Watershed protection
The McKenzie River is the sole source of drinking water for more than 200,000 people
in the Eugene metropolitan area. Recognizing the importance of this valuable resource,
the Eugene Water & Electric Board in 2000 developed a drinking water source protection plan, which includes a
risk assessment of all potential threats to our drinking water.
As part of this effort , EWEB launched an ambitious program to protect the McKenzie
and the high water quality EWEB customers have come to appreciate. The overall concept
of source protection is to have the ability to measure the balance between watershed
health and human use over time and implement actions that maintain a healthy balance
for production of exceptional water quality. The utility now has a full-time source
protection coordinator, who has instituted a number of monitoring and pro-active
programs. These efforts include:
Water quality monitoring: By continually testing water in the McKenzie and
its tributaries, EWEB can gauge what, if any, contaminants might be increasing due
to urban development and runoff, hazardous materials spills, and agricultural and
forestry activities.
Emergency and disaster preparedness: EWEB's source protection coordinator,
Karl Morgenstern, developed a first-ever emergency response plan for the McKenzie
watershed. This includes a sophisticated mapping and web-based notification and
response system to help agencies quickly respond during an emergency.
Funding assistance: Karl Morgenstern also has been instrumental in securing
funding and assistance for 27 agencies and "first responders" to purchase equipment
needed should an emergency occur.
Mapping: EWEB has identified all known or potential hazards in the watershed.
Link to this mapping site below.
Outreach: EWEB is reaching out to the agriculture and forestry communities
with voluntary programs aimed at reducing potential impacts to the McKenzie's water
quality. This includes assisting farmers in obtaining federal funding for voluntary
conservation and resource-protection.
Education: EWEB provides grants to the Springfield and McKenzie school districts
to help kids better understand the relationship between a healthy watershed and
water quality.
Partnerships:
EWEB currently is working closely and developing long-term partnerships with more
than 30 agencies, local high schools, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University,
landowners and others.
A special McKenzie Water Quality website provides partner agencies, researchers,
watershed stakeholders, and the interested public with data and information collected
by EWEB on the health of the McKenzie River.
Read EWEB's Drinking Water Source Protection Plan.
EWEB has developed an emergency response system for the McKenzie River watershed.
Meet Karl Morgenstern and learn more about what he does to protect your drinking
water.
EWEB is currently engaged in an effort to collect information about non-point sources
of pollution in the watershed. EWEB is engaging landowners in the watershed to help
with this voluntary program. Read a fact sheet about the program.
EWEB is inviting homeowners living in identified areas in the McKenzie River watershed
to participate in a project that will include water quality monitoring, education
and free septic system inspections.
EWEB and other agencies launched an innovative program to collect unwanted or obsolete
chemicals being stored on farms and other agricultural property in the McKenzie
River and Middle Fork Willamette watersheds.