Home > State > Executive > Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board
Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board > Web site
The State Lands Building in Salem houses the central offices of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. (Oregon State Archives Photo)
Present Duties
Since 1999, the Oregon Constitution has dedicated 7.5% of Lottery proceeds to restore and protect native fish and wildlife, watersheds and water quality in Oregon. The majority of these funds are allocated to a grant program which supports these objectives. The Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB) has been the state agency directed to administer these grant funds.
OWEB’s grants help Oregonians take care of local streams, rivers, wetlands and natural areas. Community members and landowners use scientific criteria to decide jointly what needs to be done to conserve and improve local rivers and natural habitat. OWEB maintains a Watershed Restoration Inventory of funded projects, tracking local restoration efforts and investment results, and monitors watershed conditions and provides leadership for natural resource data management. Progress of the Oregon Plan for Salmon and Watersheds is reported to the governor and Legislature biennially.
The agency is led by a 17-member citizen board made up of 11 voting members and six advisory members. Five voting members represent five state natural resource agency boards and commissions: Board of Forestry, Board of Agriculture, Water Resources Commission, Environmental Quality Commission and Fish and Wildlife Commission. Six public voting members represent all regions of the state. Nonvoting, advisory members represent federal natural resource agencies and other concerns: U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Environmental Protection Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, the Tribes and the Oregon State University Extension Service. The board allocates funds for watershed restoration activities and is responsible for establishing Oregon’s long-term strategy for sustainable watershed health.
OWEB is administered by an executive director and staff in Salem with six regional field offices.
Contact Information
Mailing Address: 775 Summer St. NE, Suite 360, Salem 97301-1290
Telephone: 503-986-0178
Fax: 503-986-0199
General E-mail: bonnie.ashford@state.or.us
Contact: Tom Byler, Executive Director
Administrative Rules Coordinator E-mail: Renee Davis-Born
Records Officer E-mail: Cindy Silbernagel
Staff Directory from Oregon.gov
Location Map: by Yahoo! Maps
Legal and Legislative Information
Statutory Authority: ORS Chapter 541
Natural Resources Budget Analysis (pdf) - by Legislative Fiscal Office
Audit Reports - select agency from menu
Records, Publications and General Information
State Library Publications - a link to the Oregon State Library Catalog