*UNDER CONSTRUCTION*
Hey! Clatsop County, let's talk about water
Welcome! We're so happy to see you...
Between now and June 15, 2022 we invite you to listen and learn alongside us about the water challenges and opportunities in our community. We want to know more about your water situation as well as what questions you have. Keep scrolling or click on the buttons above to learn more about what we’re up to and how you can engage. There are several ways to participate online – you can contribute your knowledge and observations to a community water map and inventory – or you can choose to participate in virtual or in-person community building events. We are eager to bring our community together around water and we hope you will join us. Together we will work towards a more secure and sustainable water future for our communities, the economy, and the environment.
Sincerely, your County Commissioners
Listening to learn
We want you to be a part of this conversation. Everyone has something to contribute because we all use and need water. We want to hear your water story and we want you to help us create an environment where others feel welcome to share their stories. We hope you will be as involved as you are able and encourage your friends, neighbors, classmates, and colleagues to participate as well. We have multiple ways to engage in this process. If you choose to participate we ask that you please help us create space for different voices and perspectives by staying positive and staying curious. We are asking everyone to read through and adhere to our Listen to Learn Commitments.
If you have questions about the process or face barriers to participation, we want to do everything in our power to address them. Please call or email our POC.
For all the materials that come out of this process, please visit Results!
We will be using the Ford Family Foundation Community Building Principles and Practices – learn more about their Community Building Approach!
Receive email updates!
The best way to know what’s going on and to stay plugged in is to sign up to receive email updates. We will send notifications about when and how to engage in this process and we will also send along the results and any information about next steps.
Information about map
Add to the Community Water Map
Add to the Community Water Inventory
Information about inventory
Information about focus groups and community forums
Participate in virtual or in-person discussions
Check out the results!
Information about focus groups
In Oregon "all water within the state from all sources of water supply belongs to the public."
We all need water...
Water is essential to all living things. We all need enough water in the right place at the right time that is clean, accessible, and affordable enough for its intended use.
Sometimes we might not have enough water. Sometimes we might have more water than we know how to manage. Sometimes it might not show up at the right time or in the right place. Water requires us to be adaptable as conditions change from day to day, month to month, and year to year.
Water connects us to each other and to the landscape. When we use water it may affect the health and wellbeing of our neighbors or the fish and wildlife that also call our watersheds home.
Water is fundamental to the health and safety of our communities, the health of the rivers and watersheds we love and rely on, economic opportunity, and our overall quality of life. We all have to work together to be good stewards of this shared resource.
Water for people and communities
Water is at the heart of daily life – from our faucets, to the food we eat, to the places we play and pray. The health and wealth of our homes and communities depends on water.
Water for the environment
Rivers, fish, and wildlife all need water. Healthy watersheds can capture and store water and help provide clean water for all.
Water for the economy
Every business and industry – from your favorite coffee shop or brewery to LOCAL INDUSTRY – relies on the availability of quality water.
The real question is...why wait?
The time to be proactive about envisioning and charting a path towards a secure and sustainable water future is now. The challenges we face are only getting more complex. Water supplies during the dry summer months are becoming more limited at the same time demand for water is growing. Our watersheds and infrastructure are increasingly stressed by high highs and low lows. The state and federal government have just made large financial investments in water. We need to be able to understand and communicate the full range of needs in our community and help direct resources to those needs.
We want to better understand what’s currently happening around water in our community. These water conversations will help us gather the information and build the relationships needed to take a positive and productive step forward together.
You have a stake in water...we all do!
You have a story to tell about water and we want to hear it. You can help us create a community based map and inventory of all of the water concerns, challenges, assets, and opportunities that make up our water reality in Columbia County. We welcome you to the conversation to share your experiences and perspective as well as your questions. We encourage you to meet your friends and neighbors and learn about their relationship with water. Together we will gain a better understanding of our water situation, create opportunities to learn from and with one another, and find ways to help each other. The picture will be more complete with your participation.
When it comes to water, there's a lot to learn
We want to help everyone better understand water conditions in Columbia County. This section is for those that want to go a little bit deeper! Explore the resources and add information where you can to aid others in their learning journey.
