2025-2027 Union SWCD Operating Capacity Grant

The purpose of this project is to implement the applicable Agricultural Water Quality Management Area Plan (Area Plan) by using the Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) as the local management agency to the fullest extent practical. In this project, the SWCD will: (1) engage agricultural landowners and provide technical assistance, (2) implement projects to improve agricultural water quality, (3) develop partnerships to support this project, (4) monitor or evaluate conditions, (5) use adaptive management to support continuous improvement, and (6) support ODA in conducting biennial reviews of Area Plans. This project will contribute to achieving the goals of the Area Plan and to implementation of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds on agricultural lands. This project includes targeted work identified in the SWCD’s agricultural water quality Scope of Work (SOW).

The Union Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) will conduct outreach with agricultural producers and landowners to improve riparian conditions and enhance instream aquatic habitat throughout the Upper Grande Ronde River Subbasin. These efforts aim to support the recovery of salmon and steelhead populations, which rely on cold, clean, and complex freshwater habitat for spawning and rearing. The SWCD will promote the establishment and maintenance of healthy riparian vegetation communities and work to restore natural floodplain functions. This will involve shifting near-stream land management practices, implementing native vegetation plantings, and stabilizing streambanks and channels to reduce erosion and sedimentation. By reducing disturbance in sensitive riparian areas and improving hydrologic connectivity, these actions will help moderate stream temperatures, increase habitat complexity, and ultimately create more resilient ecosystems for native fish species.