For 25 years, the Hood River Watershed Group has been sustaining and improving the Hood River Watershed through education, cooperation, and stewardship. 2021 marked 25 years of restoration, conservation, and outreach for the Watershed Group, and with the completion of the Hood River Basin Partnership Strategic Action Plan (Watershed 2040) this year, we have a new 20-year scope of work that aims to restore aquatic habitat for the watershed’s anadromous and resident fish species. Restoration of fish habitat, stream flow, and water quality is the foundation of the plan, though much of this work will also strengthen the resiliency of our community and economy as climate change continues to impact stream flow, water temperature, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats.

Watershed 2040 was developed by the Hood River Basin Partnership, which consists of nine core members, including the Hood River Watershed Group, the Hood River Soil and Water Conservation District, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, East Fork Irrigation District, Middle Fork Irrigation District, Farmers Irrigation District, the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. This partnership will be working together over the next 20 years to achieve the ambitious goals laid out in the plan.

We’re excited to begin work on Watershed 2040, and know that we need to engage the diverse and unique watershed community to be successful in this plan. We’ll be reaching out to you in the coming year to explore ways we can work together to be stewards of this incredible watershed.

Read about what we’ve accomplished with our partners over the last year in our 2021 Annual Report.