Related News

  • Related News

  • EWEB Education Programs Invest in Eugene’s Future

    Learn some of the many ways EWEB customers support local schools and help inspire kids to explore the wonders of watershed health and clean energy resources.

    Find Out More
  • EWEB supports apprentices through a training program

    Our skilled journeymen are experts in their field, with thousands of training hours and real-world experiences.

    Find Out More
  • Every Week is Infrastructure Week

    National Infrastructure Week (May 14-20) may be a politically charged quip on the national stage, but for EWEB, the urgency and importance of infrastructure is no joke.

    Find Out More
  • May 2nd Board meeting report

    A wrap up of the May 2nd EWEB Board of Commissioners Meeting

    Find Out More
  • Bethel middle schoolers compete in a wind power challenge

    Seventh graders in the Bethel School District put their handmade wind turbines to the test in a wind power challenge supported by EWEB grants last week.

    Find Out More
  • Show More
Partnerships Bring Resources for Recovery

January 13, 2021

Northwest Youth Corps crews install sediment fences on properties along McKenzie River

In the aftermath of the Holiday Farm Fire, landowners and organizations throughout the McKenzie Valley are banding together to rebuild community, protect our treasured McKenzie River, and lay the groundwork for tomorrow's healthy forests.

Under one such effort, a group of local organizations known as Pure Water Partners is helping property owners assess fire damage and bring resources for erosion control and replanting.

To date, Pure Water Partners has assessed more than 180 properties and many participating landowners have received free assistance such as hydroseeding, mulching, and installation of wattles or sediment fences.

This voluntary program helps residents restore their land and prepare for rebuilding while reducing the impacts of the fire on the McKenzie River. The McKenzie provides critical habitat for fish and wildlife and is the source of drinking water for 200,000 people downstream. Many valley residents have wells that are influenced by the mainstem McKenzie or its tributaries.

Pure Water Partners is a joint effort of EWEB, McKenzie Watershed Council, McKenzie River Trust, Cascade Pacific Resource Conservation & Development, Metropolitan Waste Management Commission, Upper Willamette Soil & Water Conservation District, US Forest Service, and other partners working together to support and reward McKenzie landowners who protect high-quality land along the river.

Landowners who complete a Pure Water Partners burn assessment will have the opportunity to participate in revegetation assistance programs aimed at restoring riparian and floodplain areas.  

To request a free assessment, go to purewaterpartners.org or visit the Vida Relief Center.