contributions from agricultural land in key sub-basins covered under EPA's Willamette Basin Mercury Total Maximum Daily Load; 3) efforts to investigate and clean-up of contaminated land and/or groundwater at up to 10 distressed properties, allowing for the eventual redevelopment of the land to benefit communities; and 4) DEQ completion of an agency-wide PFAS Strategic Plan, which outlines a path forward to protect human health and the environment from PFAS exposure.

CRB Toxics Monitoring Grant - DEQ and partners developed a grant proposal in 2024 to improve the capacity to conduct toxics monitoring in the CR Basin. DEQ officially was awarded $900,000 in June 2025 to begin work on two studies: one involving the fate and transport of PFAS in biosolids applied to agricultural lands, and the other project will study emerging and legacy contaminants (e.g., PFAS, mercury and PCBs) in fish tissue.

Oregon Water Data Portal - Water-related data collection in Oregon represents a valuable statewide asset that can deliver greater benefits through improved coordination and integration across agencies and organizations. The Oregon Water Data Portal demonstrates potential for making Oregon's water data accessible from a single platform. Centralized data will improve water management decision-making, support more efficient use of public funds, and help the state address current and pending water challenges and opportunities. The portal project team has made significant progress over the last biennium. The pilot portal is already demonstrating substantial value by integrating datasets that were previously difficult to connect. Users can now explore relationships between data from multiple sources. The project has also fostered new collaboration between agencies, building relationships and trust across traditional boundaries. In the absence of dedicated funding during the 2025-27 biennium, project development progress will be paused while state agencies continue efforts to ensure that critical water data sets are collected and managed in a manner that will be compatible with a centralized data portal platform. The final report for the Oregon Water Data Portal Phase 2: Oregon Water Data Portal Phase 2: Final Report and Portal Recommendations is available here, and additional information on the project and pilot portal are available here.

6ppd- quinone - DEQ, in partnership with other state and local agencies, have established and been actively convening a workgroup to assess research and threats posed by 6ppd- quinone (toxic tire dust), and to track statewide and inter-state efforts to identify best management practices, policy developments and other solutions to address the risks native fish populations in Oregon.​
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Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) develops conservation, recovery, and management plans for Oregon’s native fish​ and wildlife​ species. 

During the 2023-25 biennium:

ODFW filed 266 water right applications in the Willamette basin on behalf of Oregon’s fish and wildlife to be held in trust by the state. These applications, covering 1,629 river miles, are progressing through the OWRD review process. The ODFW water program also continued implementation of a project to identify cold water refuges in Oregon streams. During the 2023-25 biennium, ODFW and partners deployed over 900 temperature loggers to validate model-predicted locations of cold water in coastal basins and the Willamette basin.

ODFW Fish Habitat Restoration Biologists continued to provide direct technical support to Watershed Councils, Oregon Department of Forestry, and private landowners to implement Oregon Plan measures directing the restoration and enhancement of Oregon's salmonid habitats in the region. This includes projects to increase instream habitat complexity by adding large wood or boulders, enhancing riparian areas by protection or planting, and correcting fish passage problems. Examples of projects implemented in the 23-25 biennium are available here: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/habitat/wosrp.asp.

The Private Forest Accord (PFA) Grant Program is administered by ODFW and stems from a 2022 agreement balancing forest practices and aquatic species protection. The PFA requires a Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) to ensure compliance with federal endangered species protections. To address potential impacts, the PFA created the grant program, funded from the General Fund and Timber Tax revenue. This program supports projects that provide conservation benefits to HCP-covered species. Recent projects are highlighted here

The Oregon Conservation and Recreation Fund (OCRF), created in 2019 by House Bill 2829, helps fund projects that serve to protect, maintain, or enhance fish and wildlife resources in Oregon and that support nature-based recreation. Through 2023 and 2024, the OCRF Advisory Committee offered three rounds of competitive funding opportunities, awarding 51 grants to implement projects meeting the intent of the Fund. Details on these projects and all 167 projects funded to date are available here

ODFW continued implementation of the 3-year Action Plan for Beaver-Modified Landscapes, which outlines the specific goals and strategic actions ODFW will implement to advance the protection and restoration of beaver habitat and beaver-modified habitat in Oregon. Work has included developing and adopting a beaver survey protocol, selecting Beaver Emphasis Areas, and conducting BEA Beaver Activity Surveys; revising fish passage rules to include beaver flow devices; and improving beaver management (e.g., improved damage complaint system; new harvest reporting requirements and data tracking). This work is generating benefits for Oregon Plan species/watersheds. Additional information is available here

ODFW consolidated inland fish research programs from regional and Fish Division organizational structures into a unified Inland Fish Science Program (IFSP). This unified program will improve the ability of the agency to programmatically and efficiently conduct the fish research, monitoring, and analyses necessary to meet the agency’s mission.

Fish monitoring efforts in the Klamath basin began to assess conditions following removal of the four Klamath River dams in 2023 and 2024. This work documented the first returning Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and Pacific lamprey to Oregon portions of the basin in over a century.

ODFW, the Coquille Tribe, and volunteers are working to restore fisheries in the Coquille River. Efforts include collaborative habitat restoration and protection, electrofishing to remove non-native smallmouth bass, a conservation hatchery program, and experimental hatchboxes. These efforts have resulted in the first fall Chinook fishery opportunity in the Coquille basin since 2021.



​The mission of the Oregon State Police​ (OSP) is to develop, promote, and provide protection to the people, property, and natural resources of the state, along with ensuring the state’s safety and livability. The purpose of the OSP Fish and Wildlife Division is to ensure compliance with laws that protect and enhance the long-term health and equitable utilization of Oregon’s fish and wildlife resources. Recent issues and progress are published monthly in OSP’s Fish and Wildlife newsletter.​

Oregon Department of Forestry​ (ODF) manages state-owned forestlands in Oregon and administers the Forest Practices Act (FPA) on non-federal forestlands to ensure that water quality and resource protections are maintained during and after commercial forest operations.

A large portion of the FPA rules are aimed at the protection of water resources. Forest landowners/operators are required by the FPA to implement forest operation activities in a manner that protects and maintains the designated beneficial uses of waters of the state through the forest practice rules. Through the ODF E-Notification system and site inspections, ODF Stewardship Foresters assist forest landowners with the planning, implementation, and management of their forest resources. In July of 2017 the forest practice rules were revised to provide increased protections for Salmon, Steelhead, and Bull Trout (SSBT) resulting in increased stream buffers and vegetation retention requirements alongside streams with SSBT use. As a result of the Private Forest Accord Report and the subsequent passage of Senate Bill 1501 (2022), significant revisions were made to roughly 75% of all forest practice rules resulting in increased protections that went into effect January 2024. SB 1501 (2022) was the result of a negotiated agreement between conservation interests and forest industries representatives who agreed to increased regulatory requirements with the intent of achieving regulatory certainty once the Department successfully reaches an approved PFA HCP. In addition to increased regulatory requirements through the PFA process, they also agreed to a new increase to the Forest Products Harvest Tax to fund mitigation work which was passed as House Bill 4055 (2022). HB 4055 (2022) establishes a framework for those paying the Forest Products Harvest Tax to pay an additional privilege tax which funds the PFA Mitigation Grant Program. The PFA Grant Program’s purpose is to support projects that benefit the fish and aquatic wildlife species and habitats covered by the PFA HCP and is administered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW).

In addition to assuring compliance with the FPA rules, ODF also employs landowner voluntary measures and incentive programs to support water quality protection as part of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds. According to data reported in the Oregon Watershed Restoration Inventory (OWRI), private forestland owners have made significant voluntary investments in Oregon Plan habitat restoration projects aimed at improving water quality and fish habitat. The reported cumulative investments were $112.25 million in 2023 and $112.78 million in 2024.

Through the Small Forestland Owner Assistance office, ODF maintains a landowner assistance program that helps conserve working landscapes across non-industrial private forestlands. Two ODF administered programs were established by the passage of SB 1501 (2022), the Small Forestland Investment in Stream Habitat Program (SFISH) and the Forest Conservation Tax Credit (FCTC) and were effective starting January 1, 2024. SFISH is a grant program that funds road repair projects on lands owned by small forestland owners (SFOs) resulting in environmental benefits to fish species addressed in the PFA Report and to mitigate risks to natural resources arising from forest roads. This report covers September 2024 to August 2025. The rules establishing the program became effective on January 1, 2024 and the first round of grant award letters were issued in August 2024. Nearly $5 million has been obligated to 16 projects spanning nine Oregon counties. The program has disbursed $1.48 million to those projects to date. Once fully implemented, these projects will restore passage to nearly 60 miles of habitat for native salmon and trout and improve water quality by replacing or removing 27 culverts. Interest in the SFISH program continues to grow, with 45 additional projects awaiting funding that would open over 90 miles of additional habitat for native salmon and trout. ODF publishes an annual report detailing each funded project that was completed during the prior calendar year, including their costs and the mileage of streams improved and provide this report to the appropriate legislative committees. These reports are available on the ODF Legislative Reports webpage. The Forest Conservation Tax Credit (FCTC) program was established to provide a financial benefit to SFO’s who support conservation and habitat protection by retaining a larger unharvested area next to streams for protection of wildlife habitat and aquatic species. SFOs who agree to limit timber harvests in their conservation area for 50 years by following the standard practice for harvests rather than the small forestland owner minimum option can receive a tax credit based on the value of the unharvested timber inside the conservation area and related costs.

Additionally, ODF leverages partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies to provide technical and financial assistance to non-industrial private forest landowners interested in managing their forests for a variety of economic, environmental, and social benefits. Primary federal partners include the USFS, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Farm Service Agency. ODF’s Stewardship Foresters are available to assist landowners with forest management planning that enables access to financial assistance grants for a variety of activities that are focused on reducing fire severity, as well as enhancing overall forest health and water quality. From July 2023 through June 2025, ODF Stewardship Foresters provided more than 7,361 technical assistance hours, not related to FPA administration, to non-industrial private forestland owners. Funding is also available within ODF and through other agencies/partners that is used for community wildfire planning, fuels reduction projects, and post-fire restoration.

From 2023 to 2024, these efforts had the following results:

  • The creation of 17 forest stewardship management plans, covering 6,042.5 acres through ODF provided cost share funding through the Forest Stewardship Program. • Six bark beetle mitigation projects treating 63.9 acres helping forestland owners with prevention and early mitigation of bark beetle outbreaks through the ODF Bark Beetle Mitigation Grant program.
  • The ODF Small Forestland Grant Program awarded $104,900 to thin 56 acres of fuels mitigation work. This project also leveraged OWEB and Pelton funds to use the woody debris for in stream restoration on Wychus Creek. an OWEB and Pelton Fund.
  • ​The Forest Legacy Program is a partnership with the United States Forest Service that addresses privately owned forestlands that face threats of conversion to non-forest use by development pressures such as urbanization, rural residential development, or parcelization. The Oregon Forestry Legacy Program is a voluntary, application based program that provides funds for the purchase of development rights to eligible private forestlands through either conservation easement or fee-title acquisition into public ownership with the goal of promoting stewardship and sustainable management of private forest lands by maintaining working forests that conserve important commodity and non-commodity forest resource and conservation values including water flows and quality, fish and wildlife habitat, stores of carbon, public access and biodiversity. Each biennium ODF reports to the legislature the number and monetary amounts of grants applied for and awarded under the federal Forest Legacy Program as well as the location and disposition of areas affected by the program. These reports are available on the ODF Legislative Reports webpage.​

Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) oversees implementation of Oregon’s Statewide Planning Goals. Several of the planning goals incorporate environmental objectives that support salmon and healthy watersheds. These goals and objectives are implemented through local comprehensive plans and development codes. DLCD provides assistance to local governments when they update their plans and codes to accommodate growing or shifting populations, resource protection, and economic development needs.

During the 2023-25 biennium, DLCD led the development of Estuarine Resilience Action Plans (ERAP) for four coastal jurisdictions (Tillamook, Lincoln, Lane, and Coos Counties), supported by two grant awards from the National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF). These plans outline the resources, assets, and populations at risk to natural hazard impacts, and identify potential green infrastructure projects and other nature-based solutions to improve natural hazard resilience in the major estuaries of these four counties. Development of the plans was led by steering committees composed of city and county governments, watershed councils, soil and water conservation districts, tribal staff, state and federal agencies, and others who can coordinate and implement resilience activities. These efforts also included broader outreach and engagement efforts to solicit local feedback and garner community buy-in for developing plans and projects. ERAPs have and will continue to support putting projects into action to protect coastal fish, wildlife, and habitats as well as human communities. These plans were completed in the summer of 2025 and have created a pipeline of nature-based restoration projects. https://www.oregon.gov/lcd/OCMP/Pages/Estuary-Planning.aspx Local estuary management plans (EMPs) are a critical tool to guide local decisions that protect estuarine and coastal shoreland resources. Since 2016, DLCD’s Ocean and Coastal Managment Program (OCMP) has provided technical, financial, and planning support to the jurisdictions managing the Coos Bay Estuary Management Plan and the Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan, which represent two of the three deep draft development estuaries in Oregon, to modernize their regulatory plans. While comprehensive updates have not been completed yet, significant process and modernization efforts were completed for both estuaries during the biennium, and the City of Newport adopted their portion of the Yaquina Bay Estuary Management Plan in October 2024. The outcomes of this work include updated maps, data, and policies, which help shape development and conservation projects within these estuaries.

Part Three of Oregon's Territorial Sea Plan(TSP), Rocky Habitat Management Strategy was amended and finalized in 2023. This amendment resulted in several significant changes for coastal habitat protection. In addition to new policies related to management of nearshore rocky intertidal habitats, new management designations were approved and implemented. The new amendments incorporate policies that recognize and highlight the importance of protecting submerged aquatic vegetation, policies that recognize the rights of Oregon’s Federally Recognized Tribal Governments, and an adaptive management strategy for consideration of changes to site-based management designations on a recurring cycle. Additionally, eight new management areas were approved for designation through the effort, including new Marine Education Areas (also called Marine Gardens) at Coquille Point and Chapman Point, a Marine Research Area at Cape Blanco, and five Marine Conservation Areas at: Blacklock Point, Cape Foulweather, Fogarty Creek, Cape Lookout, and Ecola Point. The new sites were all proposed by local community groups and will include new regulations on the allowable activities at those locations, marking the first time since 1998 that new rocky habitat designations were established as part of Oregon’s TSP.

The Community Green Infrastructure Grant Program supports projects that bring green infrastructure into Oregon communities. This includes: Planting or building green infrastructure that benefits people and ecosystems; growing and supplying native plants and seeds; and creating green infrastructure master plans.

One new funding opportunity is the Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection & Restoration Program.​ This initiative, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), focuses on ecosystem conservation and habitat restoration planning, engineering, design, and implementation. During the reporting period, OCMP received and facilitated funds for several land acquisition projects. These projects include:

  • Conservation of Cape Foulweather Headland - $2.01 million award for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians to purchase land on the central coast of Oregon. As of fall 2024, the Tribe regained ownership of 27 acres of their ancestral homelands at Cape Foulweather. The Tribe owns and manages the property for its ecological and cultural values.
  • Conservation of Collins Creek Confluence & Ocean Shoreline - $4.8 Million award for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians to acquire this 42-acre beachfront property located on the central coast of Oregon, an area of historic tribal villages and settlements within the Tribe’s original reservation. The Tribe owns and manages the land for its ecological and cultural values.
  • Conserving Tidal Wetlands in the Coquille River - $2.1 million award to the Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife. This project will protect 528 acres of tidal wetlands - a high priority ecosystem - along the Coquille River on Oregon’s southern coast. ODFW will purchase the property, as an addition to the Coquille Valley Wildlife Area, and steward the land in perpetuity.
  • The Coastal Zone Management Habitat Protection & Restoration Program is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and focuses on ecosystem conservation and habitat restoration planning, engineering, design, and implementation. The program seeks to enhance resilience through large-scale habitat restoration and conservation in coastal ecosystems nationwide. These funds are awarded competitively to support coastal habitat restoration and conservation efforts. Restoring and conserving ecologically significant ecosystems — such as wetlands, headlands, and natural shorelines — helps reduce the impacts of coastal hazards and improves habitat health. ​

Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) works on behalf of the State Land Board to ensure a legacy for Oregonians and their public schools through sound stewardship of lands, wetlands, waterways, and the Common School Fund. The Department oversees the state’s removal-fill and ​wetland conservation laws and the use of state-owned waterways. The Department is also the state partner of the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve in Charleston, Oregon.

The Real Property Program manages 764,000 acres of school lands to send revenue to all K-12 public schools in Oregon. During the 2023-2025 biennium, 6,827 acres of forestlands were transferred to DSL management from Oregon Department of Forestry management for greater efficiency. In addition, the 83,00 acre Elliott State Forest​ was approved as the Elliott State Research Forest under DSL management as a new program and the first operations plan for 2025-2027 was approved. Rangeland management in eastern Oregon included nearly 20,000 acres of juniper and invasive grass treatments through partnership work with adjacent property owners, government entities, federal agencies and nonprofit organizations.

DSL’s Aquatic Resource Management Program protects waters and wetlands for their many contributions to Oregon and manages uses of Oregon-owned waterways, such as registrations for docks and leases of state-owned waterways for marinas and ports. Projects in wetlands and waters during the 2023-2025 biennium included the review of 2,006 wetland reviews for landowners and local governments, approval of 678 reports describing and mapping wetland boundaries, 1,235 removal-fill permit decisions, and approval of two local wetlands inventories in support of Oregon’s statewide land use Goal 5. Compensation is required when losses of wetlands and waters is permitted. The Department provided oversight for 23 mitigation banks and six in-lieu fee projects, and contributed mitigation dollars for the enhancement of 120 acres of tidal wetlands near Coos Bay. In Oregon-owned waterways,​ DSL removed over 20 vessels, including the FV Tiffany - a 200-ton vessel containing PCBs, lead, and fuel – that sank in the Columbia River, completed over 32 cleanups that removed 765 tons of material, and distributed $200,000 to three projects aiming to improve Oregon’s waterways.

The South Slough Reserve​ manages and studies nearly 7,000 acres of natural area on Oregon-owned lands in the Coos Estuary and is the first of 30 National Estuarine Research Reserves. In calendar year 2024, 56 research projects were conducted by staff and visiting scientists, 214 decision makers were trained in workshops designed to increase their understanding of coastal data and ecology, 164 programs for public education were held, and 67 volunteers removed invasive species alongside staff and partners during Saturday Steward events. The 525-acre Wasson Creek Restoration project broke ground with earth moving to restore stream flow and create elevations conducive to native wetland habitat, and over 7,900 native species were planted. Work continues in 2025 to increase forest health, plant native species and improve stream complexity.​

​​Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) provides and protects outstanding natural, scenic, cultural, historic and recreational sites for the enjoyment and education of present and future generations. The agency manages state parks, ocean shores, scenic waterways, recreation trails and bikeways; manages the State Historic Preservation Office; and provides assistance to local governments for recreation and heritage conservation.

​Funds for these projects come from Oregon Lottery revenues, proceeds of the sales of salmon license plates, and from other revenue sources. In general, projects include riparian plantings, stream bank stabilization, upland restoration, forest health thinning, invasive species removal, endangered species habitat enhancement, hydrological restoration, and restoration monitoring. Additionally, federal Land and Water Conservation Grants provide matching funds to local governments to acquire or enhance outdoor recreation areas and facilities for public use. OPRD’s Central Park Resources section offers guidance and supporting resources for trail and park development and improvements, and advises on natural resources and natural areas.

In the 23-25 biennium, OPRD allocated Salmon Plate funding to: 1) floodplain and side channel restoration at Big Creek in coastal Lane County cooperation with the MidCoast Watershed Council; 2) water quality monitoring on the Middle Fork John Day River with the North Fork John Day Watershed Council; 3) ongoing restoration of Sullivan's Gulch, a tributary of the Sixes River in Curry County in cooperation with Curry Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD); and 4) management of aquatic invasive species on the Willamette River in cooperation with multiple partners including Willamette Riverkeeper, Benton SWCD, and Yamhill SWCD.

OPRD has continued to work with various partners on major estuary restoration project planning, design and implementation - with benefits including habitat restoration, fish passage improvements, and community resiliency. Locations involved include the Columbia River Estuary (Clatsop and Multnomah Counties), Sand Lake Estuary (Tillamook County), Big Creek (Lane County), and the Sixes River Estuary (Curry County).

OPRD has also continued to work with various partners on river-side channel reconnection, floodplain restoration, riparian restoration/shading, and fish habitat improvements on park properties on the Willamette, Clackamas, Columbia, Sixes, Nehalem, and Deschutes rivers.

OPRD recently completed its TMDL Implementation Plan for the John Day River, outlining concrete actions the agency can take to improve water quality in that basin.

Oregon Department of Transportation's (ODOT) Environmental Engineering Section provides continued guidance on ODOT’s projects and programs, including a ​ Biology P​rogram​ to help ODOT with all aspects of planning related to biological resources. For example, the Fish Passage Program​ was developed with ODFW and has fostered partnerships with government agencies, watershed councils, and other stakeholders to support the recovery of threatened and endangered fish and native migratory fish by removing fish passage barriers on the state highway system. The Program identifies high-value streams that bring the greatest benefit to native migratory fish and provides a list of priority barriers to address.

During the 2023 - 2025 biennium, ODOT completed a total of 19 culvert projects that improved fish passage through ODOT’s Fish Passage Program. The 19 culvert projects opened or improved access to over 35 miles of habitat for native migratory fish. As part of the ODOT Culvert Repair Programmatic Agreement with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), ODOT invested $4.41 million into an ODFW-managed account to help address statewide high-priority fish passage barriers off the state transportation system. In 2025, these funds were allocated to 8 projects that will improve access to over 74 miles of stream habitat and 180 acres of tidal habitat for native migratory fish.

ODOT manages stormwater runoff emanating from its impervious surfaces to minimize pollutant discharges as required by the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and other local, state, and federal regulations. In doing so, ODOT treats runoff not only from expanded impervious surfaces, but also from sections of existing highway which contribute stormwater runoff to those project areas; as a result, reductions of pollutant loading and concentrations are achieved, which not only mitigates for new construction, but also results in a net uplift in the quality of fish habitat.

Since 2009, Oregon State Marine Board (BOAT) has worked closely with ODFW to implement the Oregon Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program (AISPP). The purpose of the AISPP is to protect Oregon against the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species through the management of recreational boat inspection stations. Each year, the AISPP provides a comprehensive report for the public, which is also submitted to the Oregon Legislature. The most recent iteration of that report is available online.

During the 2023-25 biennium:

Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program ODFW check Stations/Center for Lakes and Reservoirs at Portland State - This is a continuation of information provided in the 2021-2023 biennial report. For 2024, 18,719 boats were inspected with 272 found with aquatic vegetation, 6 were found with zebra or quagga mussels.

Clean Marina Program​ - OSMB certifies 64 Clean Marinas. The program requires that marinas to adopt and use best management practices to improve water quality and promote a cleaner marine environment. Including recycling programs, spill mitigation, native plant practices and filtering stormwater runoff.

ARPA Removal of Derelict Vessels from the Willamette - OSMB received American Rescue Plan Act funds for the removal of Abandoned and Derelict Vessels from the Willamette and Columbia Rivers in the amount of $1M in 2021. Approximately 1/4 of the funds were spend in the 2021-2023, with the balance spent in the 2024-2025 biennium. These funds enabled OSMB to remove 88 vessels that created a hazard to these rivers.

In response to House Bill 3293 (2024), the Oregon Water Resources Department, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Department of Environmental Quality, and Business Oregon worked collaboratively to identify Best Practices in engaging communities when supporting water projects. OWRD developed and adopted rules for “Best Practices in Community Engagement for Water Projects” in March 2025.

Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) oversees water rights permitting as well as programs to monitor and regulate Oregon’s groundwater and surface water. OWRD facilitates voluntary streamflow restoration efforts throughout the state, assisting with streamflow restoration projects, and reviewing final water applications (i.e., instream leases, new instream water right applications, instream transfers, and allocations of conserved water). OWRD monitors streamflows through a network of gaging stations and regulates for instream water rights.

During the 2023-25 biennium:

The 2023 Legislature made Place-Based Integrated Water Planning a permanent program at OWRD and rules were adopted in March 2025.

OWRD restored flows for fish in of 25% of watersheds for fish by leasing water instream or converting hydroelectric water rights instream (Key Performance Measure #1). Since 2023, an additional 9,944.17 cfs has been protected instream.

OWRD continues to protect instream water rights through regulatory actions (Key Performance Measure #2). OWRD reported 3037 regulatory actions in 2024 conducted to regulate for instream water rights.

OWRD continues to work on installing measurement devices at Significant Points of Diversion (Key Performance Measure #7). One additional device was installed in the 2024 calendar year.

In response to House Bill 3293 (2024), the Oregon Water Resources Department, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, Department of Environmental Quality, and Business Oregon worked collaboratively to identify Best Practices in engaging communities when supporting water projects. OWRD developed and adopted rules for “Best Practices in Community Engagement for Water Projects” in March 2025.

Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) is the state’s primary source of geoscientific information.

In 2025, DOGAMI expanded the extent of lidar coverage in Oregon (USGS Quality Level 2 or better) from 66.7% in 2023 to 91.6%. Lidar serves as the State’s primary source of high-resolution topographic data and provides essential information about watershed and forest conditions throughout Oregon.

DOGAMI enhanced county and community understanding of watershed geomorphic processes by completing Channel Migration Zone (CMZ) mapping along the McKenzie and Middle Fork Willamette Rivers in eastern Lane County, the Zigzag River in Clackamas County, and Johnson Creek in Multnomah and Clackamas Counties. The mapped CMZ areas encompass key aquatic and riparian habitats, particularly in locations where river morphology is complex due to erosion, sediment deposition, and channel avulsion. DOGAMI’s maps provide valuable tools to support restoration planning and conservation prioritization.

In support of a legislative Key Performance Measure (KPM #2), DOGAMI produced new geologic maps that improve understanding of Oregon’s groundwater resources—critical information for decision-makers responsible for managing limited water supplies. The percentage of Oregon covered by detailed geologic mapping increased from 62.8% in 2023 to 63.8% in 2025, representing hundreds of square miles of new mapping.


Contact

Please direct questions or comments to Audrey Hatch, Conservation Outcomes Coordinator, 971-345-7002.

Archived Documents

Explore the Oregon State Library website for an in-depth look at the history of the Oregon Plan.