19 results for author: Karen Lewotsky

New Groundwater Rules APPROVED!

Big news for the future of groundwater in Oregon! On September 12, 2024, the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) unanimously voted to adopt updated rules to how the state manages groundwater allocation. This important milestone has been a long time in the making. OEC — along with other member organizations in the Oregon Water Partnership — served on OWRD’s Rules Advisory Committee for over a year to craft these changes. The new rules will ensure more sustainable groundwater use for our state moving forward, while protecting existing surface water rights and domestic well users. We applaud OWRD’s decision. Water is the most essential ...

PFAS AKA “Forever Chemicals”

When we first wrote about PFAS in 2020 they were still relatively new in the public consciousness. Today, the full scope of these "forever chemicals" has come frighteningly into focus.

Governor Kotek Nominates Ivan Gall to Lead OWRD

OEC joins our partners in applauding Governor Tina Kotek’s nomination of Ivan Gall for the role of Director at the Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD). The exhaustive, nationwide search for this position took nearly a year. We appreciate that Gov. Kotek chose a candidate so deeply familiar with the intricacies of Oregon water. Gall has been working at OWRD for a quarter-century. In his time there, he headed the department’s field services division, as well as its groundwater section. Gall brings technical expertise, on-the-ground knowledge, and extensive experience in groundwater management. Because Oregon's water policies and regulati...

Make Your Voice Heard for the Future of Oregon Groundwater!

When you think about water in Oregon, you might think about the Rogue River, Pacific Coast or Malheur Lake. However, some of the most important bodies of water in our state aren't visible to the naked eye: they're under our feet. Almost 90% of our state’s public water systems rely at least in part on groundwater ecosystems. Snow and rain collect into aquifers made of underground layers of sand, fractured rocks and other permeable materials, forming the groundwater so crucial to Oregon communities. Right now, big changes are on the horizon for Oregon groundwater. You can help protect this vital resource for all Oregonians. Submit written public ...

Biosolids, PFAS and Oregon Agriculture

Known as “forever chemicals,” harmful PFAS chemicals can be found in the air, water, and soil of virtually every ecosystem on Earth. Distribution of PFAS varies widely – from high concentrations in states like Michigan and North Carolina to very low levels here in Oregon. Our state’s water utilities and water quality agencies are already studying the sources and level of PFAS in our local water systems. But there is still much to learn about how these chemicals move through our ecosystem.  That’s why we’re urging lawmakers to pass the Biosolids Bill (HB 4049). This important bill will support OSU Extension in studying the levels of ...

A Win For Families, Farms, Fish, and the Future

Oregon’s new Drought Package secures $174M funding for resilient lands, waters, and rural economies.

Oregon’s Looming Water Crisis

There are over 12 state agencies involved with managing Oregon’s water. And a recent state audit determined that things are not as coordinated as they need to be. Existing laws are tied to property rights and based on an outdated worldview. These policies make it hard to live up to the Endangered Species Act, honor Tribal rights, and use water in a way that serves human health and prevents ecosystem collapse. How can Oregon bring the way we manage water into the 21st century? How do we ensure water policy prioritizes shared needs and equitably serves underrepresented communities and rural communities? It is time for Oregon to have these hard ...

Climate Change and Agriculture: How are they connected and what’s to be done?

What is climate change and how does it work? We’ve all heard the phrase “climate change,” but what does that phrase mean? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines climate change as “a long-term (decades to centuries) change in any of a number of environmental conditions for a given place and time—such as temperature, rainfall, humidity, cloudiness, wind, and air circulation patterns.” So any shift in weather patterns lasting for a prolonged period of time can be called climate change. Today most people who say “climate change” are referring to the steady well-documented increases in Earth’s temperature ...

Oregon Sets New Goals for Carbon Sequestration

Natural and Working Lands Proposal Healthy forests, waters, and agricultural lands are vital to Oregon’s economy, culture, and way of life. These natural and working lands often come to mind as vital resources in need of protection from climate impacts, but they are also an essential part of the climate solution. The science is clear: in order to avoid climate catastrophe, we must radically transform the way we use our land — from how we grow our food to how we manage our forests. Recognizing this need, Governor Brown directed the Oregon Global Warming Commission to work in concert with our state natural resource agencies to develop and ...

Road-trips, Representatives and Adventures in Eastern Oregon

Summer is road-trip time, and recently, OEC staff Karen Lewotsky (Water Policy and Rural Partnerships Director) and Morgan Gratz-Weiser (Legislative Director) headed southeast across Oregon to Crane, with stops along the way in Tumalo and Prineville. Why Crane? The gathering in Crane was organized by leading legislators and partner organizations Verde, Willamette Partnership and others, to celebrate recent state investment in water and water infrastructure. The celebration kicked off with a virtual Zoom event the preceding week, and culminated with a tour of Harney basin groundwater resources, on-farm water use-efficiency practices and a BBQ ...