Oregon Water Resources - Upper Willamette Significant Diversion Measurement

The Significant Point of Diversion (SPOD) program is a proactive statewide program that works with surface water users in high priority basins to install measurement devices on large diversions. A Significant Point of Diversion is defined as a surface water diversion that diverts more than five cubic feet per second or diverts greater than ten percent of the lowest monthly fifty percent exceedance flow for the stream as defined in the OWRD water availability model, and is greater than one quarter cubic foot per second. OWRD staff worked with landowners to install water diversion measurement devices on the highest priority significant diversions across the state, to assist with better management of the resource in high priority areas. An additional benefit of this program has been to motivate landowners to participate in projects that go beyond measurement to improve passage at diversions or remove unused diversions, which eliminated passage barriers and opened up miles of high quality habitat in many priority streams.

The ultimate goal of this project is to achieve better water management in the highest priority basins within the state, by working with water users that have the largest diversions in priority basins and encouraging measurement. Working with these water users to install measurement encourages many to apply for grants that improve multiple issues that may be facing instream habitat. Many projects include not only measurement but improved passage by replacing push up dams, more efficient water use through piping projects, or streambank stabilization to reduce erosion and sedimentation.