Oregon and Washington support Walla Walla basin water projects
WALLA WALLA –
The Walla Walla basin is a complex watershed that crosses the border between Oregon and Washington. Its rivers and streams connect the two states, but the watershed is chronically short on water and struggles to meet the needs of local communities. Watershed restoration and water management projects are increasingly important to the basin and those efforts will soon receive new support from both Washington and Oregon.
The Washington Department of Ecology is awarding $1.46 million in grants to 10 projects that address long-standing challenges like meeting water demands, managing floodplains, and restoring habitat. In addition, Oregon’s recently signed House Bill 5006 provides a further $2.5 million to fund water projects in the basin.
“This investment underscores the power and value of collaboration to tackle difficult water supply challenges and build climate resilient ecosystems,” said Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller. “By joining forces across state lines and partnering with local communities, we can strengthen water reliability, restore habitats, and manage our floodplains for the long term.”
The work to bolster water supplies and improve habitat and floodplain management in the Walla Walla River Basin is a collaborative effort between Washington, Oregon, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), and an advisory committee representing agriculture, environmental interests, recreation and quality of life, economic development, and local governments.
“We’re extremely pleased by the strong support we’ve seen for our work in the Walla Walla, despite the difficult budget conditions in both states this year. To ensure these precious dollars go as far as possible, Washington’s funding will be complemented by matching funds from Oregon,” Anton Chiono, CTUIR Habitat Conservation Project leader, said. “Together, these investments will be tremendously important to both our ongoing planning work, as well as our implementation of critical projects to improve water conditions for fish, farms, and people. This a great example of what we can accomplish by working together.”
Chris Kowitz, North Central regional manager for the Oregon Department of Water Resources, explained that the combined investment in the Walla Walla basin by both states underscores the significant progress that has been made over the past few years.
“With the support of many basin partners, the two states and the CTUIR have been able to leverage funding to make meaningful progress on implementation of the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Strategy,” Kowitz said. “The state of Oregon is committed to working with our colleagues in Washington on policy and infrastructure needs over the next biennium and beyond.”
Annie Byerley, Walla Walla County Conservation District Manager, explained how the funding will allow the conservation district to contact landowners that may not be familiar with the conservation district or the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Strategy.
“The more opportunities we have to share water quantity concerns and information about the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Strategy with the community, the more the needle moves on conserving this resource,” Byerley said. “Many community members likely don’t realize the impact that they could have on water conservation. Water conservation is a basin wide problem, and it will take basin wide approach to address the problem.”
All of the projects that received funding were identified as priorities in the Walla Walla Basin Watershed Strategy. The sponsors and projects receiving grant funds in 2025 from Ecology include:
| Project Sponsor | Project summary |
| Tri-State Steelheaders | Mill Creek Fish Passage Improvement at Gose Street will remove a fish passage barrier to open 60 miles of upstream habitat, while restoring floodplain and riparian areas with sloped banks and plantings to improve habitat quality, floodplain function, and fish populations. |
| Washington Water Trust | Water Right Transactions-Project Development will work with water right holders in Washington and Oregon to keep more water in local rivers, helping endangered fish and making streams healthier and more resilient to climate change. |
| CTUIR | Walla Walla Subbasin Salmonid Monitoring and Evaluation will improve CTUIR’s ability to monitor both juvenile and adult migrations through the Walla Walla Basin. |
| Walla Walla County Conservation District | Aquifer Recharge Water Quality Monitoring will support comprehensive water quality monitoring at the Stiller Pond recharge site within the Walla Valley. |
| Walla Walla County Conservation District | Touchet River Mile 42 Restoration Project will restore a 1.4-mile stretch of the Touchet River starting at river mile 42. |
| City of College Place | Garrison & Stone Creek Streamflow Gauging will develop and install river gauges, which will help track and manage instream flow targets. |
| Tri-State Steelheaders | Walla Walla River Bridge-to-Bridge Phase 3 Restoration will improve instream complexity with 28 large wood structures, improve 8.7 acres of riparian habitat, and achieve a healthy, natural floodplain. |
| Washington Water Trust | Touchet River-Hofer Dam Assessment & Design Study will analyze the effects of flow on sedimentation and fish passage at Hofer Dam. |
| CTUIR | Túuši Wána Restoration will support a 2.7-mile-long floodplain and fish habitat restoration project on the mainstem Touchet River. |
| Walla Walla County Conservation District | Heritage Gardens will promote residential landscaping that prioritizes native plant diversity, low water usage, and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. |
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