Water Budget Info

Since 2021, Oregon has made significant investments to better understand the water supply and consumptive use in each of its eighteen basins.. Water budgets are way more complex than the ins and outs of a household budget, and numerous projects are underway to provide accurate estimates in support of informed water planning and management.

This webpage will provide access to water budget tools and information as they become available and will be updated twice a year. You will also find updates on projects in progress, with completion dates varying from 2025 - 2032.

For those with less background in water science but curious about the topic, this page also provides educational resources (see Understanding Water Systems) to support broad understanding of these important topics!

OWRD is working with the United States Geologic Service (USGS) to improve estimates of groundwater supplies in Oregon. These estimates will be paired with data regularly collected by OWRD to continue to improve our understanding of groundwater recharge and storage. Updates about developing work and newly available tools will be shared here as they become available.

Studies and Research Initiatives
Statewide Recharge Study Bi-annual Update
Surface Water Information Modeling System (SWIMS)
Base Flow Data Fact Sheet

Ongoing Data Collection
Groundwater Information Systems (GWIS) Mapping tool
Stream Gage Data

OWRD's Surface water team and their partners are developing datasets and tools to better understand consumptive water use in Oregon. This information, along with OWRD's ongoing data collection, is providing a growing body of knowledge about the water consumption components of a water budget. Updates about developing work and newly available tools will be shared here as they become available.

Evapotranspiration (ET) Investigations and Data Update: 
Water Use_Bi-annual Update_January 2026
OpenET (Evapotranspiration mapping tool)

Ongoing Data Collection:
Water Rights Information System (WRIS)
Water Use Reporting
AgriMet program

Some of OWRD’s studies focus on a particular region or water system in the state. These studies inform planning, developing and implementing policies, managing water use, and partnerships that can emerge from a shared understanding of a region’s water situation. The resources below share regional scientific information currently available or being actively developed, and links to local water planning activities.

The resources below share regional scientific information currently available or being actively developed, and links to local water planning activities.

Links to Planning Activities: 