Wildfire and Drinking Water Sources

Potential impacts to public water systems after wildfires

Wildfires impact public water systems in many ways, ranging from immediate effects to long-term changes within watersheds. These changes may affect the water quality used at drinking water intakes, wells or springs.

The resources listed here are designed to help...

Fact sheets

Map viewers

Wildfire Impacts on Oregon Public Water Systems Map Viewer
Oregon Health Authority’s interactive map displaying current wildfire perimeters, evacuation areas, and drinking water source areas
Incident Information System
interagency all-risk incident information management system

Additional resources

Oregon Health Authority's Emergency Preparedness and Planning Resources for Wildfire web page
OHA's Drinking Water Program includes guidance for post wildfire monitoring, treatment optimization recommendations, advisory tips, and other resources.

DEQ's main Wildfire Response page includes information on affects to air, land, and water across the state.

Oregon's Office of Emergency Management Wildfire Response and Recovery website
OEM's dedicated website provides comprehensive information before, during, and after a wildfire.

A lasting impact

The September 2020 wildfires impacted numerous public water systems, with immediate effects to water quality and infrastructure and anticipated long-term changes within watersheds that supply drinking water.

There were 50 public water systems using surface water affected, and 96 public water systems using groundwater have source areas within the wildfire perimeters.

Long-term impacts to water systems depend on burn severity, slope gradient, riparian and watershed conditions, and land management practices. DEQ participated on the Erosion Threat Assessment/Reduction Team to evaluate fires that burn on nonfederal land, including private, state, and local jurisdictions. The team assessed post-fire changes on the landscape to identify threats and potential risks to drinking water resources and provide recommendations to protect human life and safety, assets and infrastructure, and important natural and cultural resources.

Maps of select river basins with 2020 Wildfire Perimeters and Drinking Water Intakes (including downstream water providers):

Clackamas: Riverside and Dowty Road Fires
Mollalla-Pudding: Riverside and Beachie Creek Fires
North Santiam: Beachie Creek and Lionshead Fires
McKenzie Upper Willamette (Calapooia) and South Santiam: Holiday Farm Fire
North Umpqua and Umpqua: Archie Creek and Thielsen Fires
Upper and Middle Rogue: Almeda and South Obenchain Fires

Contact

For more information, email:
Drinkingwater.Protection@deq.oregon.gov