Rogue Basinwide Flow Restoration Water Right Valuation Project

The specific ecological problem we seek to address is impaired stream flow in the Rogue River Basin of southwest Oregon. Water withdrawals have led to a reduction in habitat quantity and quality for native fishes including ESA-listed Coho Salmon. This is a widely acknowledged and primary limiting factor to fish production, growth, and survival in the Rogue. The SONCC Coho Recovery Plan cites the need for improved instream flows as a high priority recovery action for ESA-listed Coho Salmon. Improving stream flow is also supported by ODFW’s Native Fish Conservation Policy and Rogue Spring Chinook and Fall Conservation Plans. This proposal represents an important step toward realizing the ecological objective of enhanced streamflow benefitting listed and other native aquatic species by increasing the quality and amount of available habitat for rearing juveniles, migrating adults while also helping maintain suitable water temperatures and water quality. This project will conduct a valuation analysis of the market value of surface water rights in the Rogue Basin to support efforts to enhance streamflow in target reaches to benefit habitat for anadromous fish species. A valuation is an essential tool to garner landowner support for future flow restoration projects. Having a water right valuation in hand when approaching water right holders to discuss ways to improve instream flows helps solidify interest in water transactions, such as leases or transfers, and allows the water user to make an informed decision based off of their projected compensation. Project partners include ODFW, OWRD, RRWC, JSWCD, RBP, Middle Rogue Steelheaders, and Wild Salmon Center.

The project is designed to directly benefit salmon, steelhead and their habitat by addressing limiting factors for these species and facilitating the implementation of water transactions that will improve instream conditions for native aquatic species. Having a water right valuation in hand when approaching water right holders to discuss ways to improve instream flows helps solidify interest in water transactions and allows the water user to make an informed decision. This valuation will be most useful in transactions that involve leasing or purchase of water rights. These mechanisms are the most effective way to get water instream and to have it legally protected by the state. Instream water rights resulting from leases or purchases retaining the priority date of the original water right. Trout Unlimited identifies those water rights with senior priority dates with rates/volumes of water that can make measurable differences in stream flow when transferred to instream uses. Stream de-watering is a widely acknowledged primary limiting factor to fish production in the Rogue. This project is a first step in realizing the ecological objective of enhanced streamflow in summer benefiting ESA-listed a Coho Salmon, Steelhead Trout, and Chinook Salmon. Improvements in stream flow will result in water temperature benefits during critical months. In many stream reaches, dewatering and high water temperatures can create fish passage barriers. Improvements in stream flow can keep stream reaches habitable for juvenile fishes, or at the very least, can ameliorate thermal barriers that prevent fish from accessing quality cool water refuge. Also, maintaining flow in this reach will help support native riparian vegetation buffers that also help maintain suitable water temperatures and protect stream banks from erosion during higher flow events.