This list compiles news and web stories that feature OSU water and watershed faculty and students.
Streams of blood, or streams of peace (The Economist, 5/1/2008) - When Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, was asked to ponder the future of the world before an audience of powerful businessmen and politicians, at a meeting in Switzerland earlier this year, he could have chosen any topic he liked. What he focused on was both a hoary old favourite, and a newly popular preoccupation, of debates on world affairs: the rising risk of wars over fresh water, as populations increase and the world gets drier. Researchers at Oregon State University say they have found evidence…showing that the world's 263 trans-boundary rivers (whose basins cover nearly half the land surface of the world) generate more co-operation than conflict.
New OSU Program Aims To Smooth The Rough Waters Of Water Conflict (OPB-FM, 4/24/2008) - Water is a valuable commodity. And it’s one that people have been fighting over for centuries. But how do you resolve those conflicts when lives are on the line? OSU geography professor Aaron Wolf says it takes a combination of technical know-how and people skills. Aaron Wolf: “Anybody who’s dealt with water management of any scale or aspect knows intuitively that water management is conflict management. So knowing how to speak different and listen different about water is a critical skill set.” Wolf says those skills will be taught as part of the new graduate level water management program at OSU. It’s one of a handful of such programs in the world. Read more about the program.
Oregon State offers new water conflict management certificate (Gazette-Times, AP, KTVZ.com-Bend, 4/21/2008) - Oregon State University is offering a new graduate certificate in water conflict management. The Oregon State program was created in 2002 as the university worked to help mediate water problems around the world. The school says the program may be useful for students in engineering, hydrogeology, political science or law. Training in conflict management would be specialized for students seeking to apply their skills in the United States or abroad. Read more about the program.
Windows on Watersheds - A clear look at industrial forests (Terra, 4/2008) - To the list of problems for watershed research, add dam-building beavers. Last fall, in the rippling waters of Flynn Creek near the Coast Range town of Toledo, Oregon, scientists had placed a probe to take continuous measurements of dissolved oxygen. When the instrument shut down abruptly, hydrologist George Ice went to check. “I saw that the cord was cut,” he says. “A beaver had gnawed it off and stuffed the probe into its dam.” The amused vendor, the Hach Company, provided a free replacement. Ice and other researchers are updating a pivotal forest science project in Flynn Creek and the surrounding Alsea River watershed.
Rivers seen having big role in removing nitrogen (Oregonian, 3/19/08) - Healthy streams with vibrant ecosystems play a critical role in removing excess nitrogen caused by human activities, according to a study last week in Nature. The research is the first to document how much nitrogen rivers and streams can filter through tiny organisms or release into the atmosphere through a process called denitrification. "The study clearly points out the importance of maintaining healthy river systems and native riparian areas," said Stan Gregory, an Oregon State University stream ecologist and study co-author. "It also demonstrates the importance of retaining complex stream channels that give organisms the time to filter out nitrogen instead of releasing it downstream." See also the related OSU News Service press release.
Oregon scientist creates waves in water research - Austin company SensorTran joins in with stream research (Austin American-Statesman, 3/15/2008) - For a scientist like John Selker at Oregon State University, finding a new way to take precise measurements in the natural world opens up a new level of understanding — and a shift in the way some earth science is conducted. Selker, who teaches ecological engineering, created some waves in the world of water research in late 2006 when he and his research collaborators deployed a technology that used fiber-optic cable as a tool for making thousands of continuous temperature measurements in streams. The first work was done in Europe while Selker was on sabbatical in Switzerland. He continued the work when he returned to Oregon.
Will wild salmon go the way of the buffalo? (Modesto Bee, 3/15/08) - “Salmon are becoming like buffalo because we are driving them to the brink of extinction,” writes columnist Mike Dunbar. “Once there were millions of salmon swimming up our rivers; now many of those rivers are too dirty or warm or filled with poisons and sediment for salmon to survive. It has become so serious that Wednesday the Pacific Fisheries Management Council canceled the early portion of the salmon season off the Oregon coast and will consider more closures in April. …This outlook was not popular at last week's Salmonid Restoration Federation's 26th annual conference. One of the featured speakers was Robert Lackey, a fish biologist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, professor at Oregon State University and lead editor of the book/project "Salmon 2100." He considers himself pragmatic; others might say "doomsayer." By the year 2100, said Lackey, wild salmon will be "like buffalo" -- unlikely to go extinct, but living only in "boutique" populations. We're already well on our way, he said, with a 90 percent decline from historic salmon runs. Why? ‘More people, fewer fish.’ And even more people on their way.”
Studies Question Social, Environmental Implications of Midwest Agriculture (OSU News Service, 3/14/08) – Case studies of Midwest agricultural land use practices suggest that area residents would embrace more environmental protection and often care deeply about protecting their land, but in reality are being pushed by economic forces and government policies toward a future of high commodity production, declining biodiversity, soil degradation and heavy pollution. In a new book titled “From the Corn Belt to the Gulf,” authors from several universities, private industry and government agencies outline a range of both concerns and opportunities facing one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, and the broader implications that management actions there have for ecosystems elsewhere. “Part of what’s most interesting is that the use of these lands can change quickly and dramatically based on government policies,” said Mary Santelmann, director of the Water Resources Graduate Program at Oregon State University, and co-editor of the new book.
Oregon Gets a Statewide Drug Test (KUOW, KOPB Radio, 3/14/08) - Tom Banse reports this morning on OSU toxicologist Jennifer Field’s new study-in-process of wastewater from communities across Oregon. The study will detail the amounts of illicit drugs and other substances found in wastewater as it enters treatment facilities and ostensibly help government officials better target where drug abuse prevention, education and treatment resources be invested. The sampling and analysis techniques behind the study are relatively new, and this is thought to be the largest application of them to date, Banse reports. Streaming audio of the story is available at the site link above.
Healthy Rivers Needed To Remove Nitrogen (Science Daily, 3/13/08) - Healthy streams with vibrant ecosystems play a critical role in removing excess nitrogen caused by human activities, according to a major new national study published in Nature. The research, by a team of 31 aquatic scientists across the United States, was the first to document just how much nitrogen that rivers and streams can filter through tiny organisms or release into the atmosphere through a process called denitrification. "The study clearly points out the importance of maintaining healthy river systems and native riparian areas," said Stan Gregory, a stream ecologist in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Oregon State University, and a co-author of the study.
Middle East Water Collection Database is now online (IWW, 3/7/08) - This collection was the gracious donation of Dr. Thomas Naff, Professor Emeritus of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies and the Institute for Environmental Studies (IES) at the University of Pennsylvania. The database contains approximately 9000 items on the subjects of Middle East politics and water, and includes materials from books, journals, reports, and newspaper articles. Most documents in the public domain are available in full text at the above WWW site. More materials will be added as soon as copyright permission is obtained. The complete collection is housed on the the 3rd floor of The Valley Library. The funds to do this were provided by the Institute for Water and Watersheds and OSU's Program inWater Conflict Management and Transformation (PWCMT) and College of Science(CoS). Contact Patrick MacQuarrie if you have any questions or comments.
Conference Will Explore Aquifer Storage as Option for Water Challenges (OSU News Service, 2/21/08)– Oregon State University will hold a professional conference on aquifer storage on Thursday, Feb. 28, attracting a range of experts to discuss new methods for addressing future water shortages that may be caused by increasing demands from agriculture, population growth and climate change. Link to Symposium recap and presentations.
A Region's Vitality is Melting Away (Oregonian, 2/11/08) - The melting of Mount Hood's signature glaciers raises a crucial question for the region: How much do we depend on them and the cool water they pour into rivers and creeks? New findings by Oregon State University researchers show that in certain places, the answer is: quite a bit. That is important news for Hood River and its famous fruit crop, which drinks in glacier water throughout the summer. Almost three-quarters of the water rushing down the Upper Middle Fork of the Hood River in late summer comes from glaciers and permanent snow and ice fields on the mountain, according to research by OSU professor Anne Nolin and graduate student Jeff Phillippe.
Oregon’s Reputation, Climate Change Drawing Students to New Master’s Program (OSU News Service, 1/31/08) – A growing number of students drawn by Oregon’s reputation as a trend-setter in policy decisions are enrolling in Oregon State University’s Master of Public Policy program – one of the few such programs in the West. Student interest in climate change and other environmental issues have prompted the OSU program to add a special concentration in science policy, says Brent Steel, a professor of political science who directs the program. “Oregon is where it’s at in terms of environmental policy,” Steel said, “and the state’s reputation is definitely drawing students – not only nationally, but internationally. Whether it’s owl wars, salmon wars, Measure 37, or some other conflict, there have been some compelling public policy issues in the state.”
Money, supply at risk as states' squabble over aquifer heads to court (Memphis Commercial-Appeal, 1/27/2008) - The state of Mississippi's lawsuit against Memphis asserts that for decades the city has been stealing millions of gallons of its water daily. In the vast aquifer underlying the Mid-South, the Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division's wells have created depressions, causing ground water to be pulled northward across the state line. The city, however, maintains that its use of the aquifer is reasonable and doesn't harm Mississippi. Michael Campana, IWW Director, is quoted in this story.
Hinkle Creek research project producing results - (KPIC News 4, 1/11/2008) - Research on a watershed east of Sutherlin has revealed some interesting information already to researchers from Oregon State University. The Hinkle Creek Research project includes about 5,000 acres of Roseburg Forest Products land, that has been turned into an outdoor research lab, that tracks the movement of cutthroat trout and determines how much shade and fallen trees they need to thrive. It compares the two areas that have similar characteristics, but have had different types of timber management.
Bottled Water Vs. Tap Water - Chemicals, contaminants, pollution, price: new reasons to rethink what you drink and beware of bottled water (Reader's Digest, 1/10/2008) - Remember the drinking fountain, that once ubiquitous, and free, source of H2O? It seems quaint now. Instead, bottled water is everywhere, in offices, airplanes, stores, homes and restaurants across the country. We consumed over eight billion gallons of the stuff in 2006, a 10 percent increase from 2005. It's refreshing, calorie-free, convenient to carry around, tastier than some tap water and a heck of a lot healthier than sugary sodas. But more and more, people are questioning whether the water, and the package it comes in, is safe, or at least safer than tap water—and if the convenience is worth the environmental impact. Todd Jarvis, IWW Associate Director is quoted in this story.
Western States Facing Waterways Inundated with Non-Native Fish, Amphibians - The most widespread non-native species were brook, rainbow and brown trout, which were found in 14-17 percent of the streams surveyed. (Salem-News, 11/28/2007) - A new study by researchers at Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that more than half of the stream and river miles surveyed in 12 western states contained non-native fish and amphibians.
OSU researcher will receive national award (Statesman Journal, 11/28/2007) - An Oregon State University scientist and researcher will receive a national award in April at the White House. Carl Schreck, will be acknowledged as one of the leading salmon researchers in the country as the recipient of a Meritorious Presidential Rank Award. Schreck works for the U.S. Geological Survey and is the leader of the Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the university. “His contributions to fisheries science are unparalleled,” said Dan Edge, the head of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at OSU and a member of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. “He helped pioneer the use of genetics in managing fish species, and his research into physiological stress on fish has led not only to better scientific understanding, but new management practices.”
OSU’s Wright Named Oregon “Professor of the Year” by CASE, Carnegie Foundation (OSU News Service, 11/27/2007) – Dawn Wright, an Oregon State University professor of geosciences, has been named Oregon Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
OSU Ranks High Nationally in Measure of Faculty Productivity (OSU News Service, 11/27/2007) – A new ranking of graduate programs at research universities around the country shows that Oregon State University faculty are exceptionally productive, ranking among the top 10 U.S. universities in eight of the disciplines measured. OSU earned a top national ranking in Wildlife Science and ranked second in Fisheries Science. The university also ranked fourth in Zoology, fifth in both Plant Pathology and Forest Resources/Forestry, seventh in both Pharmacy and Agricultural Economics and ninth in Science Education. OSU placed in the top 10 in more categories than any other Oregon institution.
Noted OSU Fisheries Researcher Honored with Presidential Award (OSU News Service, 11/26/2007)– Carl Schreck, an Oregon State University scientist acknowledged as one of the leading salmon researchers in the country, has been named the recipient of a Meritorious Presidential Rank Award. He will be presented the award at the White House in April. Schreck, who is employed by the U.S. Geological Survey, leads the Oregon Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at OSU.
Study: Western Streams Inundated with Non-Native Fish, Amphibians (OSU News Service, 11/19/2007) – A new study by researchers at Oregon State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that more than half of the stream and river miles surveyed in 12 western states contained non-native fish and amphibians.
Survey Reveals Conflict Between Natural Resource Ideals, Realities (OSU News Service, 11/16/07) – In theory, almost everyone believes in clean streams, healthy fisheries and protected watersheds. In reality, when the mechanisms to actually achieve those goals are suggested or implemented, the public reactions are all over the map – and sometimes hostile and often confusing.
OSU wades deep into water issues (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 11/20/07) - Representatives of four African nations Tuesday converged at Oregon State University to discuss the Nile River and water issues. The university’s water conflict management and transformation program — one of a handful of such institutions in the world — also helps out in the Mekong Delta, the Tigris and the Euphrates, the Jordan River and elsewhere. With ever-scarcer water resources rivaling oil as the next focus of international and local conflicts, Oregon State University experts are joining global leaders who are mediating such conflicts.
A river for warmer times: Deschutes may have a leg up on climate change (Bend Bulletin, 10/26/07) - Even back when he was a river guide on the Deschutes, Gordon Grant thought there was something unusual about the river. “The Deschutes always seemed a little odd to me, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it,” he said. When he started studying it from a geologic and hydrologic perspective, he started realizing what it was that made the river different. It has a much more steady flow than other rivers, rarely floods and is fed by a giant underground reservoir.
OSU Researchers Receive $2.3 Million from OWEB for Major Watershed Projects (OSU News Service, 10/19/07) – Researchers from Oregon State University and a variety of collaborators have been awarded more than $2.3 million in funding from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) to conduct seven separate studies involving Oregon streams and watersheds.
OSU Launches First Ecological Engineering Degree in U.S. (OSU News Service, 10/18/07) – Oregon State University has just launched the nation’s first undergraduate degree program in ecological engineering. The new degree, offered through OSU’s Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering, is expected to attract top students from around the nation.
Running into a Corvallis fall: 29th annual festival run an autumn tradition (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 9/24/07) - The men’s overall 5K winner, Robert Gomez, works for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Corvallis. “I just came and started at a moderate pace and about halfway through I still felt fresh, so I started to pick it up,” said Gomez. Gomez came to the race with a handful of friends that included Adam Mazurkiewicz, who took third place in the men’s 25-29 age group; Chris Graham, who took second place in the 30-39 age group; and Holly Barnard, who took third in the women’s 30-39 age group. The group works together for Jeff McDonnell’s Hillslope and Watershed Hydrology Lab at OSU. “We’re the big winners here today,” Mazurkiewicz joked, “We brought home the most medals of any hydrology lab that came."
For Salmon And Human Communities, 'Resilience' Emerging As Key Concept (Science Daily, 9/23/07) - In a world in which instability, whether driven by people or nature, seems to be increasing, “resilience” is emerging as a key concept – a desirable characteristic of both natural and human systems and communities. Scientists define resilience as the ability to tolerate or recover from disturbance. Story includes quotes by Dan Bottom and Court Smith and mentions the Oregon Sea Grant program.
For Salmon and Human Communities, “Resilience” Emerging as Key Concept (OSU News Service, 9/20/07) - In a world in which instability, whether driven by people or nature, seems to be increasing, “resilience” is emerging as a key concept – a desirable characteristic of both natural and human systems and communities. Scientists define resilience as the ability to tolerate or recover from disturbance.
Panel: Water resources already scarce - Forum highlights how county might develop water plan (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 9/13/07) - Water supply doesn’t seem like it ought be something that’s a problem in rainy western Oregon. To the contrary, a panel of water managers, planners, experts and advocates told scores of people Thursday that future land use and climate change are already making water a scarce commodity. “Oftentimes, when we start talking about planning natural resources use, people who ordinarily like planning their life and their business start saying, ‘Well, maybe we shouldn’t be planning for that,’ ” said Michael Campana, director of the Oregon State University Institute for Water and Watersheds.
Benton forum will look at water issues - (Albany Democrat-Herald, 9/2/07) - Some residents in Benton County have trouble getting water, and the county wants to see if there’s any support for doing something about it. The county has scheduled a community forum to discuss the possibility of developing a countywide water policy and plan. The forum will be from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library in Corvallis. Michael Campana will speak at the meeting.
Outside Looking In - OSU students get a taste of community-based restoration in the Grande Ronde Watershed (Ripples in the Grande Ronde, Summer 2007) - From June 18–22, nine Oregon State University graduate students and faculty members were hosted by the Grande Ronde Model Watershed and Wallowa Resources for a field course in water governance. Our trip to northeast Oregon followed the completion of a spring term class called “Water Governance and Conflict Management,” the capstone course of a new graduate Certificate in Water Conflict Management and Transformation. Click here for additional photos from the class.
Sewage Tells Tales About Community-wide Drug Abuse (Science Daily, 8/22/07) - Public health officials may soon be able to flush out more accurate estimates on illegal drug use in communities across the country thanks to screening test described here today at the 234th national meeting of the American Chemical Society. The test doesn't screen people, it seeks out evidence of illicit drug abuse in drug residues and metabolites excreted in urine and flushed toward municipal sewage treatment plants. The approach could provide a fast, reliable and inexpensive way to track trends in drug use at the local, regional or state levels while preserving the anonymity of individuals, says lead researcher Jennifer Field, Ph.D., an environmental chemist at Oregon State University who works with colleagues at Oregon State University and at the University of Washington. See also a similar article by the OSU News Service.
Computer Modeling Smoothes a Dam Hard Job (Wired, 07/13/07) - Predicted depths of the Ventura River during a flood after the Matilija Dam is removed. View Slideshow View Slideshow OJAI, California -- Civil engineers planning the demolition of the 60-year-old Matilija Dam on the Ventura River are enjoying an unprecedented preview of where 163 million gallons of pent up water will flow, thanks to sophisticated new computer modeling techniques now being used for a series of dam removal projects planned throughout the United States. Article mentions a Spring 2007 Dam Removal Symposium organized by Desiree Tullos.
Glass Half Full (roughly speaking) - It takes a model to measure subsurface water (Terra, 6/2007) - The next time you sip a glass of spring water, consider this: Before it got to your lips, that water was soaking through soil, creeping along basalt crevices or flowing through porous volcanic rock. It nurtured microbes, carried dissolved minerals and may have spread the byproducts of human activities. Its pivotal role in the environment has made groundwater a headline topic in human health, waste management and water supplies for growing communities. One number — 924 million — indicates how vital groundwater is to Oregon. That’s the number of gallons that the U.S. Geological Survey estimates were pumped from Oregon’s aquifers on an average day in 2000. More than 80 percent went to agriculture, most for irrigation. Read more...
OSU prof questions bottled water trade (Portland Business Journal, 5/30/07) - Those ubiquitous containers carrying nothing but water are adding up to a substantial environmental headache, according to an assistant professor at Oregon State University. Around the world, factories are using more than 18 million barrels of oil and up to 130 billion gallons of fresh water a year to create something that, by and large, most people don't need. But the product is so amazingly popular that sales are going up 10 percent a year.
Bottled Water: Handy versus harm to environment (KMTR, 5/17/07) - Todd Jarvis from the IWW was interviewed for this story. You can also download Todd's slide show on bottled water from Michael Campana's blog - WaterWired.
Forum raises water questions - Residents concerned over Measure 37 attend meeting (Capital Press, 5/21/07) - McMINNVILLE, Ore. - Although Measure 37, the property rights protection measure, passed with more than 61 percent of the vote in 2004, some landowners fear more homes on rural land will stretch local water supplies. But Todd Jarvis, OSU water resources researcher; Mike McCord, state Water Resources Department watermaster; Jim Johnson, land use and water planning coordinator with the state Department of Agriculture; and OWRD deputy director Tom Paul could only provide partial answers. Read more...
Oil and Water - OSU assistant professor examines environmental impacts of bottled water (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 4/26/07) - As a hydrologist and acting assistant professor of the Oregon State University Institute of Water and Watersheds, Todd Jarvis thinks a lot about H2O. Normally, water is considered a healthy thing, one of the ingredients to a healthy life and a healthy planet. Drinking down a cool bottle of water after a workout seems like one of the best things you can do for your body. But what Jarvis wanted to know was, what does bottled water do to the planet? Read more...
Arsenic Contamination in Wells Raises Concerns (OSU News Service, 4/16/07) – Public concerns about high levels of arsenic in well water have prompted a recent and continuing testing program in the area around Sweet Home, Ore., and may raise a warning flag for other areas of the state that could also face problems with this toxin due to geology or land use practices. In a recent round of testing done near Sweet Home, almost one-fourth of the well water samples showed levels of arsenic now considered unsafe by EPA standards. Read more...
Predators help shape rivers by affecting grazing behaviors (OSU News Service, 4/4/07) – Large carnivores not only play a pivotal role in the health of ecosystems, they can also affect the very shape of the landscape, according to recent research by two OSU forestry professors. Read more...
Colorado River Access Project (CRAP) to Transform Yuma and Las Vegas into Deep-Water Ports - (WaterWired, 4/1/07 note dateline!) - In a surprising April 1 press conference, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) unveiled plans to transform the Lower Colorado River into a massive canal that would provide ocean-going ships access to Las Vegas. This news release appeared on Michael Campana's blog on April 1st. Read more...
Impacts of Measure 37 (Mary's River Watershed Council Newsletter, March 2007) - Todd Jarvis, OSU Institute of Water & Watersheds, spoke at the March 7 Watershed Council meeting about Ballot Measure 37 and groundwater resources. Read more...
New Study: Iron in Northwest Rivers Fuels Phytoplankton, Fish Populations (OSU News Service, 2/27/07) – A new study suggests that the iron-rich winter runoff from Pacific Northwest streams and rivers, combined with the wide continental shelf, form a potent mechanism for fertilizing the nearshore Pacific Ocean, leading to robust phytoplankton production and fisheries. The study, by three Oregon State University oceanographers, was just published by the American Geophysical Union in its journal, Geophysical Research Letters.
Scientists Say U.S. Needs to Plan for Climate Change-Induced Summer Droughts (OSU News Service, 2/16/07) – The western United States has experienced increasing drought conditions in recent years – and conditions may worsen if global climate change models are accurate – yet the country is doing little to prepare for potential catastrophe, a group of scientists said today. The U.S. should consider a national drought policy to help achieve sustainable water for drinking, agriculture and fisheries, said the scientists at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. They also pointed out the need to manage water supplies to protect environmental values and to protect urban property from sea level rise and extreme weather events. Though many climate change models predict warmer and wetter weather for parts of the Earth, the potential for drought in regions like the southwestern U.S. is actually greater, said Jim Coakley, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Oregon State University and a co-organizer of the AAAS symposium. Read more...
Scientists help agriculture face a future with less water (OSU Extension Service News, 2/16/07) - Farms in the semiarid western United States produce a large portion of the nation's food and fiber, mostly with irrigation. Yet, as available water supplies shrink and competing demands for water increase, western agriculture faces an uncertain future. Scientists from throughout the world convened today to discuss the water crisis in agriculture and explore how new research can help farmers produce more with less. Their discussion was part of the annual meeting of American Association for the Advancement of Science, held this week in San Francisco. "There is no question that the greatest challenge for agriculture in the near future will be the availability of adequate supplies of water of sufficient quality to support agricultural production," said Stella M. Coakley, an associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University, and one of the panel organizers. Read more...
Life could worsen by degrees (Portland Tribune, 2/16/07) - Killer heat waves. Skyrocketing power rates. Devastating floods and landslides. Catastrophic wildfires. Those are just some of the potential impacts of climate change on the Portland metropolitan area, according to national and local environmental experts, including weather forecasters, water managers and energy regulators. There was general consensus at the meeting organized by the Regional Water Providers Consortium that winter snowpacks will melt earlier, reducing the amount of water in the mountains that feeds the rivers in summer. “The free storage that is available in the snowpacks will be diminishing because the snow will be melting earlier,” Michael Campana, a hydrologist and director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at Oregon State University, told the gathering.
Experimental forest in running as national research site (Eugene Register-Guard, 1/27/07) - The H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest near Blue River could become part of the biggest and most ambitious ecological research project ever, one that will draw scientists from all over the world in an attempt to answer some of the biggest questions in ecology. The forest is one of several candidates to serve as a core research site for the National Ecological Observatory Network, which will establish 20 biological test sites in every major ecological zone in the country. NEON "is seen as the way to address some of what we call the grand challenge questions,” said Oregon State University forestry professor Barbara Bond, co-director of the Andrews forest. Read more...
OSU Extension Teams with Community Partners to Test Sweet Home Well Water (OSU News Service, 1/26/07) – An Oregon State University Extension Service program is teaming with the Sweet Home Rotary Club and other partners to offer free well water testing in the area. Water samples will be tested for nitrates, coliform bacteria and arsenic, said Gail Andrews, coordinator of the OSU Extension Service’s Well Water Program. Read more...
Initiative striving to find answers to water issues (OSU This Week, 1/25/07) – The Pacific Northwest shares much with other parts of western North America – rugged beauty, a pioneering spirit and more. But its heavy reliance on water to meet energy needs isn’t part of that list, something that was plainly apparent to Michael Campana and other Pacific Northwesterners when they attended a January 2006 water-energy nexus conference for Western states. “We kind of felt left out and we’re trying to fill that gap,” said Campana, director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at OSU. “We wanted something that was more germane to us and Canada.”That’s why Oregon State University and other institutions are planning the Snake/Columbia Basin Energy and Water Summit, tentatively scheduled for this May in Boise, Idaho. The summit is one of the goals for the coming year for OSU’s Water and Watersheds Initiative, one of six initiatives that the university has adopted in support of the campus strategic plan. Read more...
Pesticide Roundup Nets 17,000 Pounds of Toxics; More to Come in February (OSU News Service, 1/25/07) – Hauling bulging sacks and rusting containers, more than 50 farmers turned in old pesticides, fertilizers, and solvents in Lane County's first agricultural chemical collection program last November. Now organizers are set to repeat the success in an upcoming collection effort, sponsored by the Oregon State University Extension Service and other local agencies. The southern Willamette Valley is heavily dependent on well water for drinking and agriculture and is especially vulnerable to groundwater contamination, especially from nitrogen. Scientists from the OSU Extension Service, the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, along with other agencies and citizen volunteers have worked for more than 15 years to closely manage and protect the area’s aquifers. Read more...
Mercury found in all fish tested in the West Dietary limits - The extent of the neurotoxin surprises Oregon scientists, who suspect the air is the source (The Oregonian, 1/24/07) - A sweeping study by Oregon scientists has found mercury-contaminated fish throughout the West. In the most widespread survey of mercury in the nation's streams, four Corvallis researchers with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon State University sampled more than 2,700 fish in Oregon, Washington and 10 other Western states. They found detectable -- and in some cases, high -- amounts of mercury in every fish sampled from 626 randomly selected rivers and streams that flow nearly 190,000 miles. Read more...
Marion County decision may set precedent for Measure 37 - At issue is how development will affect groundwater (Statesman Journal, 1/15/07) - When Marion County planning commissioners decide whether to approve a subdivision on farmland in an area with limited groundwater, they will be treading in uncharted territory. The Measure 37 claim for 43 lots on 217 acres of exclusive farmland in the hills south of Salem is one of the first of its kind at the planning stage statewide. "I contacted every county planning agency and everybody is handling this differently," said Todd Jarvis of Oregon State University's Institute for Water and Watersheds about Measure 37. He said that Measure 37 "completely ignores" what land-use means with respect to water.
Podcasts about the Hydroville Curriculum Project (OSU Environmental Health Sciences Center, 1/12/07) - The Hydroville Curriculum Project was developed to improve high school students' academic performance and stimulate interest in problem-solving, environmental health science, decision making, teamwork and social responsibility. The curricula use environmental health topics to enhance connections between science, language arts, math, social studies, health and technology. Todd Jarvis, Senior Researcher with the IWW, contributed to the Water Quality Curriculum of Hydroville and is featured in several podcasts.
OSU researcher pinpoints pollution sources (OSU News Service, 12/20/06) - An Oregon State University microbiologist has developed a molecular test to determine the source of fecal contamination in water. This type of detection, called “fecal source tracking,” is both faster and far more specific than traditional standard fecal coliform tests, according to Katharine G. Field, who developed the test. Results of a Tillamook Bay-based study using the new methodology were published in a recent issue of Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Field and her colleagues found a way to use gene amplification to determine the kind of fecal bacteria in polluted water and its source. Their new technique detects the presence of markers — unique gene sequences from specific strains of bacteria — found in host species such as humans or cows. Read more...
Marcia Macomber, OSU grad, speaks about the CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food (IWW, 12/19/06) - CPWF is an international, multi-institutional research initiative with a strong emphasis on north-south and south-south partnerships. The initiative brings together research scientists, development specialists, and river basin communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America to create and disseminate international public goods (IPGs) that improve the productivity of water in river basins in ways that are pro-poor, gender equitable and environmentally sustainable. View Marcia's slide show introduction to CPWF (PDF, 2.6Mb), CPWF's overview brochure (PDF, 4.3Mb), and their flyer about capacity building (PDF, 556k).
New Tide Gate Designs Enhance Fish and Water Passage (OSU News Service, 12/12/06) – A fixture of Oregon coastal farming, so-called “tide gates,” are coming under new scrutiny because of their environmental effects. Essentially hinged metal doors at the ends of culverts, tide gates have been used for centuries to prevent flooding and help drain low-lying coastal lands, making it possible for people to farm and build on land that would otherwise be under water. But in many cases the devices have also compromised or destroyed critical fish and wildlife habitat. “Tide gates tend to be effective at maintaining low water levels on the upland side of dikes,” said Guillermo Giannico, Extension fisheries specialist with Oregon State University. “Unfortunately, by altering water flow they also have some undesirable side effects.” Read more...
OSU students create man-powered devices to purify water (Oregonian, 12/10/2006) - Mechanical engineering students at Oregon State University have been working up a sweat to produce water. Their challenge was to find ways to get potable water in emergencies such as Hurricane Katrina, when human power may be the only resource available to residents. So, they have been pedaling bicycles and turning hand cranks to power water purification devices created for a design course.
New technology for purifiying water (KVAL News 13, 11/30/06) - Oregon State University prides itself on research that is on the cusp. And some students are tapping into innovative ways to help in an emergency situation. A group of mechanical engineering students are hard at work inside of a shop class at O.S.U. The students are creating new technology to purify water, with just one catch: "This whole distillation process must be powered by human power," says Assoc. Professor Ping Ge.
Concern for river surrounds mining stop order - (Curry Coastal Pilot, 11/ 29/06) - Opinions vary on whether less gravel mining will cause the Chetco River channel to fill with material faster. The Pilot/Scott Graves By Tom Hubka Pilot staff writer Salmon habitats and affordable concrete might not be the only things at stake as a result of a recent cease and desist order. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a stop order to Freeman Rock Inc., the area's largest provider of aggregate rock, on Oct. 18, stopping the company's gravel mining operations until it applies for a Corps permit. Article includes comments by Wayne Huber, OSU Professor of Civil Engineering.
Device left in rental car was scientific equipment (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 11/27/06) - Anne Jefferson has a piece of advice for travelers: Be sure to check the trunk of your rental car. Jefferson, 27, a Winona native, recently minted Ph.D. and researcher in the geosciences department at Oregon State University, concluded a combined business and holiday trip to Minnesota on Sunday, dropping off a rental car at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport before boarding a plane to Portland, Ore., with her husband. It was actually equipment that Jefferson had been using in her research on water temperatures in stream channels. She intended to mail it back to Oregon, but she just forgot about it.
Conference to Explore Hydrologic Issues (OSU News Service, 10/18/06) – About 100 leading hydrologists from around the world are at Oregon State University today through Oct. 19 for an international workshop, “Towards a Community Action Plan for the Hydrological Sciences.” The workshop explores ways to improve hydrologic predictions, reduce uncertainty in how watersheds function and learn how they can be better managed.
Harbor Residents, Developers Study Storm Water Runoff Issues (Curry Coastal Pilot, 10/18/06) - Residents were invited to help developers of the Brookings-Harbor Storm Water Master Plan at a recent townhall meeting by pointing out storm water problem areas on maps and correct errors the mappers had made. Frank Burris, of Oregon State University, said he has been working for the past year to determine how ground water gets contaminated. "We've got about 15 months left," Burris said. "It's a grant funded by DEQ Clean Water Act moneys," he said. "We're trying to find the source of Mill and Harris beach contamination." Read more...
Engineers Without Borders reach out to El Salvador - OSU group working on water storage and treatment (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 10/5/06) - In the Salvadoran villages of El Naranjito and Las Mercedes, women walk for miles each day to fetch water, carrying it back to their families in colorful jugs called canteros balanced atop their heads. Often, this spring water is contaminated, leading to gastrointestinal problems, which are especially dangerous for young children. Also, a rainy season followed by six dry months creates an inconsistent water supply. Some Oregon State University students, along with professional engineers from throughout the Northwest, are using the knowledge they’ve gained in the classroom to design water storage and treatment systems for these villages. Read more...
USDA Funds Watershed Conservation Research (California Farmer, 10/4/06) - Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced Wednesday that USDA is awarding over $2.5 million to five universities to study the effectiveness and practical application of conservation practices at the watershed level. Researchers and extension specialists will also study the environmental and economic impacts of watershed conservation practices. Read more... (OSU received one of the grants.)
Water in Oregon (Oregon's Agricultural Progress, Fall 2006) - The fall issue of the research magazine for the Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station features water issues around the state.
Drilling “Boot Camp” for Developing Countries - (IAH USNC Newsletter, 10/06) - Read an account by Todd Jarvis, IWW Senior Researcher, about attending the the Applications of Drilling Technology for Developing Communities Course offered through NWP Drilling & Consulting, LLC, Colorado. Todd wrote this report for the International Association of Hydrogeologists U.S. National Chapter Newsletter. Article also published in the December 2006 issue of the WorldWide Drilling Resource, page 94.
Glades plan bogged down (South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 09/25/06) - A new report finds "troubling delays" in the $10.9 billion campaign to restore the Everglades, with costs escalating and deadlines passing without the completion of a single project. "The good news is a firm basis has been laid for the plan," said Wayne Huber, professor of civil engineering at Oregon State University, chair of the 12-member committee that wrote the report. Read more...
Gail Achterman, Director of the OSU Institute for Natural Resources, speaks at the Northwest Water Policy & Law Symposium (IWW, 10/1/06)- The September Symposium drew attention to three pressing water policy issues in the Northwestern states: aging water infrastructure, surface water relationship to groundwater and water regulation versus land use planning. It was sponsored by the Montana Water Center, the Wheeler Center at Montana State University, the Cinnabar Foundation and the Inland Northwest Research Alliance. Gail Achterman participated in the Water Regulation versus Land-Use Regulation Panel - her speech can be downloaded here.
Donald Worster, a leading environmental historian, set the tone for the conference with his keynote address. He characterized current water policy as “at an impasse” with society “milling around at the end of an era with no consensus on what should come next.” By 2078 he predicted that our western water infrastructure will fall apart or be abandoned, like the Erie Canal. He foresees radical increases in water use efficiency, environmental restoration and public participation in water policy. Perhaps he is right. The infrastructure panelists noted that Bureau of Reclamation facilities are over 50 years old on average and are reaching the end of their service lives. The Montana Department of Natural Resources, which has a state renewable resource grant and loan program and actually owns 24 dams and reservoirs, gets many more requests for funds than it has available. Bruce Aylward, adjunct professor at OSU, participated in the groundwater panel, using the Deschutes Water Bank to show how market tools can be used in water management while respecting the public nature of water. Conference participants spent a half day discussing these and other issues. The results of the discussions will be posted on the conference website.
Water Wars” loom? But none in past 4,500 years (Reuters, 09/18/2006) - With a steady stream of bleak predictions that "water wars" will be fought over dwindling supplies in the 21st century, battles between two Sumerian city-states 4,500 years ago seem to set a worrying precedent. But the good news, many experts say, is that the conflict between Lagash and Umma over irrigation rights in what is now Iraq was the last time two states went to war over water. Down the centuries since then, international rivals sharing waters such as the Jordan River, the Nile, the Ganges or the Parana have generally favored cooperation over conflict. So if history can be trusted, things may stay that way. "The simple explanation is that water is simply too important to fight over," said Aaron Wolf, a professor at Oregon State University. "Nations often go to the brink of war over water and then resolve their differences." Read more...
Jordan's Embassy in Washington, DC to Host Launch of Book on Water in Jordan by Former Minister of Water and Irrigation Munther Haddadin (U.S. Newswire, 9/19/2006)- In cooperation with the Resources for the Future Press, The Embassy of Jordan will host the launching of a book by former Minister of Water and Irrigation, Dr. Munther J. Haddadin. The book entitled "Water Resources in Jordan: Evolving Policies for Development, the Environment and Conflict Resolution," covers numerous topics such as the population-water resources equation in Jordan, institutional and legal frameworks as well as social and environmental issues. Haddadin is currently a consultant and a courtesy professor in the Department of Geosciences at Oregon State University and an affiliate professor at the University of Oklahoma.
Riparian recovery - More than 100 logs, other obstacles placed in creek will help fish spawn and thrive (Oregon News-Review, 9/17/06) - Whether they’re dropped, pushed or pulled, the placement of logs in streams has become a human endeavor until nature can reclaim the fish habitat building-block process. The tradeoff is temporary, but it may take a while. Riparian areas along creeks and streams have vastly recovered from logging’s rollicking heyday — especially the carefree days of the first half of the 20th century. But the growing trees are still decades away from their weight sending them lumbering into stream channels. Story includes comments from OSU Fish and Wildlife Professor Stan Gregory on the history of wood removal from Oregon streams.
American Fisheries Society Publishes Book on “Salmon 2100 Project” (OSU News Service, 8/31/06) - A new book of essays from more than 30 salmon scientists, policy analysts and wild salmon advocates suggesting ways to save runs of wild salmon has been published by the American Fisheries Society – and some of the prescriptions are certain to raise a few eyebrows. The book is an outgrowth of the provocative three-year Salmon 2100 Project, a joint effort between Oregon State University and the Environmental Protection Agency laboratory in Corvallis, Ore. Read more...
Beavers make a splash at World Water Week (IWW, 8/30/06) - In August, several OSU researchers made presentations in Stockholm, Sweden at World Water Week, an international conference that drew over 1500 attendees from 140 countries. IWW Director Michael Campana presented on “Politics, Economics, Stakeholder Benefits and Transboundary Groundwater: Lessons from North America” and Marloes Bakker, Ph.D. Candidate in Geosciences presented on “Transboundary Floods: Conflict, Vulnerability and Adaptability”. Todd Jarvis, Senior Researcher in Water Resources at IWW, contributed maps of transboundary aquifers and river basin treaties for the seminar “Under Cover? Transboundary Aquifers – The Hidden Asset for Riparian Cooperation in Africa”. Adjunct Professor in Geosciences Dr. Munther Haddadin participated as an invited panelist in the “Hydro-Hegemony” seminar. Marcia Macomber, Department of Geosciences Alumni and current Program Director of Capacity Building with the International Water Management Institute staffed the CGIAR Challenge Program booth. Other Oregonians participating in World Water Week included Brett Golden of the Deschutes River Conservancy where gave a presentation on “Meeting Human and Environmental Water Needs: Groundwater Mitigation Banking in the Deschutes River Basin". Read Michael Campana's report on World Water Week.
OSU faculty helps identify water problems in Bend (Bend Bulletin, 8/10/2006) - In the early 1920s, Bend residents were outraged over the taste and quality of their drinking water, said Patrick Griffiths, water program specialist for the city of Bend. The water came from the Deschutes River, which also provided irrigation water for surrounding agricultural land and served as a route to float logs destined for the two big pine mills in town. So in 1924, people started looking for water that was farm- and timber-free, Griffiths said. What they found was spring-fed Bridge Creek, near Tumalo Falls, which still supplies about half the city's water. "We're very, very proud of our watershed and the water we divert here," Griffiths said. Now, Bend and Central Oregon face different water issues, many of which stem from the decrease in agriculture and the increase in development. A new program at Oregon State University, the Institute for Water and Watersheds, has been set up to help address just these types of problems. On Wednesday, three of the faculty involved in the program visited Bend as part of a trip across Eastern Oregon to talk to city officials, irrigators, conservationists and others. They are on a listening tour designed to get a sense of the water issues facing the region and to get ideas about what OSU researchers and water experts can do to help, said Michael Campana, director of the water institute. "We'd like to hear from everybody how OSU can help you do your job better," he said. The Institute for Water and Watersheds is designed to bring faculty from different departments and other people together to work on interdisciplinary research projects, Campana said. Read more...
Rural Residents Asked to Participate in OSU Study of Well Water (OSU News Service, 6/5/06) - Rural residents in some Lane, Linn and Benton counties will have the opportunity to take an active role in studying potential pollutants in their groundwater when the Oregon State University Extension Service Well Water Program launches a new monitoring and research program in the southern Willamette Valley.
Science research strong in Corvallis - Study ranks city second in nation (Corvallis Gazette Times, 5/27/06) - Like many college towns, Corvallis has a reputation of being a highly educated community. A recent survey by the National Science Foundation indicates there’s evidence to back up this perception. Corvallis is second in the nation in percentage of scientists, behind only Boulder, Colo., according to the study. With employers such as Oregon State University, Hewlett-Packard Co., CH2M Hill, AVI BioPharma and SIGA Technologies hubbed here, 12.7 percent of Corvallis residents work in science and engineering. Read more...
Scientists call Corvallis home (KVAL-TV, 4/27/06) - Many places around the country are often referred to as “college towns” where the local college or university dominates employment, economic and cultural life – but a new study suggests that Corvallis and Oregon State University may really deserve that reputation more than most. According to a recent survey of science and engineering indicators issued by the National Science Foundation, Corvallis ranks second in the nation for the number of scientists as a percentage of total employment – at 12.7 percent.
IWW participates in the 2006 Clean Water Festival (4/20/06) - Over 1200 students from 25 schools attended the 13th annual festival at Portland Community College—Sylvania Campus. The event was held on on April 14, 2006 and included presentations and displays from 52 organizations. The IWW exhibited a groundwater flow model that let students visualize how flow in this unseen environment.
"OSU lists ideas on groundwater nitrate" (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 4/26/06) - In 2004, high concentrations of nitrate in groundwater in the southern Willamette Valley prompted the state Department of Environmental Quality to declare a “groundwater management area” between Eugene and Albany. A new report by the Oregon State University Extension Well Water Program recommends actions that could reduce nitrate from residential water sources in the area.
"Willamette watershed projects get grants - Nine Oregon organizations receive money that was collected from polluters" (Oregonian, 4/21/06) - Gov. Ted Kulongoski this week handed out $346,210 in grants designed to improve the Willamette River watershed, all from a new fund created by fines paid by polluters. Kulongoski and U.S. Attorney Karin Immergut created the Oregon Governor's Fund for the Environment with a $2.1 million fine paid in a national pollution case against a Panamanian shipping company accused of dumping sludge on U.S. coastlines. Interest earned on the money is expected to cover annual grants to protect fish and wildlife. Read more...OSU Extension received one of the grants.
"Breaking borders in El Salvador - Engineers urge sustainability on first trip of three to the country" (OSU Barometer, 4/14/06) - The OSU chapter of Engineers Without Boarders traveled to an El Salvadoran community of 450 people over spring break to determine the feasibility of establishing a potable water system for clean drinking water. This was the first of three phases where EWB-OSU met with and discussed the system with local citizens and community members.
"Water supply is on the rocks, and that's OK - The Cascades store vast reserves in an underground basin" (Salem Statesman Journal, 4/4/06) - The snow that covers Oregon's highest mountains is only the most visible part of the storage system that supplies water to streams and rivers flowing from the Cascades. The very rock that makes up the peaks soaks up rain and melting snow into an underground basin the size of Great Salt Lake. The water from deep under the ground surfaces through springs five, 10, sometimes even 50 years later. Each basin in Oregon depends on these water supplies to different degrees. About 28 percent of the North Santiam River system comes from this High Cascade region. By comparison, 6 percent of the South Santiam River system is classified as High Cascades, according to research by scientists at the Pacific Northwest Research Station, a part of the U.S. Forest Service. "The number is significant because our work has demonstrated how the presence of these young volcanic rocks has a lot to do with where the rain goes when it falls and where the snow goes when it melts and the timing on which it re-emerges," said Gordon Grant, a research hydrologist. "And ultimately, it says something about the availability of water late into the summer." Read more... Gordon Grant is affiliated with the OSU Departments of Geosciences, Forest Engineering & Forest Science.
"OSU Student Group Takes On Water Project in El Salvador" (OSU College of Engineering, 3/23/06) - On March 25, three engineering students from Oregon State University and an industry professional will board a plane and travel to the Ahuachapan region of El Salvador to perform the first steps of a project to build a water delivery and cleansing system for the rural communities of Las Mercedes and El Naranjito. The area is several miles from a reliable water source, and women and children in the village spend large portions of their days hauling water for basic needs. Facilitating the project is the OSU student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, an organization that at the college level is focused on developing internationally responsible engineering students while undertaking sustainable engineering projects around the globe. Read more...
"Warmer winters may melt ski spots" (Oregonian, 3/8/06) - This winter's deep snow in the Cascades is a snowboarder's dream, but a new study suggests that ski areas may have fewer such bonanza seasons if Northwest temperatures continue to rise as they have for decades. Projecting warmer weather from a climate model keyed to the Pacific Northwest, researchers at Oregon State University identify 19 ski areas in the Cascade and Olympic mountain areas as being "at risk" of substantially fewer cold, and snowy, winters by midcentury...Past climate studies by others have projected rising temperatures and thinner Northwest snowpacks. But this study, by OSU geographers Anne W. Nolin and Christopher Daly and slated for publication in the Journal of Hydrometeorology, is the first to employ a climate mapping system that identifies relatively small areas in the Cascades where snow might disappear. Read more...
"Flooded fields teeming with life" - (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 3/8/06) - Mid-Willamette Valley fields and ditches were flooded with much more than water this winter. They also had an unexpectedly high number of small fish, amphibians and birds more commonly found at streams than farm acreage. And those fish thrive in a more comfy wintertime environment than their usual rivers before heading back to the permanent waterways in warmer weather. “The organisms living there are completely adapted to such a change and seasonal access to flooded fields,” said Guillermo Giannico, a fish ecologist with Oregon State University Extension Service. Read more of the G-T article or link to the OSU press release.
"Incoming OSU Director Campana to Join Klamath River Committee" (OSU News Service, 3/6/2006)- Michael E. Campana, incoming director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at Oregon State University, has been appointed to the Committee on Further Studies on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River, a group within the National Academy of Sciences and National Research Council. Building upon the work of the first Klamath River committee that issued a major report in 2004, these experts will review the Bureau of Reclamation's effort to reconstruct the "natural" or pre-development flows of the Klamath River, review a study of habitat needs for coho salmon and other anadromous fishes, evaluate the implications of those studies as they relate to threatened and endangered species, and identify additional information gaps. Read more...
"Audiences for “Running Dry” Overflow" (H2OSU Newsletter , 3/2/2006) - The IWW co-sponsored screenings of the water resources documentary, "Running Dry", in four Oregon cities this past week. Showings in Hermiston, Pendleton, Salem and Corvallis were all well attended with audiences made up of state politicians, staff of the Oregon Water Resources Department, interested citizens, and OSU faculty and students. FMI: http://www.chroniclesgroup.org/ . See also a 2/18/06 article in the East Oregonian.
"IWW researcher participates in the International Symposium on Negotiations, Dialogue, and Perceptions in Transboundary Water Management" (H2OSU Newsletter, 3/2/2006) - The symposium was held February 7-11, 2006 at the University of Tokyo, Japan and was organized by the Universities Partnership for Transboundary Waters and the University of Tokyo.
"Corps may give floods freer rein - Recognition of the benefits of surging streams raises talk of restoring floodplains" (The Oregonian, 2/6/2006) - The federal government spent decades trying to control the kind of unruly Willamette River floodwaters that have reared up again with recent rains. Now it's looking for ways to let them flow once more -- but in places where they might help instead of hurt. Researchers now realize river systems can benefit from flooding, just as forests can benefit from occasional fires. Just as controlled fires clear tinder from woods and deter bigger blazes later on, so can controlled floods upstream prevent wider devastation downstream. Story includes quotes from OSU Professor of Fisheries and Wildlife, Stan Gregory.
"Damage
control - While some small steps have been taken, no major flood-control initiatives
have been instituted" (The Oregonian, 2/5/2006)
-
The question surprised Bill Long. It was the summer of 1995 and Long, a maintenance
supervisor for the city of Portland, was talking to harbor master Russ Sill
as the two surveyed the Willamette River from the downtown waterfront. "What
are you going to do if it floods?" Sill asked. Long, now 58, knew that
the region had suffered severe flooding in 1964. Back then, downtown Portland
was protected by a wall of concrete panels that ran the length of what is now
Tom McCall Waterfront Park. In the years since, the panels had been removed,
leaving only a decorative fence of galvanized steel, which provided pristine
views of the river but left the waterfront open to flooding should the waters
rise dangerously. Story includes quotes from OSU Professor of Fisheries and
Wildlife, Stan
Gregory.
"The IWW awards $140,000 to six Oregon water research projects" (H2OSU Newsletter, 2/1/2006) -The Institute for Water and Watersheds is pleased to announce the recipients of 2006-2007 IWW-USGS grants for long-term water and watershed management projects. Six projects will be funded from the twenty one proposals submitted by researchers at academic institutions across the State of Oregon. Awards are for up to $30,000 and were supported by funds from the US Geological Survey Water Resources Research Institutes program and and OSU Water and Watersheds Initiative. Click here to read the abstracts from grant recipients.
"Award-Winning Student Marloes Bakker" - (OSU Grad School Newsletter, Winter 2006) - Coming from the Netherlands, Marloes Bakker understands the international nature of water policy. "They call our country 'the drain of Europe,'" she says. "We're downriver from everyone else, so everything that happens on the rivers in other countries influences us." Marloes is interested in cooperative water resource management as a tool for balancing competing international interests. A doctoral student in geography, she received an award this year from the Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (SYLFF), which supports students who show the potential to transcend geopolitical, religious, ethnic, and cultural boundaries as leaders in their professions. Read more...
"Floods can pose risks to fish, researchers say" (The Oregonian, 1/29/2006) A wet winter may seem like good weather for fish, but flooding can pose dangers to aquatic life because of development along rivers, researchers say. Historic natural river systems were complex, with multiple channels that spread the impact of the flooding, slowed down currents, and created holding places for migrating and resident fish. Now dams, development and the transition from forests to pastures and housing tracts have eliminated that complexity from many river systems, said Oregon State University ecologist Stan Gregory.
"Policy would trim catch of salmon" (The Oregonian, 1/26/2006) - Saying it makes little sense to eat imperiled salmon, the Bush administration on Wednesday revealed plans to cut back the catch of wild Northwest salmon and shut down hatcheries that churn out competing but inferior fish.James Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, told fish biologists in Portland that the administration is shifting its focus from merely keeping protected Columbia River salmon from extinction to ensuring they recover. Read more... Connaughton spoke at the "Salmon 2100: The Future of Wild Pacific Salmon Conference", an event organized by Bob Lackey, from EPA and a courtesy professor in the OSU Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, and Denise Lach and Sally Duncan, from the OSU Department of Sociology.
Utilities rethink costs of hydroelectric (The Salt Lake Tribune, 1/23/2006) - A century ago, when engineers for Portland General Electric were looking for places to harness rivers to supply growing demand for electricity, they found the Sandy River tumbling off the flanks of Mount Hood, the snowcapped volcano that is the highest point in Oregon. Named by Lewis and Clark for the great quantities of sand washed downstream from past eruptions, the Sandy offered the perfect opportunity for the fledgling utility. It was close to Portland and offered a free and unlimited source of power. No one worried about harming the salmon and steelhead that spawned in its beds. Story includes information from Gordon Grant, U.S. Forest Service hydrologist and OSU courtesy professor in Geosciences.
"Study says Flooding Can Improve Fish Habitat" (Corvallis Gazette-Times, 1/23/06 ) - In this winter of high water, Northwest fishing guides have been grounded, bait and tackle shops are losing customers, and steelhead reels and lures have grown dusty as chocolate-brown rivers have severely limited the number of fishable days. But don’t worry about the fish, says Oregon State University ecologist Stan Gregory. “Steelhead and other native fish have had thousands of years to adapt to flooding,” said Gregory, a professor of fisheries and wildlife in OSU’s College of Agricultural Sciences. “Not only can they survive, floods usually improve the habitat by scouring out river bottoms, creating new pools and cleaning out the silt.”
"Bush Adviser, Agencies, Other Groups to Hear Salmon Remedies at Portland Conference" (OSU News Service, 1/17/06) - A diverse group of fisheries scientists, policy analysts and salmon advocates will present their prescriptions for saving wild salmon in the Northwest during a Jan. 25 conference in Portland - and then get the public reaction from leaders of state and federal agencies, non-governmental groups, and Native American tribes. "In a nutshell, what this conference is about is taking some of the prescriptions that came out of the Salmon 2100 Project and presenting them to some of the people down in the trenches to see if they would fly," said Denise Lach, an associate professor of sociology at Oregon State University and one of the conference coordinators. "It is a manner of ground-truthing." Conference website.
Flood Experts Available at OSU ((OSU News Service, 1/9/06) - Warm and wet weather continues to elevate the risk of floods in the Pacific Northwest - and that risk may continue through the spring. Climate forecasters predict the weather by examining recent sea-surface temperatures, regional climate patterns and even Atlantic Ocean hurricanes - and this year these indicators show a close similarity to conditions prior to the winter of 1995-96. For flooding or major storm events, a number of OSU experts are available to help with news coverage. Story includes a listing of OSU experts on climate, rivers, wetlands, landslides, ecology, and public safety.
"Profs Promote Winter Course Offerings" (Hydrophiles Email List, 12/05) - Review a list of announcements about water and watershed related courses offered during winter 2006. The announcements came out over the hydrophiles email distribution list during December and January.
"Water Conflicts in Africa Strain Political, Economic Systems" (OSU News Service, 12/5/05) - The water conflicts in Africa - lakes that are drying up, river pollution, unsafe drinking water, collapsing fisheries - are sufficiently intense that entire social systems are at risk, a new report concludes. It's essential that problems be anticipated and aggressively addressed, experts say. The study, "Hydropolitical Vulnerability and Resilience along International Waters in Africa," was supported by the United Nations Environmental Programme. It was produced by the Universities Partnership for Transboundary Waters, an innovative consortium pioneered by Oregon State University. Contact: Aaron Wolf, OSU Associate Professor of Geoscience.
"Groups to Study Water Resources" (Hermiston Herald, 11/18/05) - The Umatilla County Critical Groundwater Task Force has entered into an intergovernmental agreement between the Institute of Natural Resources (INR) and the Institute for Water and Watersheds (IWW) at Oregon State University. The INR and IWW will be conducting a synthesis of historical water data for the Umatilla Basin, which has been designated as a Critical Groundwater Area by the State of Oregon. A similar article appeared in the East Oregonian (link).
IWW sponsors seminar by Dr. Rick Hooper, President and Director of the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI) (11/11/05). The organization is a consortium of 98 U.S. research universities that grant advanced degrees in hydrologic science. Dr. Hooper spoke on "Funding Opportunities in the Hydrologic Sciences from the National Science Foundation". Link to the presentation slides.
Todd Jarvis, IWW Senior Researcher, presents a talk on "Measure 37 and Oregon’s Groundwater: A Paradigm Shift from Water Management to Water Planning?" at the Biennial Regional Research and Extension Water Quality Conference (11/2/05). This year's conference focused on Groundwater Under the Pacific Northwest and was held in Skamania, Washington. Download a pdf file of the presentation slides.
"Initiative invests in state's water future" (OSU This Week, 10/27/05) - Efforts by Oregon State University researchers in water resources education, outreach, research and collaboration are building enthusiasm both on campus and beyond, spurring the interest of scientists and policy makers from across the globe.
"Campana to direct OSU water and watersheds program" - (OSU News Service, 10/14/05) - Michael E. Campana, a hydrogeologist and international expert on a range of complex water management issues, has been named the director of the Institute for Water and Watersheds at Oregon State University. Campana is currently the director of the Water Resources Program at the University of New Mexico, and will begin his position at OSU next spring. He will succeed John Bolte, interim director of this OSU institute that involves the work of more than 80 faculty members in six colleges.
Stephanie Moret, Department of Environmental Studies, Louisiana State University visited campus (10/05) and gave a presentation titled: "University Responds to Katrina: Research and Research-to-Operations in the Wake of a Killer Storm" by Marc L. Levitan, Director, LSU Hurricane Center, Charles P. Siess, Jr. , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Stephanie Moret, Department of Environmental Studies, Louisiana State University. Download a pdf file of the presentation slides.
"Water club 'thinks big,' sees results" (OSU Barometer, 8/05) - "Water is the most important resource of our time, really." Erika Kraft, a Ph.D. student in water resource engineering in the Department of Bioengineering, is boldly certain about the importance of water resources and the power of students to make things happen. She has, after all, seen how a student club sparked a graduate program and an academic initiative.
"Initiative to Delve into Complexities of Water" (OSU This Week, 2/17/05) - "Flip open a faucet and out flows clear, quality water most people in the U.S. don't have to give it a second thought. To the average consumer, household water delivery is a simple process with a simple result. But what many people don't see is the complexity behind the reality and the complexity increases every year", said Roy Haggerty, an Oregon State University associate professor of geosciences.
"OSU Selects Six Initiatives for Investment/Growth" (OSU News Service, 1/26/05) - Oregon State University has identified six strategic initiatives for investment that will bring to the university new centers for research and outreach, additional faculty, and undergraduate and graduate student scholarships, internships and educational opportunities. These initiatives support OSU's recently adopted strategic plan. The university is reallocating funds internally to provide seed funding for the initiatives. "It is important for the university to be able to make the hard decisions to redirect existing resources through programs like this," said OSU President Ed Ray. "It will allow us to better serve the needs of the people of Oregon in the future."
