Water quality – AIR, LAND & WATER

2022 Earth Month Photo Contest Winners

Our photography contest features more than 50 images created by DEQ staff who work daily to protect Oregon’s air, land and water. The contest drew entries of stunning images from around the state —whether a shot from their travels or a selfie with a beloved creature or critter. Browse this gallery to see the judges’Continue reading “2022 Earth Month Photo Contest Winners”

DEQ submits comprehensive water quality report to EPA

Warm water continues to be the top source of pollution in Oregon’s rivers and streams, according to the latest and most detailed report produced by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The 2022 Integrated Report on state water quality, as it is called, is now in the hands of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, whichContinue reading “DEQ submits comprehensive water quality report to EPA”

Congratulations Oregonians – Oregon’s 2050 Vision for Materials Management is 10 Years Young

We Oregonians are proud of the beautiful and diverse landscape of our state from the Pacific coast to mountains, rivers, waterfalls, desert, forests and farmland. Oregon also enjoys a “green halo” for our forward-looking outlook about the materials we make and consume to maintain our quality of life. But did you know that you liveContinue reading ” Congratulations Oregonians – Oregon’s 2050 Vision for Materials Management is 10 Years Young”

Oregon DEQ releases 2021 Oregon Water Quality Index

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has released the 2021 Oregon Water Quality Index. It assesses water quality at 160 ambient monitoring stations across the state. The goal is to determine the status and identify trends in waters of the state for ambient water quality conditions. The OWQI is the only water quality key performanceContinue reading “Oregon DEQ releases 2021 Oregon Water Quality Index”

Encouraging Green Infrastructure in Oregon

An innovative program is helping restore streambank vegetation across Oregon. The program, one of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s many, is called “water quality trading,” and trading is one of several forward-thinking efforts used by the DEQ to boost investment in green infrastructure. Green infrastructure is the practice of using natural ecosystems to deliver specific services. Planting trees and other vegetation along streams to shade waterways is just one example of green infrastructure.

The three most important ways Oregon is fighting climate change

cent headlines warn that the window is quickly closing to protect our future and preserve a livable planet. In Oregon, we have seen the effects of the climate crisis first-hand: hundreds of deaths from extreme heat waves; thousands of homes destroyed by wildfire; lakes and rivers drying up before our eyes; farmers without water to grow food; and the toxic algal blooms that shut down the city of Salem’s drinking water system for weeks in 2018.

Johnson Oil in Clatskanie one step closer to redevelopment after latest DEQ cleanup project

DEQ is removing petroleum-contaminated soil at Johnson Oil, a former gas station and car dealership in Clatskanie that began operating in 1957. The soil-removal is the latest effort to clean up the site, which has a history of contamination dating back to the 1980s. Columbia County acquired the property through foreclosure in 2007.

Governor Brown Highlights DEQ’s Efforts to Tackle Food Waste at COP26 Summit

Earlier this week, Oregon Governor Kate Brown shared the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s work on a global stage when she served as a panelist on a session titled “Partnerships to Reduce Wasted Food on the American West Coast” at COP26, the 2021 United Nations climate change conference.

DEQ Lab releases groundwater quality report for Harney County

A new report from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Laboratory shows water quality data for groundwater in Harney County.

Oregon expands DEQ protection of pristine waters in Crater Lake and Waldo Lake

Crater Lake and Waldo Lake have always stood out as waters in Oregon. Crater Lake, the namesake for the only National Park in the state, has clear blue water. The deep lake fills a volcanic caldera. Waldo Lake, nestled into the Cascades near Oakridge, holds exceptionally clear water. So clear that it is like distilledContinue reading “Oregon expands DEQ protection of pristine waters in Crater Lake and Waldo Lake”